Next...

The other day a friend and her brother stopped into my store for a visit. She brought me a Sarbucks Latte, she had a coffee, and her brother had a caramel apple drink of some sort. It smelled really good. We all enjoyed our drinks and after we were done, M (the brother), let Tiger lick his Caramel Apple cup. Well that was it....Tiger cleaned that cup, we could have brought it back to Starbucks, it was that clean...

The REALLY funny part was that Tiger wouldn't put the cup down. He carried it around my store for 45 minutes. We laughed the whole time and took a few pictures. It was Hilarious... DD thought that maybe he could be the next Starbuck's Rep.! I love this picture...but you can't see the logo...

Here is another pair of the Blender socks. These are knit using leftover bits of blue yarn that I had from the many pairs that I have knit over the years. They started out being for DH but I used a 2.25mm needle on them and they wouldn't go over his instep....OOOPS, they are now mine! I really like them. I found that using the 2.25mm needles the knit fabric is very sturdy, and I love the way the yarns mingled together. It looks like it is one yarn only!

I really love this pattern however, these will be my last pair of Blenders for a while. I have a few skeins of gorgeous yarn that I want to knit with next. The next pair is definately for DH, since I messed the last pair up! I bought some Cascades Heritage Handpainted yarn in the colourway 'Thunder'. This is not a great picture...the colours really do remind me of a thunder storm!

DH is looking forward to these ones! I am not sure of the pattern for them yet, as DH won't wear anything to fussy. But I think this yarn deserves more than just a ribbing on the socks.

On the Durrow Sweater front. OMG! I don't know what I am doing wrong but there is DEFINATELY something happening there... I knit the front and back without a problem, but then who can't knit a 4 x 2 rib...LOL.

NO... my problem is with the sleeves and the wandering cable that is on them. I knit the first chart 18 rows and I thought there was something a little off. I looked on Ravelry at the other projects and my sleeves did NOT look like theirs. So I called my Durrow Guru, Beth, because she has made this sweater before. I stopped by her place on Wednesday and she had a look at it and...Yep, I was right...there was something wrong! Well she frogged it....no she RIPPED it back and highlighted the chart and sent me on my way with her DH's sweater so I could SEE what it was supposed to look like. I thought this was a great idea. I get home and start again...DH is sitting next to me, happy that I am working on his sweater again. I followed the pattern to the symbol, exactly, there was NO WINE involved, I swear, nothing! Just me, the chart, needles and the yarn. I get to row 10 this time and I look at it....OMG!!!!!!!! Again there is something wrong...so I put it away, poured a glass of wine and called Della. She told me not to touch it till she saw me 2 days later and she would have a look at it.

Fast forward to Friday evening....I see Della....and YEP! I did something wrong! She RIPPED it back this time...and since it was late and I was very tired we decided that I would leave it till I see her later today so she can Watch me knit the cable. She thinks that maybe I am twisting something. I don't think I am but then if I was doing it right I wouldn't have had to RIP it out twice!

So here I sit waiting for Della to arrive...

Happy Knitting!

It Never Fails To Amaze Me....

How my body decides to give up when I have a day off! I have been sick AGAIN! It started on Sunday with a tickle in my throat, then by Sunday evening I had it pretty much full on...Monday was a bad day at work for my nose. It ran away...and then yesterday (my day off) I felt like crap. My body ached, my head was stuffed and I was coughing and sneezing. Then low and behold ...today I am back at work and feeling MUCH better. What's with that...?

On the knitting side...

I have been working on DH's Durrow sweater. I have the front and back completed and am working on the cabled sleeves. But I think I have done something wrong as it doesn't look quite like the rest of the projects on Ravelry. I have asked a friend, SPALC, to have a look at them since she has already finished this sweater for her DH. So hopefully I am just seeing things (since I have been sick) and I don't have to frog them out and start over again but if I do I want to do it soon since I only have about 4 inches done.

I am also working on the toe of the Blender socks in blue. WOO HOO I guess there are a few good things to being sick...I knit them all day yesterday. Well I knit them and napped! I should be finished this evening. I will post pictures tomorrow (hopefully).

On the basement reno side...

We got the panelling and trim up. It is not perfect but looks a whole lot better. We still have quite a bit of work to do but we are on our way. The tasks that we have left are to lay the wood floor, put trim on the floor between the carpet and wood floor, put the baseboard on, paint it all, have the gas stove hooked up and then re-stucco the top part of the wall.

Before we can lay the flooring we have to move the old wood stove...I swear it weighs a tonne. I can't lift it with DH. We need another body and DS & DD are really not the bodies to use. I may have to get my brother to come over and give us a hand. Maybe I will get him to come on the weekend so we can get it done!

The floor we are putting down is only going to be in the foot print of the previous hearth area. It will be butted up to the carpet. The wood we have for that area is an exotic hardwood. It is about the only thing exotic in my life! I am very much looking forward to having it all done. I really miss the woodstove but a gas one will be even better as I can just flick a switch to have it start. I was never really good at chopping the wood, and lighting the fire!

Hopefully the next time I post it will all be done....(are you going to hold your breath?)

Happy Knitting!

March Break Approaching!

March break is approaching and DD & DS are BOTH going away for a week snowshoing with their youth group! I believe DH is laid off for yet another week! Even my friend, Della has March Break off. Apparently I am doing something wrong as I have to work! Oh well at least I have my 'Trusty Dog, Tiger' to keep me company at work.

Here are yet another pair of Blender Socks. This time they are for a Dance Mom Friend! They are knit using left over orange yarn. I really like how they turned out.

This is my woodstove and Fred Flintstone hearth that didn't pass the Insurance inspection. It really was a horrid site. The chimney was installed UPSIDE down! The hearth was intruding into the room by about 5 feet, We ripped it all out. One of the boulders weighed about 150lbs. It took everything my son and I had to carry it up the stairs in the rubbermaid bin and put it in the dumpster! We have since insulated, drywalled and are in the process of putting the panelling up. The floor will have an exotic hardwood in place of the stone and we will be installing a gas stove. This should all be done in the next few weeks! I am so looking forward to getting it done and having the basement put back together again!

I will post a picture later when I get home of the progress that we have made. It really is amazing how much bigger the room looks without Fred's fireplace in it! It is alot brighter as well.

I have been working on DH's Durrow Sweater. I have finished the Back piece and am 3/4 done the front. After that then I get to start the Sleeves. They have cables on them. I am still a little aprehensive about doing that many cables but I have been told that I can do them 'No Problem!'.

I am also knitting ANOTHER pair of Blender socks in a blue colour this time. I started them for DH but they don't fit over his arch....so they are now mine! OOPS...I promise Honey the NEXT pair will be for you! LOL

Happy Knitting!