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A Princess Meets Her Prince

Posted on March 1, 2010 by auburnchick

Today was a special day for an unsuspecting princess.

Ms. L., Rooster’s English teacher from last year, was about to meet Prince Charming, and she didn’t have a clue.

Rooster had planned the whole thing, but he nearly ruined the surprise by telling a friend.

I peeked into Ms. L.’s classroom a couple of times today, but I saw no evidence that the two had met.  The second time, she got suspicious that something was up because Rooster’s friend had been by to check up on things as well.

By lunch time, I had grown concerned, so I hunted down the boy (this is one advantage to working at the same school my children attend) and queried him thoroughly.

“Don’t sweat it, Mama,” he said.  “I’ve got things covered.”

We agreed to meet up at Ms. L.’s classroom immediately after the final bell.

A couple of hours later, I waited…smiling as I saw Rooster escorting the Prince down the hallway.

Ms. L. sat in her room, chatting with students.  She’s a lovely, young Princess…popular in the kingdom I call high school.

She opened her eyes widely as the surprise was revealed…

The story goes that last year, Rooster had done a naughty thing, so he owed her.

He asked me to make the frog for her after seeing it on the cover of the March 2009 issue of Simply Knitting (you can purchase the pattern here).

I hemmed and hawed until I made one for Chicky’s friend’s father (the one going through chemotherapy).

Although Rooster was happy that I had been so generous, he was a wee bit peeved that he still did not have his frog for Ms. L.  By now, he had been promoted to the 10th grade, but he knew he still had to answer for his bad deed the Spring before.

The Ravelympics provided the inspiration I needed, and I got busy.  I tend to work quicker on a deadline (don’t we all?).  I cast on this project February 15th and finished it in the nick of time…right before closing ceremonies on February 28th.

I used Vanna’s Choice in Olive and Dusty Green.  I used I Love This Yarn in Buttercup for the crown.

So, although the Prince seemed a little fearful to leave his country of origin (and he was a bit miffed at the role reversal of moving into his beloved’s home), in the end, he seemed quite happy in the arms of his lady love.

And they lived happily

Ever

After.

The End.

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , , , | 7 Comments »

Family Arrives

Posted on November 27, 2008 by auburnchick

When I got up this morning, this is what it looked like:

I had stepped outside the night before and noticed the drop in temperature.  Apparently it was enough to give us some frost.

The roofs were all white…

As I looked across the street at the pond, I saw this…

It was a beautiful way to start the day.

I subbed at my favorite high school.  The classes were short to accommodate the half day.  I managed to finish these:

Bernat Jacquard Ruffled Hats

Bernat Baby Jacquard Knit Ruffled Hats

The hats are for Soccer Chick’s physical therapist/sports trainer.  He is an amazing guy and really helped us out when she was rehabbing her knee.  He and his wife are expecting twin girls in a couple of months, so I thought I would whip these out for a Christmas gift.

The pattern is free and located here.  There is a version available for crocheters.  I used Bernat Baby Jacquards.  The colorways are provided below each picture:

Colorway - Boys and Girls

Colorway - Boys and Girls

Colorway Berries and Cream

Colorway - Berries and Cream

The pattern is given for knitting the hats flat and seaming them, but I don’t like to seam, so I used Magic Loop instead.  This left me with a hole at the top, so I added a pom pom to each hat.

I have to say that the yarn is FABULOUS to knit with!  It’s ultra soft but still manageable.  I only used 30g from each skein, so I have plenty left over.  I’m thinking about making booties to accompany the hats.

Another project that is just about done (just have to mail them) is the mini-stockings for the troops.  I had given the stockings to a friend who had asked to fill them.  She returned them to me yesterday.  Here’s a picture:

The pattern can be found here.  It’s free and was created by a KH member.  I used a variety of I Love This Yarn colorways.

With Thanksgiving being tomorrow, I’ll be busy cooking and trying not to burn myself in the process (did a number on my thumb this evening), so I probably won’t have much time to knit (nor the energy).  The pre-Thanksgiving meal that I cooked up for the family was a hit.  I made Chicken Piccata, fettuccine, and salad.  “Guy Friend” and Soccer Chick made the salad.

