Tuesday, September 29, 2009

My Life

I sit an ponder how fast time is flying by me. I've been at the Nuthouse almost 1 month and away from the Best Western, life sure seems strange. I don't really miss my job but I do miss the people I work with and I do miss them. I have made new work Friends at the restaurant but they are not the same as people you have worked with for so long.That they have been part of my family for 8 years. I know I will grow more attached to these people but till then I will miss the BW family.
My job is keeping me busy, I never know what I will be working from day to day. Is someone calling in sick, they can't work that shift so I get more shifts sometimes then I need. But I will keep working and hoping for the best. Like to day one of the girls call and say I can't work tonight can you cover my shift and I'll work yours. So here I am still up and I have to be at work tomorrow am. It's a short shift and then Thursday I will work all day, picked up a Friday night shift, and then work a lunch shift and a dinner shift on Saturday. So lets hope no one gets sick this week.
I still try to find a little time to knit and spin. I have a new test knit job, this one is for Knit Picks, I will actually make dollars instead of yarn. I still would rather knit for yarn. Well I guess I should be heading to bed If I plan to work tomorrow. So keep those sticks aclickn'.
Happily knitting socks or spinning, Bye.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Spinning

My new fun thing to do is to spin on a spindle. It is just as relaxing as knitting. I love the feel of making my own yarn. So I have been buying some roving. When I got back from sock summit I ordered from Optic Fiber, Grape Hyacinth, a superwash merino. My spinning is getting better and more even I did this with the roving.


Don't you like my spools toilet paper rolls come in handy and a shoe box I'm set. I have also bought some other roving. From Fiber Optic I also bought No. 9 Black Coffee. I just liked the name since I love my coffee in the morning I love the blending of browns to make it look like different colored coffee beans.


I also bought from Loopy Ewe, Perchance to Spin, Wicked Witch of the West. a 50/50 fine Merino/Tencel. They have a whole line of Wizard of Oz roving. so I might be getting a few more.





I plied the yarn that I had been spinning and this bunch turned out better the last bunch I tried to ply. It was a true knotty yarn. But this time I learned from the last time so it went easier and the yarn turned out better. Each time I get a little better.
So I figure by the time I'm done with the Grape Hyacinth I should be getting a lot better. A friend is going to let me use her spinning wheel this winter so I will start a learning curve all over again. But I can see the attraction to spinning I love the feel of the yarn twisting under my fingers. I am enjoying myself, my thumb is stiff from holding the yarn in semi-tight so it doesn't slip and my spindle hits the ground. I've order another spindle for myself and for Gena can't wait to get into her hands I know she will love as much as I love mine.
Well till later, keep those ideas coming in for the pattern for the yarns, I'm still coming up with ideas. so keep those sticks aclickn'. Happily knitting socks, Bye.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Sock and Yarn


All about my sock and some yarn that I bought. First off I finished a pair of socks, the mystery sock KAL. I finally got them off the needles. This pattern was by Adrienne Fong a fun pattern to work, she wrote the pattern in 5 parts so you never got the pattern at one time. So it made it all the more fun because you don't know what you are knitting but that's the best part. I was always behind everyone else but they are done in time. I knit them using Hazel Knits artisan sock yarn in Sanguine Peach.

I also got sock one of my Sunday Swing socks using the very first sock yarn from the Yarn Pirate sock club. Rum Runner I love the colorway. I had tried to use this yarn on other patterns but I didn't like how it pooled but this time around it has turned out great. this is my travel sock which goes with me everywhere. Not that I can work on it but I keep trying. I work on it in my room while I have the other sock I work on watching TV.

I have started another sock using the book "Knitting Sock with Handpainted Yarn" the pattern is by Debi Barnhill, Potpourri Sock. The sock offer a bit of a challenge with changing stitch count, yarn overs and wrapped stitches. Every seventh row features a ribbon of color created with a double figure-eight wrapped stitch. So it should be fun to knit. I am using Sock Pixie yarn Kate Chopin a very colorful yarn I hope this works with the pattern



Yarn the I bought. This yarn I wanted to buy at Sock Summit. It is a colorway by Lorna's Laces that they did for the Dye for Glory contest, BBQ Zombies, this colorway is so different that I had to have it. The Loopy Ewe had it and sold out and they got more it so I bought it right away this time around I didn't want to loose it.



