Thoughts on Thursday

Random thoughts cross my mind today....

For instance, I want to buy some of the beautiful pins I found at The Metropolitan Museum of Art Store.  If I was in NYC I would just spend a day at the Museum.  It has been years since I was in NYC.  SWCNLBN is from Upstate NY and folks from that part of the State wish that NYC would slide off the map, so we never went there, EVER.  What a shame all those wasted years.  Oh well, the past is the past and I am ready to re-discover places I have missed the last twelve years.

I have been knitting up a storm even though I have not added any pictures.  I keep putting it in writing here so that you all will hold me accountable for the pictures.  I finished the second Shur' tugal sock today and will do the Kitchener later when I am at home and have total silence.  As many years as I have been doing it you would think that I could do it anywhere.  Alas, no way.  I still need to concentrate even with the wonderful key chain that Amy gave me in the last swap.  The socks are so cozy.  Lizzie did a wonderful job with the dying process and I am so glad that I was able to see it in process and then turn the hank into these lovely socks.  I hope to get them soaked and blocked by the end of the weekend so that I can drop them off next week for the contest.  Officially, we don't have to get them to the shop until the 23rd, but I don't want to tempt fate.

I have also been knitting away on the USS Lehmus-huivi.  I had made it all the way up to almost twenty-five repeats when a small child picked it up and it slipped off the needles.  Totally my fault.  I did not have point protectors on it when I laid it down and I didn't have a life line in it either.  With no wee little ones in the house any longer I hardly ever use point protectors, unless I am packing the project to transport it some place.  As for not having a life line in place, there is just no excuse and I knew fate would get me for that.  I wanted to cry; however, the parents were mortified enough so I just graciously picked it up and put it on the dining room table to fret over after they left.  Aside from having to unravel it all and start over I learned a few very important lessons.  Lesson one is to always use a life line with lace of this sort.  Lesson two is to always use point protectors on lace of this sort.  I am finally back at the twenty-five repeat place and need to get some pictures taken.  It is stunning even though it has not been soaked and blocked.  I can only imagine how wonderful it will look when it is done.

The Red Hot is in limbo.  Why?  I loathe and despise seaming.  In fact if I didn't feel that way I could already be wearing it.  When I am finished with the Lehmus-huivi I will be seaming it together.  I must admit that the Rowan Calmer was a joy to work with and I am looking forward to making more things with it.

There are currently twelve other projects on the needles on my Ravelry Project Page.  Wait, technically Red Robin is done except for the buttons.  I don't consider it finished yet because I couldn't use it without the buttons.  I must rectify that this weekend as well.  Goals for the rest?  You bet I haz dem.   One of them is a secret project that will be finished in a week, no later than two.  As soon as I'm done with that, I will be finishing up the Lehmus-huivi first so that I can get it to Lizzie.  Next will be the Traveling Woman followed by the Multnomah.  After that, I will get the Turn a Square done.  From there it will be a toss up to get the ones with the least amount of work done so that I can turn up the volume on to the ones that will remain.

I really want to see if I can get 10 Shawls in 2010 done.  I'm not sure if it is a reasonable goal, as I only have six completed that meet the requirements.  The Lehmus-huivi, Traveling Woman and Multnomah would get me to nine.  We'll see.  I have a skein of Noro Kureyon Sock that may become a Citron but we'll see if I can get to it before the year ends.

I also wanted to toss out this link.  I had to laugh at first but then I printed the flyer and thought about it a little harder.  I think I'm into it now and will be considering the options so that I can participate.  I also have items to send to Amy for her work as well.

Okay gang, I have rambled long enough....

Finally Friday

Okay, so it is October 1st!  Today officially starts Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Just a brief fly by to update the happenings at Chez RubyRingz.  The weather here is WONDERFUL.  My morning runs have been conducted outdoors and it feels so much more healthy than running on the treadmill.  The evenings are a sheer delight and enjoying a cup of hot tea while reading poolside before bed is beyond words.