Guy Friends Salad

Guy Friend's Salad

For dessert, I made Chocolate Chip Cake…a recipe posted by Sunshine’s Mom over on KH.  I’m copying her post (hence references to “me” are actually “her”) here:

Duncan Heinz Butter cake mix
1 small package Jello instant vanilla pudding
1/2 bar grated chocolate (I usually use German chocolate – it’s in a green package)
chocolate chips
1 cup oil
1 cup milk
4 eggs
A bundt pan

(Let me just say to start – grating the chocolate is the most time consuming part of this cake. I’ve found that using a zester instead of a grater works so much better. In any event, grate your chocolate first before doing anything else and you’ll be happy you did.)

With mixer, beat together cake mix, vanilla pudding, oil and eggs. Fold in grated chocolate. Put half of mixture into bundt pan, add enough chocolate chips to your liking, put rest of mixture on top (and maybe a few more chocolate chips?) Make sure chocolate chips are pushed into the top layer of cake mix. Lick the spoon, bowl and detach and lick the mixer blades, seriously. It’s that good.)

Bake at 350 deg. for an hour or until inserted knife or toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool in the bundt pan (I can’t stress this enough!). Once cool, tip over onto plate and cover with powered sugar if you wish.

AuburnChick speaking again…

Instead of the milk, I used water because Mr. AuburnChick and I are lactose-intolerant.  I don’t do soy, and supposed “lactose-free” products still hurt our stomachs.

The cake was a huge hit!  Here’s a picture of what was left over:

Yeah, I know.  Nothing.  The family (plus Guy Friend) inhaled it.

We went to see Madagascar 2, and on the way home we stopped at the grocery store to pick up boxes of cake mix and pudding.  I’ve been requested to make another cake for Thanksgiving Dinner.

I’m off to check on my eggs…

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments »

Knitting Up More Stockings for the Troops

Posted on November 2, 2008 by auburnchick

Boy, is this project addicting!  The mini-stockings project that I started working on yesterday has quickly taken over my knitting life. Thankfully I’m subbing every day this week, so I’ll use my free time (i.e. Planning) to work on them.

Y’all saw the first one I made in yesterday’s post.  Here are three more that I’ve completed since then:

I Love This Yarn - Color #530/Green Camo Stripe

I Love This Yarn - Color #530/Green Camo Stripe

I Love This Yarn - Color #40/Red

I Love This Yarn - Color #40/Red

I Love This Yarn - Color #672/Mistletoe Ombre

I Love This Yarn - Color #672/Mistletoe Ombre

I’ve been playing a bit with the loops, trying to figure out the best way to make them.  I tried i-cord, but it’s tedious.  Then I tried casting on 30 stitches and then casting them off.  This made a nice cord, but it’s a little too thick.  On my third attempt, I crocheted a single strand of stitches.  I think I like this method best.  I can do it using the tail from my cast on, and it’s thinner too.

I’m going to take a small break from knitting these stockings to work up a little something for a friend.  I joined a Cold Weather Drink Swap over on the Virtual Knit and Spin forum on Ravelry.  My partner is figaro, who is also a buddy on KH.  There’s a $5 limit, and all items must fit into a padded 9×11 mailing envelope.  The challenge is fun, and I love how creative it’s causing me to be.

So, no pictures of what I’m cooking up for her.  I think she may read my blog, and I wouldn’t want to spill the beans.

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

Knitting ADHD

Posted on November 1, 2008 by auburnchick

I think I have knitting ADHD.  Do you know what I’m talking about?

I have always been a one-project-at-a-time gal, but lately, I find myself dreaming of other projects.  The project I currently have on my needles are the Knotty or Knice socks from the latest issue of Interweave Knits.  I’ve completed the first sock and have worked two pattern repeats of the second sock.  But I have to admit that I’m getting distracted.

Perhaps I could blame it on the holidays…except that I’m not planning on doing much holiday knitting.

Nope, that’s not it.

I think it’s simply that I’m tired of working on the socks.  I’ll jump at any chance to put them aside.

A few days ago, Rockin’ Rooster asked me if I would make him a beanie.  I’ve had this pamphlet laying around for a few months now:

I bought it at Hobby Lobby and have made one hat out of it already.