Another yarn that I fell in love with at Sock Summit was by Wool Candy, She had the softest yarn I loved to fondle it. Woolgirl is now carrying her line of yarns so I bought 2 of her colorways: the first is from her Meringue Merino line "Cerises" I love red yarns they have so much depth to them. I also got from the Lollopop BFL line "Wagashi" a beautiful neutral color.








Now to decided what to knit?????? What pattern will work with these yarns????? Help me to decided and you will get.............. Let me think I know I've got something to give away.
That's it for now I'll get back with you later with my spinning. So keep those sticks aclickn'.
Happily knitting socks, Bye.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Summers Almost Over

Seems like summer just started. We were planting the crops and now its time to harvest what we planted. The neighbors have been cutting corn this week. The corn this year has been very tall. Here's a picture of Me in the corn field. This year the corn reminded me of the movie "Children of the Corn" don't ask me why but the corn field creeped me out. Lucky I got home from work early enough to get this shot. They had the field cut by the end of the day.


Here is a shot of the monster coming through the field as you can see the corn was really tall. It must have been two of me and I'm not short 5' 8" so it must have been about 12 feet tall. Here is a picture of the cutter and a truck so the corn was quiet tall. I took this picture on Wednesday and they are still cutting corn today the pile is getting quiet high.






I've got lots of tomatoes and am planning on making homemade tomato soup. I've been given lots of fruit so I have to decide what to do with it. I made some grape juice and can't decide if I want to make grape jelly or not. Decisions decisions something will come about.


I received my Woolgirl Sock Club shipment this week
It looks interesting now doesn't it. The theme was "Love Bug" and we got all kinds of goodies.







  • 1 skein of Miss Babs "Yummy" fingering weight sock yarn in the Ladybug colorway. with a mini skein of Ladybug black for heels and toes.

  • "Fly Away Home" sock pattern by Lisa Dykstra

  • 7" The Fibersphere -- the ultimate in fiber protection

  • Mini lady bug sphere to hold your stitch markers of extras

  • Ladybug stitch marker by Gail from Blitzknit

  • A handy-dandy ladybug pen which has a tape measure on the end

  • A ladybug emery board

  • A mini-ladybug heart notepad

  • A ladybug eraser.

  • 2 Love Bug magnets

  • Ladybug stickers and a ladybug tattoo
I have been knitting on the mystery sock and I have one done and am working on the second one it is a fun pattern and has a lot of work to do on it. I can't travel with it and because the pattern changes every row and I don't have it memorized, I used the semi fancy heel and the fancy toe. I wish I had paid more attention to the toe when I was knitting and started the decreases sooner. But I still like how it is turning out.


I am also working on a pair of sock called "Sunday Swing" this is a fun and easy to memorize pattern and is my travel sock. I am finally using the first sock club shipment from Yarn Pirate called Rum Runner. I have tried to use this yarn before but I didn't like the pooling but this time around it is working out well . So I am happy so far I'm working on the gusset now.


I LOVE to spin I am having so much fun watching the roving turn into string and then the strings turn into yarn. This is not a good picture of my string but it is turning out and I'm having lots of fun. I'm using a pencil roving from Fiber Optic Yarns called Moonbeam. Gena and I bought this at Sock Summit we split it just to see if we would like it or not and we didn't know if we would even like spinning. Now I can't wait to save up enough money to buy a spinning wheel.
Well that's enough for tonight I'll try again this weekend. So keep those sticks aclickn'.
Happily knitting socks, Bye.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

My Day Off

Finally a day off. I don't know what to do with myself. It feels all so very strange. I'm doing some knitting, I'm on the toe of both socks that I have been working on. So I will finish them. Then to start the second sock of the Mystery Sock and to begin a new one.
I've been looking a several different patterns to choose from. 1. by Wendy Johnson, Rivulets, 2. Sunday Swing Sock out of Knitty summer, 2. by very busy monkey, Irate Squirrel Socks. Then to pick out the yarn the choices so many.
Work has been going good. I seem to be working all the time lunch shift and then turn around and work dinner but all is good. At least I don't have a lot of time to spend money.
Today is the opening game of FOOTBALL, GO SEAHAWKS GO. They are playing the Rams so it should be a good game and hopefully a good year. We have to hope everyone stays healthy. Kick off it about to happen. So keep those sticks aclickn', Happily knitting socks, Bye.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Spinning, Knitting and Life

