Friday, July 29, 2011

Sock People

We are starting the 2nd day of the Sock Summit.
Wednesday evening, as I was leaving the Teacher Dinner, I overheard 2 waiters:

"I like the sock people, they...."
"They're so happy!"
"They are so happy."

All of the knitters I have seen since Wednesday have been happy!

And here are some of the people that are contributing to that happiness this week(a couple of them were in hysterics at the moment the picture was taken- so happy that there are 3 more days left of the "sock people"'s take over of Portland)



It's an amazing ride. Twice as big as last time. Which makes for twice the fun.
The Marketplace is beyond amazing. I have no words. (I also no longer have money. ;))

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

At Long Last

I am releasing a pattern that is somewhat special to me.

This is the very first design I ever submitted anywhere.

It was accepted, but the publishing company went out of business, and the book was never published. So I had the design, the sample, the pattern, and nowhere for it. I did submit it to other places, but it is a very specific design, and I at least like to think that it wasn't accepted just because it didn't fit with the rest of the patterns in the current edition of the publications it was submitted to.

I suppose I could try again, but at this point, I think I will just release it via here and Ravelry.

The Lacy Little Evening Skirt:





This is a straight skirt with revealing fishnet lace panels down the side of each leg. A slit in the back allows ease of movement and a flash of leg. The sheen of the yarn keeps the stockinette stitch surrounding the lace from being plain. The yarn drapes beautifully showing off those curves. Knit in the round from the bottom-up, with figure flattering shaping, this skirt is designed to fit just above the hips.
The pattern is written for a short version, but you can easily add to it and make it longer. In black or red, this is the perfect addition to your evening wardrobe.
Or make it in blue or the silver shown and use it for every day use. This is an extremely versatile skirt.

Pattern available for $5.00


I have to confess here that this design idea (as so many of my patterns are) was originally an idea of my husband's. He is very good at coming up with the ideas for me to execute. I think we make a good team. :D


Monday, July 18, 2011

The Utimate Knitting Bag is for more than Knitting

I came home from a playdate for the kids to find this in a box on my front step-
It is a Jordana Paige bag. This is the Rio.

I've already filled it. It'll be my Sock Summit bag. When I take the diapers out, there'll be room for extra yarn and needles as well as some samples for my classes. I love this bag! I think this just may be the first of a collection of Jordana Paige bags that I own. I have to say these are the best designed knitting bags I've ever found. It triples as a knitting bag/purse/diaper bag for me.

I've got my notions, crochet hook for mistakes, current small knitting project, wallet, business cards, sunglasses, emergency meds, diapers, wipes, cell phone, mace, hand lotion, Purell, chapstick, gauge ruler, pens, patterns, and there's still room for more.

What's in your knitting bag?

Thursday, July 14, 2011

The best laid plans....

What a busy busy summer this has turned out to be! I was so planning on a relaxing time: preparing for school this Fall, taking my kids to the parks, playing board games and putting puzzles together with the kids, knitting, hanging out.... Nope. Not even close.

I did manage to get somethings ready for school this Fall- as in purchase the books. But looking at them and getting the notebooks ready? Mmm, no so much. Reviewing my curriculum? Ha! Not even close. I'm now hoping that might be a possibility in August. We'll see. Fingers are crossed (when not needed, so you have a good idea of how accurate that statement really is).

Taking the kids to the parks? Occasionally. Not half as much as I had intended to. But that's not entirely my fault- it really would help in the park thing if the weather was a bit more like a normal July. It's not. It's still acting like May. We even had to turn the heater on in the boys' room the last couple nights. Usually this time of year it's the fan. Weirdness.

The knitting thing is happening. Mostly because it absolutely has to. I have deadlines. People that are counting on having patterns when I told them they would have them. It's actually going pretty well. I feel like I am way behind on the big book I'm working on, but all the testing and pattern writing is complete for the smaller book, and I'm just waiting for the photos. Details only on that one, now, and that is exciting.

Oh, a little side note here: today I got to check out a new LYS in town! A nice close one! It's on Main Street in Gresham (used to be a bridal shop, if you know Main in Gresham), and it is fixing up to be fantastic. Emphasis on Indie artists- yarn dyers, spinners, etc. Gorgeous place to hang out and chat, spin, knit, weave, crochet.... You should check it out if you're in the area. I'm so stoked there's finally a yarn store in Gresham- you can bet you'll find me there a lot..... (there's even a kids' room!!!) but back to our regularly scheduled blog now....