Needless to say, I was extremely pleased that a member of my immediate family would ask me to make them something.  The next day, I headed straight to the store to find the perfect yarn.  Look at the pamphlet above…at the fourth beanie on the second row.  That’s the one that Rooster wanted me to make him.   He wanted it in green and orange.  The official name of the pattern is Nothing But Ribbing Beanie.  I bought two skeins of  Lion Brand Wool-Ease.  The colors are Paprika and Forest Green Heather.  I was a bit unsure…thinking that the colors would be too dark, but Rooster gave me the green light to proceed, so I did.  Here’s the result:

I modified the pattern a bit to allow for the striping, and I am pleased with the way it turned out except for the places where I carried the yarn up.  I’ve got to figure out how to do this in such a way that there’s not a heavier “seam” going up the hat.  The average person wouldn’t notice it, but I do.  Anyhow, I worked three rounds of the green and then one round of the orange…all the way up the hat.

With the hat finished, I turned to my next project.

I recently learned of an effort to provide mini stockings to the troops serving overseas.  You can read more about it here.  The thing that touched me about this project is that these stockings are going to servicemen and women who are not receiving mail.  Believe it or not, there are many who receive little to no mail.  That must be very sad.  One of the gals at KnittingHelp.com has organized an effort to contribute to this project.  The response has been incredible.  We’ve already made over 100!!

Here’s my first one:

I’m subbing for four days in the same classroom this week, and I’m going to ask my students if they want to decorate note cards for us to place inside some of the stockings.  I’m hoping they decide to do it.  Of course, this will have to be done at home as I don’t want to interrupt the work already planned by the teacher.  However, I have faith that the kids’ hearts will be touched, just like mine was when I heard about it.

Excited about this project, I went shopping for more Christmas-colored yarn today.  I ran into Ms M, and we went from one craft store to another.  She’s been crocheting some stockings too!  Here’s the yarn I bought at Hobby Lobby today:

Fortunately, the store manager kindly found a 40% coupon, so I saved some money on the purchase.

And here’s a skein of yarn I bought at Michael’s (with a 40% coupon):

I’m going to make the hat on the label.  Soccer Chick’s sports trainer (who was also her physical therapist after her sugery) is expecting twin girls in January.  When I paid for this yarn, another 40% coupon printed out, so I’m going to go back and buy another skein, in a different color.  Mr. AuburnChick wasn’t even mad when I told him.  He wants to give these as Christmas gifts.  Whew!

So, do you see what I mean?  My focus is totally gone.  I want to knit EVERYTHING!!!

Sigh…

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

AuburnChick Loves a Sale!

Posted on September 1, 2008 by auburnchick

I started off the long weekend down in the dumps.  With Soccer Chick down in Orlando playing in a tournament (they lost in PKs in the semi-finals), and Rockin’ Rooster cheering on the Tigers (they won…WAR EAGLE), it’s been quiet.

I was very lucky with Hurricane Gustav.  Had I been located one hour west, I would have been in the area that had tornadoes.  This was the worst weather that my city saw (the date on my camera is wrong too…I need to fix that…this picture was taken today, 9/1/08):

A Little Rain

A Little Rain

The dogs didn’t seem too concerned about the weather either…

Hurricane Who?

Hurricane Who?

I managed to cast on two new baby blankets for the West Coast Oddball Baby Blanket Project.

This one is called California Coast.  We’re going to knit this blanket in blue and gold, which are California’s state colors.  I did a simple garter stitch.  The Rainbow blankets that I’ve worked on in the past have been so pretty using garter that I thought it might be a good choice for this blanket too.

California Coast

California Coast

I also cast on Disney Land.  I used I Love This Yarn (Red) and adapted this pattern for the blanket.  I cast on 90 stitches and knit a 25-stitch garter border on each end.  I worked the pattern on the 40 stitches in the center of the blanket.  If you look closely, you can just make out the hearts.

Disney Land

Disney Land

I slept in a bit this morning and then busted my behind cleaning the house.  I didn’t want the kids to think I had sat around twiddling my thumbs all weekend.