I got my Loopy Ewe Sock Club this week. WOW do I love it. I have tried to get my hand on this yarn in any color but without any luck I haven't. When it come in it is gone just as fast. But in this shipment we got Wollmeise. I feel so lucky it will probably be the only skein of this yarn that I will ever have. The colorway is Guide to Galaxy in Teals and Burgundy. I love how they blend together the two colors. The pattern is by Jeannie Cartmel called Zig Zag Diamonds, a Loopy Ewe knitting accessory bag and cute notepad.
My knitting is coming along slowly this week I just haven't had a lot of knitting time. Work seems to be getting in the way. Tony has me working all over the time clock, one day I open the next day I close and then open again in the morning. My days seem to just run in to each other. Day I close and tomorrow I open the bar and then work a dinner shift but I get Sunday off It will feel good to just do nothing. To do it all over again.
But my knitting has been slow because I've been spinning and I love it. I bought myself a new spindle. It spins much faster then my old one so I can spin finer. I've got some yarn resting right now and I hope to ply it Sunday. I want to buy a spinning wheel now I'm having to much fun with it but I know that my knitting will suffer for it.
Well that's it for now, so keep those sticks aclickn', Happily knitting socks, Bye.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

I Made Yarn

OK I know it sounds crazy but I had to share. I just got off work but I made yarn today. I have been spinning this on my spindle and today I decided that I was going to ply it and see how I did. Of course there is thin places and lots of fat places but it really is my first attempt to ply my work. I'm so proud of myself. Like I said its not the greatest but its a start. Now I want to give it a real try and see what I do.

My knitting is progressing. I have the gusset of the Luminare sock done and working on the foot. On the mystery sock I'm still on the gusset I haven't really worked on it a lot will try to do better. I just got yarn from Woolgirl to do a test knit just waiting for a pattern so I have to knit a little bit faster.

Work is still fun but it is WORK. Tonight we where busy and I stumbled through it. All went well but I just could have done better. I know that I'm being hard on myself but I have to set an example at all times. I just have to get my timing down and things will fall into place. I'm still learning the kitchen and the cooks, the computer system and the differences in all the server sand their abilities. I will learn it all by the end of this month. Then I can handle the front of the house responsibility's and that will help Tony out more.

Well that's all for now I just had to share my yarn. Keep those sticks aclickn'.

Happily knitting socks, Bye

Thursday, September 3, 2009

I Made It

Wow I made it through an evening shift. Of course we where busy, it just had to be. I remembered almost everything. Then I had to jinked myself I forgot the buns on my second to last table. But over all it was a good evening and I survived. Not to make it through a lunch shift. Tony has me doing other things, I just don't want it to cut inti my knitting time to much.
Chris come home tonight and is crashing on the couch. Doesn't he remember he has his own place. Micheal finds his new job boring. But he knew that before he took the job.
Well that's it for now. Today has just been one of those days and I'm glad that it's over so off to bed.
Keep those sticks aclickn'. Happily knitting socks, Bye.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

The Mariner's Game

It was great!!!!!! The Mariners WON, we had a good time. Walked around Pike Street Market and the Water Front. Mom did wonderful with all the walking she did, I know that she will be sore tomorrow. I wanted to take a picture of me knitting my sock at the game but who forgot thier camera, ME. But Dad remembered his so I figured he could take a picture. BUT guess who's memory card had an error, Yes Dad's. So no picture but it was a great day, the sun shinning and all was good at the ball field. I did get down to the heel on my sock so all was not lost. So keep those sticks aclickn'.
Happily Knitting socks, Bye.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

The Official Day 1

Today was my first real day at the Nuthouse Grill working full time instead of just here or there. I have to admit it is fun. The time goes by really fast and before I knew it my day was over. Of course that was day shift and I didn't have to sweep up peanut shells. That is the part I dislike about working evenings but I guess that comes with the job. But over all I love waiting on tables again its nice to be back in the restaurant. We'll see how long that lasts.

We are going to the Mariners game tomorrow with Mom and Dad so that should be fun. Taking the train down so I will have lots of knitting time. So hopefully I will get the Luminare sock done.
If not I'll just keep working on it I'll get it done one day.
I'll let you know how the game goes and till later, keep those sticks aclickn'.
Happily knitting socks, Bye.