Knitting has been transpiring as well.  The Red Hot was going well until the sleeves.  Sleeve One was finished and I thought is was long but paid no attention.  I was mid-way done with the second one when I realized that I was going to need a seventh skein and that just didn't seem right.  I measured the first sleeve and it was about seven inches too long.  The pattern is very poorly written and I should have caught on to that sooner.  So, I ripped out the first sleeve back to the transition point where the lace turns into the stockinette stitch and laid out my own increase pattern and am now almost to the portion where I begin the binding off and decreases for the cap.  Obviously, this means that it was not finished in time to be considered part of the KAL that I was participating in.  I am a bit disappointed but I will survive.

I have also been working on the Bamboo thread shawl and the Sock Competition entry.  They are both coming along nicely.  I have no new pictures of the shawl but I will get some soon.  As for the socks, I will not post pictures until I am ready to drop them off for the judging.  I want them to remain a secret until then.

Okay, back to work so that I can get everything done and begin a relaxing weekend.

Tuesday Temptations

I thought I would lead this post off with a few pictures.  The first two are of Eraser and Sassy.  For some reason they both slept this way with one paw shielding their faces.  Odd but they are cats, so they do things that we humans do not understand.  The third one is a glimpse of the Red Hot front and back pieces blocking and drying so that I can assemble them at some point today.  The second sleeve is almost done so I can block them for assembly as well.  The fourth one is of some roses that SF gave me on Valentine's Day 2010.  I selected three of the buds from this arrangement and hung them upside down to dry out.  When I am sad, down or frustrated I just need to see them on the side of the bed (retreat room) and they make me remember that it will all be okay.  The fifth and final one is of a Mourning Dove that was sitting on the fence outside the kitchen window last week (Friday the 24th) during a very heavy downpour.

As for the temptation portion...well, I have been culling my recipes and putting them in order so that I can find them faster.  I want to start using the crock pot again and that is what prompted the actions.  Fall equals crock pot cooking to me, so I needed to get ready.  I love coming home to the smell of dinner that is ready.  Crock pot cooking is hearty and most of the food sticks to your ribs.

There will be more later today, I just wanted to get this portion up and off my mind....

Finally Friday

Just pictures, not too many words.  First picture is the Fred Hartman Bridge as seen on the way home from Upstairs Studio.  The second picture is a sneak peek at the SWTC Xie Bamboo thread that is the test knit shawl for the Upstairs Studio.  Let me tell you, this stuff is YUMMY!  The next picture is the back of the Red Hot.  The front is almost to the neck divide and I am hoping that it will be finished before the end of the month so I can enter it into the KAL.  More on the later.  The last three are of the Sockhead Hat done up with one skein of Wool In The Woods Twin Twist.

Enjoy this first weekend of Fall!  I promise an over load of posts next week with FO's and Fall goodies....

Thoughts on Thursday

Warning in advance...this will have pictures, rants, raves, and general commentary....I'm in that frame of mind.

This golf ball sized thing is my first attempt at hand-spinning.  It was done entirely at Upstairs Studio with Jordan as my teacher.  We drafted, spun and then plied the roving into this wee bit of yarn.  Art yarn at best, as it is all wonky and not really usable at all.  But, I do have the bug a wee little bit.  I have roving (see below) and a loaner spindle.  It is in time out at the moment, as I got frustrated with it while trying to work on the USS Migration and the Topi.

Speaking of the USS Migration socks...they have been a real treat.  That is both sincere and facetious all at the same time.  I love the yarns and I love color work.  The challenge for me seemed to be the pattern.  The designer called for a US Size 1 needle, standard for sock yarns.  I happen to like using a US Size 2 for socks but in the true spirit of sample knitting I went with the designer's specs.  BAD Choice.  The first sock is SO small that I could never get it on, EVER.  I cast on with my favorite needle size and the second version is MUCH better.  It looks large when lying alone but when I slip it on it fits like a glove!  I have already cast on with the pink as the main color to create a reverse of the original.  It will have white as the "design" element.  I have affectionately named these the Valentine's Socks.  The pictures below are all of sock two (US Size 2 Needle).