After cleaning, I resigned myself to completing the online driving course that will keep the points from my recent speeding ticket off of my record.  In case you’re new to my blog, I received my first ticket a couple of weeks ago.  I’m still mortified but have learned my lesson.  The class took a little over four hours.  I’m really glad I took it.  The information presented was quite sobering and reminded me how much of a privilege driving truly is, and the potential that exists to cause harm (both to myself and others) when I’m sitting behind the wheel.  I think that adults should be required to take this exam every few years.  We tend to take this privilege for granted.

After finishing (I passed, by the way), I decided that I had better take a shower.  Even I couldn’t stand the smell of myself.  I have to tell you that I am loving the new dishcloths/washcloths that I recently made.  The I Love This Cotton is incredibly soft!

Once clean (and presentable to others), I decided to go shopping.  I still had a $50 gift card from Kohl’s, which is located a couple of miles from my house.  I figured that there would be good sales today, and boy was I right!

When I got there, I headed straight for the clearance racks.  I like sales, but I like clearance racks even better, except that you have to dig through 1,000 things to find one thing that’s the right size and style.  Some people might cite this as part of the “experience.”  I cite it as a royal pain in the behind.  I am not a shopper.  In fact, when I want something, I want to grab it quickly and leave.  But I gritted my teeth, reminding myself that I wasn’t under any pressure.  Usually I have Soccer Chick yapping unpleasant things in my ear, “Mama, you don’t need that…Mama, you’re a Mom now — you can’t wear THAT.”

Sometimes silence is bliss.

I found a couple pairs of shorts that were 70% off.  Because I live in Florida, I’ll be able to wear these for a couple more months.  Next, I headed off to look at the shoes.  I don’t know of many women who go to a clothing store and don’t look at shoes.  Unable to find flip flops on sale, I took a peek at the sneakers.  I last purchased a pair when Rooster was in the first or second grade.  Pretty sad, huh?  I told you I’m not much of a shopper.  The shoes were on sale for $19.99.

New Shoes for AuburnChick

New Shoes for AuburnChick

New Shorts Too!

New Shorts Too!

The Tags Dont Lie

The Tags Don't Lie

I wound up spending $42.xx.  I still had a few dollars left and was determined to spend them too, heading back into the store to look at the jewelry.  The things that appealed to me weren’t on sale, of course.  I wound up leaving with my $7 still on the card.  I’ll save it for next time.

Did anyone else take advantage of Labor Day sales?

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , , , | 4 Comments »

AuburnChick Finishes the Comfort Throw

Posted on May 4, 2008 by auburnchick

Phew! What a project!

I finally finished the comfort throw that I made for my daughter’s friend’s mom…the sweet lady who recently had surgery to remove part of her colon. Fortunately, the doctors only found cancer in one inch of the seven inches that was removed. Additionally, only one of the 15 lymph nodes tested came back positive for cancer. She’ll be starting chemotherapy in a couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, I’m hoping that she will enjoy the warmth of this throw.

I took the blanket outside for a photograph. Isn’t it funny how we “pose” our projects? Aspiring photographers is what we are!

For those of you who don’t read my blog often, I adapted this pattern from a cabled pillow pattern in this pamphlet, adding six garter rows at the top and bottom, along with a three stitch garter border at the end of each row:

The pattern calls for use of the Saxon Braid, which you can find on this site. It looks difficult, but it really wasn’t. Oh, sure, the rows were intense, and you really had to pay attention to the right side rows, but you were rewarded by the easier wrong side rows.

The blanket measures approximately 27″x 29″. When I sit with it on my lap, it covers my legs from hips to waist. I’m short petite. So is my friend, so I think this will be perfect…especially if she wants to carry it around the house.

I used, in total, about three skeins of I Love This Yarn, Dark Raspberry. I had purchased eight, so I’ll be returning four of them.

I doubled the yarn, working from two skeins at a time, so I have about 1/2 of two skeins left over. I also used size 15 needles except for the cast on and bind off, in which I used size 17 needles. My original intent had been to use the 17’s throughout, but the sheer size of the needles left my hands unhappy after casting on, and I also thought that my cables wouldn’t “pop” out as much with the larger needles.

I never understood what people meant when they said that a pattern was intuitive. Well, now I know. Making these cables was, truly, intuitive. I knew instantly when I had made a mistake. The cable work just seemed to flow fairly easily. I knew when I was supposed to C4B or T4F.