The hanging out thing is happening a bit, so that's good. I got to take the kids up to Multnomah Falls with my Mom and sister a week or so ago. We had a blast. The kids we so disappointed I wouldn't hike all the way up to the top with them. I made it about halfway, but packing a kid up a steep grade on bad knees is not as easy as exercising at home on my level treadmill by myself. And I had to think about going back down on those knees too.... But we had a good time.
We also got to go hang out with some family over last weekend. Eastern Oregon is a lot warmer than Portland these days. A lot more allergens there too. You'd think it was summer or something....
We had a great time. Roo absolutely loves his cousin.

So even though the summer is not going quite as I had planned, it's still good. I'm enjoying it. It's going to get wilder before it gets calmer, too. We're about 12 days away from Sock Summit! I'm so excited. I get to talk knitting to my hearts' content. And not bore the person I'm talking to half to death....

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Summer Experiences

Before you get amazed at the amount of chocolate Roo got on himself, let me inform you that it is not chocolate.

It's dirt.

And drool. He is, after all, only 1 and a half, and teething.

And a really cute little ham. The above pose is his instant response to hearing me turn the camera on.

He is loving this summer. Loving exploring. Loving the outdoors, and the siblings, and the family times, and the dirt.

I confess I had almost forgotten what it was like to take a kid to the bath and discover that their sandy colored hair is a perfect disguise for a head full of dry dirt. Which, once you put it in the water, is no longer dry, it is now mud. Mud that you wish you had known about before so you could have used the hose instead of the newly cleaned shower....

Roo is not the only one enjoying summer. Bear has learned to ride a "big" bike. And it is all he wants to do all day long.

Which is pretty great because it wears him out and he sleeps really well; and it's not nearly as dirty as pouring dustpans full of dirt on his head. Which is a nice change, really, because it was only last summer that he was the one filling my clean shower with mud hidden in his abundant thatch of hair.

Now he's the one with massively bruised shins, scraped arms and the occasional scrape on the back. And the perma-grin. Can't forget that, that's the best part.

Buddy and Sweetheart are enjoying their summer too. No school! And, we have started chore charts- with "allowances". It's amazing how a goal motivates a kid. I haven't had to mention that the laundry needs done for the last 4 days; I just have to remember to put mine away before bedtime.

In between the chores and the dirt and the bikes, we read. The kids are signed up for the summer reading program at the library yet again (they love it!), and I get quiet afternoons at least once a week if I'm able to get them to the library. I think it's hilarious that we have 4 double-stacked bookshelves in our house, but it's after a trip to the library that they sit down and read....

Oh, and we found out how to get Roo to stay still long enough so that we can read a book to him:

It has to be done somewhat differently than normal....quite appropriate for us.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

"It's something to say when you don't know what to say."

Tuesday, my Father and Mother-in-law took the children and I to see the Broadway musical of Mary Poppins.

I have the best in-laws ever. And you can't have them. So there. ;D

We had a blast! All the kids stayed awake for the whole 2hrs and 45minutes of the show. And they stayed interested and focused on it (until the end, when Roo decided the Exit sign over my head was more interesting if only because it looked like it just might be within reach if he tried hard enough). They especially liked the fact that it really wasn't like the movie (the older 2 are a bit tired of the movie, truth be told. And I'm kinda glad. I think I could sing you every single song on that show, verbatim, in order.)

In other news, Roo has started babbling in different ways. This is of especial note because his doctor (and I to a lesser degree and only occasionally) have been concerned about the fact that he's 1 and a half and not talking. I mean really not talking. 3 barely understandable words at this age don't really count. The doctor was concerned enough to send him to a speech pathologist. But over the last week, Roo has started babbling some new sounds, AnD acting like he's having a conversation with me in Roo-lingo. Sweet. Big progress. I'm stoked.

Before you think Roo's Dr and I are nervous ninnys, please understand that by this age, all my other children were using full sentences. Yes, I know that's probably somewhat unusual, but it's what I'm used to. Roo is different in many wonderful ways. The kid definitely has his own personal drummer. I'm just thrilled that he's showing progress which probably means we won't have to repeat visit the speech Dr. :D

And in the meantime, I think I discovered that the mitt mis-measurement actually wasn't a mis-measurement. I blocked them to different sizes on accident. *palm-face* Yeah, well, before you say anything about that, I'm not used to blocking mitts. I'll do better this time. I'll even break out the measuring tape. I'm just really really happy that I don't have to frog or cut or re-knit any part of it. I've got other fish to fry-er, things to knit- at the moment.