I am excited to get these to Lizzie, as she has some wonderful yarn for a lace shawl that I will be knitting up for the next sample piece.  I have picked a beautiful color and will post more about that project once I get going on it.  In about two weeks I would guesstimate.

Yarn pron follows....

What are these beauties?  Well, image one is Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in CW-520 Caribbean Sea - First Cake for the Caribbean Gable (Green Gable Pattern).  Words cannot describe this blue.  I am instantly calmed when I pick this up.  It has been cast on and I will have progress pictures later.  Image two is Rowan Calmer in SH-487 Refresh - First Cake for the Red Hot.  I had cast on with Calmer before for a Fifi that is hibernating.  It will most likely be ripped and re-started, as I have lost a few inches and pounds and it is a very fitted piece.  The Red Hot is a wonderful v-neck sweater that I decided I needed.  It two has been cast on and progress pictures will come soon.  I hesitated on this one, as it is done in pieces, blocked and then assembled.  I hate seaming but I think I'll be okay.  The third image is Cascade 220 Superwash in 811 Como Blue - One Skein for the Topi.  Yep I am making a hat for myself.  Not a cap that you pull over your head.  A real cap that sits on your head.  I did the required math, cast on and am loving this yarn.  I can see what all the fuss is about and why people love it.  Not to mention that it comes in a gazillion colors.

I am working on all of this, plus hats for preemies, hats for Amy (which I need to get the first batch to her), some holiday gifts and two baby gifts.  All of them seem to scream for my attention so I devote time as equally as possible.  Not easy to do.  I am thankful that SF really does enjoy watching me knit as we sit together on the couch.  It is such a comfort to know that she doesn't mind that I am not the least bit interested in what she watches on TV as long as we can be together.  I am not banished to another room or ridiculed for knitting.

The City of Pearland has decided to finally hold a parade for the Pearland Little League.  It will be held this Saturday.  This is the press release for the event.  I am pleased that the City is hosting this event; however, it is slated to be in a very small part of town and doesn't even go near any of the businesses and places that donated LARGE sums of money and held viewing parties.  I am aware that these are young boys that are trying to get caught up after missing a week of school, but they deserve more.  They have been treated to being on the sidelines at the Rice versus Texas game in Reliant Stadium and the Astros, courtesy of Craig Biggio, will host them when they return to town from their road trip.  It seems sad that the City could not include both halves of Pearland and the businesses that supported them in this event.  They can rest assured that as a voter I have begun to take notice that the West side of Pearland is still the red headed step child and I don't like this attitude one bit.

I am enjoying the sun again after that last tropical drenching that we received.  I love rain but we got enough for a week or so.  We drained the pool a few times to keep up with the levels that we received.  That means that we will be checking the chemicals this weekend and getting them stabilized so that we can enjoy the remained of the swimming season and no have stuff grow.  Funny how algae can "leap" into the pool when the chemicals get a little off kilter.  The joys of owning a pool.  They far outweigh the work in our opinion.  It is so relaxing to sit poolside in the evening and enjoy the sounds of the water and the calm of the evening.  Not to mention the sun worshiping that is so much more fun when a pool is available to cool off in.

I'm still in that dreaded hair growing out phase that happens when you go from short to long.  It is a bit too short to pull back/up but too long to hang.  It makes workouts a real challenge.  The drying part is a pain too.  I have to use a few products to manage it and I HATE product in my hair.  Hopefully when I go next week the hairdresser and I can get to stage three of four.  I have been at the breaking point a few times the last two weeks and have almost cut it back short....almost.  Send mojo to keep me from cutting a year's worth of growth....

Okay, enough for now....there could be another post later today.  It has been lurking in my mind and has been in draft form for a little while...we'll see how I feel about it later, after lunch.....