I only had to make one major tink, and that was when I stayed up really late one night, trying desperately to keep to my self-imposed schedule of one pattern repeat per day. Row 15 ate me alive that night. It’s very difficult to tink back cable work, but I did it…all the way back to row 14, where I found my mistake on the wrong side. Go figure. I fixed it, muddled through row 15, and put the blanket to bed for the night. Other than that, it flew off of my needles.

My next project will be the Greenaway Fingerless Gloves that I just love, love, love. If you’ve ever been intimidated by a project like this, DON’T be! The pattern is written very clearly, and the thumb gusset is so easy to do! The hardest part is getting the first row done, with the dpn’s. After that, you sail right through the project.

I’m going to make use the Topaz yarn (the one on the left…below) for my co-worker. I had ordered the yarn for her, as a surprise, and figured I would get to it “sometime.” Well, last week, I found out that her birthday is on the 12th, so I guess “sometime” means “right now.” Good for me. Monkey Sock #2 will have to wait just a bit longer.

Little Ms. Chickadee comes home today after a weekend of Olympic Development Program (ODP) tryouts for Florida. She made the team, which is wonderful after not being able to try out last year after her knee injury. She’s garnered the attention of a couple of the ODP coaches, some of whom coach at Florida colleges (think scholarship potential here). She will attend a couple of camps and hopefully progress to the regional tryouts in Alabama this summer. Here’s a site where you can read more about this program.

Little Mr. Chickadee and I spent a quiet weekend at home, tending to the dogs and rats and working our behinds off. He had a slew of chores to do, and I spent all of Saturday ironing Mr. AuburnChick’s massive pile of clothes. I have refused to iron anyone else’s clothes for the last couple of years. We all have hands…we can do our own. With him out of town with the Chicklet, I figured I would surprise him. I ironed for at least five hours. No kidding. I’m going to relax today.

I’ll publish pictures of the gloves. Maybe I’ll get them both done today!

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , , | 11 Comments »

My First Malabrigo!

Posted on April 30, 2008 by auburnchick

Well folks..after knitting for almost two years, I finally got my hands on some of that famous yarn…Malabrigo…better known as Mmmmmm.

Just how I obtained it is a story in itself.

One evening, while I was chatting on KnittingHelp.com, the subject of Mmmmmm came up. I lamented how I’ve never seen or touched it before. Well, a couple of the chatters were flabbergasted! They simply could not understand how I had gone so long without laying eyes on this precious, spun gold.

One of the gals generously offered to send me one skein…no repayment allowed. At first, I didn’t know what to say. I was a bit shy about accepting her offer, but she insisted that she wanted to do this. The only she asked was that I Pay it Forward.

That, my dear readers, is an easy thing for a knitter to do. It is my opinion that crafters are among the most generous people in the world. Forget Bill Gates. Forget Donald Trump (yes, let’s do). Have you ever seen these men knit baby blankets? No way, Jose.

On Monday, I had a package in the mail. It was THE package. I had run by the house on my way to my son’s school. As I spied the package, I decided that I needed to wait until I was settled in car loop — so that I could devote my full attention to the contents.

On the way to the school from my house, Mr. AuburnChick called my cell phone, asking if I had read my email that day. Uh, no, dear. I just got off of work, and I have this package that I must dive into. Oh, he says, there’s some important stuff about Little Ms Chickadee.

Grrr…I really don’t like him telling me what an email says. I don’t know. It’s kind of like telling me what’s in a present before I open it. I know, I know…it’s just email. Sorry, but that is one of my quirks.

So, on the way to the school, I made a pit stop at the library. I had to return some books, and I knew they had free internet service, where I could jump online and check my email. So I did. After reading about 15 messages, one of which contained an email from a college coach about Little Ms’s weekend performance (see previous blog entry), I signed off.

My mind was on that package. Forget the fact that this could be the college that offers my daughter a soccer scholarship. Oh no. I knew that something special was waiting for me in the car.

Priorities, people…priorities.

I dash to the car and hurry to the school. Parking brake set…check. Package in hand…check.

My hands were shaking. I gingerly tore the end off of the envelope. A sweet note was included:

“Dear Nathalie,

I just couldn’t resist! Enjoy!”

I proceeded to the plastic wrapped bundle. Upon opening it, I found this…

Yes…I know! It’s TWO skeins of Bijou Blue Malabrigo!!! Oh my, is it soft! I sat in the car holding one on each side of my neck, envisioning them as a scarf.

But wait…there was something else in the package. Eh? What’s this?

Yep. A THIRD skein! The color is Lettuce. I had to chuckle. This was an inside joke. Ok. I’ll share it with you.

Generous Knitter is also on Ravelry, and awhile back, I commented on a project she has been working on. Turns out, we’ve both been struggling with the Leaf Lace Scarf pattern. It recommends the Lettuce yarn.

So, here’s to my friend, who serves as a reminder that there truly are nice people out there in the world. I never doubted that, but it’s always nice to have a personal reminder.

Now…let me tell you. Mmmmmm is not the only yarn that showed up on my doorstep that day…

That’s my latest order from purlsoho.com. It’s Alchemy Sanctuary, which is a silk/wool blend. Divine, I tell you…just divine! The color on the left is Topaz, and the one on the right is Boo’s Garden. I’m going to make more of these fingerless gloves. If you recall, I made a pair about a month ago. It is one of the easiest patterns! The only thing you have to watch for is when casting off the stitches for the thumb gusset. You can’t forget to cast off that 10th stitch, which means you will probably have to grab a stitch from the next needle. You’ll understand what I mean when you make them.

I’m going to knit up the Topaz for a gal at work. She admired my other pair and commented about how cold her hands get at work when she’s typing on the computer. I chose this color specifically with her in mind, thinking that the neutral color will go with anything.

The green is a selfish gift to myself. I’ll get around to knitting it up. Eventually. It’s such a fast knit that I could do them in a day.

Now…on to other things.

I am making progress on the comfort throw. The pattern is actually for a cabled pillow that uses the Saxon Braid. I found the pattern in this booklet…

The Saxon Braid pattern is also located on this page. I have completed three full pattern reps and will complete the fourth one tonight. My plan is to knit one repeat each day. I’m going to make six repeats in total and end the blanket with six rows of garter stitch. The cable is awesome and not too intimidating. A few of the rows are harem scarem, but I’ve been concentrating like crazy and haven’t encountered any problems.

I am making the cables without cable needles, which has sped up the progress tremendously! I used this site and this site to help me. I have to say that knitting without the extra cable needle is actually very intuitive. I was really tired last night but insisted on finishing that last pattern row before going to bed. I kept catching myself messing up…all because the stitches just weren’t flowing right. So, if you’ve been hesitant to try cables, don’t be! They are really very simple!

Well, that’s it for now. Off I go to work some more!

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments »

I Spoke Too Soon

Posted on April 18, 2008 by auburnchick

So much for a quiet Wednesday. No sooner did I post that entry did my life turn upside down once again.

After dozing off on the couch…killing time until my son’s doctor appointment, I arose to find a pool of blood on the floor where my dog, Aubie, had been sleeping. I do not exaggerate. It was not a spot, but a big puddle. I took a picture for the vet, but I’ll spare you. Her stomach had been churning all day…sounding kind of like hunger pangs. Well, apparently, while she was sleeping, every time it panged, blood seeped out of one of her ends. Yeah, not a pretty sight.

You know how much I adore my animals, so naturally I panicked. My regular vet was out, so I was referred to the sister office, which is actually closer to my house. Perfect. I made an appointment and tearfully called Mr. AuburnChick. Aubie is the oldest of our dogs…so we’re especially tight. He commanded me to call him the moment I left the vet.

No longer caring as much about my son’s sore throat, I canceled his appointment. He didn’t mind, explaining that having his throat swabbed ranked about as high as getting a suppository.

I had about an hour before the appointment, so I eagerly jumped online, praying that Rabbitrescuer, my KnittingHelp buddy, was in the chatroom. She works at an emergency animal hospital. Praise the Lord…she was there. I tearfully described the situation, and she calmed me down by explaining that it was probably HGE.  It’s very treatable if caught early.

Off I went to the vet, empowered with a little bit more knowledge.

After assessing Aubie’s condition, Mr. Ponytailed Vet-man (kind of looked like Steven Seagal) explained that my Aubie probably had a case of colitis. He told me to put her on Senior formula Sensitive Tummy dog food. My doggie is now considered an old lady, I guess. I walked out of there with four cans of bland, wet dog food, a probiotic, antibiotic, and anti-diarrhea medicine. Poor Aubie. She’s not enjoying the extra “attention,” although she’s loving the soft dog food.

So, that was Wednesday.

Thursday and Friday weren’t too bad. Work was stressful as always. Being the computer tech at work means I am often expected to have answers to problems that occur without rhyme or reason. I enjoy the challenge, but it’s a huge responsibility.

I managed to work on the mate to my Monkey sock, but I’ve only completed two pattern repetitions thus far. I’ve set the sock aside for a little while to concentrate on a couple of other projects.

I received another Oddball Baby Blanket in the mail. It’s called Rainbow Joy, and it’s garter stitch. I’m going to use green. I’ll post a picture when I’m done.

I’ve also decided to make a comfort throw for my daughter’s close friend’s mother. She just found out that she has colon cancer and will be having surgery next week. Someone on KnittingHelp suggested the pattern. So I rushed to Hobby Lobby to pick out some yarn. Her daughter told me her favorite color — teal — but of course there wasn’t enough. I called the daughter back, and she said her mom likes bright colors. Of course, the store didn’t have enough of any bright colors. So, I settled for Dark Raspberry…

I hope to have the blanket completed next week.

On my way home, I stopped at Joann Fabrics. I still had $50 of my birthday money, and I knew that the Ott lights were on sale this week. Here’s what I got, for just under the $50 I had set aside…

I’m off tomorrow…driving my daughter across the state to soccer practice. I’ll have two afternoons to work on the throw.

Please pray for my friend and her family.

Filed under: Knitting, Pets | Tagged: , , | 3 Comments »

Blankets, Blankets Everywhere!

Posted on April 6, 2008 by auburnchick

When it rains, it pours!

If you had walked into my house last week, you would have seen blankets and yarn lying all over the place. I hear you asking, “Why?” Well, it’s because I am involved with the Oddball Baby Blankets – two charity projects started on KnittingHelp.com. We even have a group now on Ravelry.

My venture with charity knitting started last summer when I signed up to work on Oddball Blanket #5. This blanket will be a king-size blanket that will get donated somewhere…I’m not quite sure where yet. When I received the blanket in the mail, I nearly cried. To hold something that others have worked on was just an amazing feeling.

So, with that experience in my heart, when I saw a notice on the Charity Knitting forum on KH, I had to sign up. The thing about this project is that it’s like trying to eat one chip out of a Lays bag. You cannot stop at one. The taste is so good!

Working on the blankets is a lot less fattening than eating a bag of chips. Well, maybe not. Your heart swells with joy as you see pictures posted of “your” blankets’ progress to completion, as each knitter is pretty faithful to share news of its journey.

Last week, I received three blankets. So, I put aside the Drop Stitch Scarf I had started and proceeded to get to work.

This is a picture of Summer Fun. This blanket uses worsted weight yarn. This is the site that keeps up with the worsted weight baby blankets. I used Caron Simply Soft, and the colorway is Mango. The pattern is called “Loop Pattern,” from the book knit & purl. I chose the orange because it reminds me of summer and the warmth of the sun.

This blanket is called Citrus Punch. It is a preemie blanket. This is the website where Shandeh (from KH) keeps track of the lighter weight blankets.

I really struggled with what color to use, even considering a green (limes are citrus, right?). In the end, I went with the yarn Baby Soft, colorway Yellow. The stitch is Woven Horizontal Herringbone, from the same book as mentioned above.

The third blanket I worked on is called Happy Bluebirds. Of the three from this week, this one is my favorite. I used I Love This Yarn, and the colorway is White. The stitch is called Vertical Weave from a little booklet that someone sent me with the first charity blanket I worked on. You can also find the stitch on this site, a great resource for various stitches!

I am supposed to be receiving another blanket in the mail this week. Until then, I’ve resumed work on the scarf. I will post a picture and details when I’m done.

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

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