Kestrel’s Nemesis

Well, I have started my new job……It’s going very well.  It seems straightforward so far.

In knitting news, I have no news on the Lizard Ridge.  I still need to get some yarn for seaming and border.  But I should have it soon……then the fun begins.  The final arrangement of squares is not yet finzalized, so still a bit of work to be done there.

 The Monkey sock has been expanded!  I have finished all the lace repeats on the leg, and begun the heel.  Slightly out of focus…..but here is the idea, with a close up of the lace pattern below.

I also have started the French Market Bag from Knitty. This was a nice mindless airport project. Also useful for knitting nights because I can actually chat and keep up with the pattern.  I’m using Paton’s Soy Wool Stripes in the Natural Plum Colorway.

I scored a great deal on this yarn at Michael’s while it was on sale for $3.85 a skein.  I can’t find much better for feltable yarn.

My last little project was something that my sister and I worked on in Denver.  We each made a couple of these for ourselves.  Her’s are gifts for a friend who is moving away, mine are for toting knitting around.  The sock bags were made using this tutorial. I have made similar bags in the past with no pattern, so this wasn’t a huge challenge for me, and I could have done it without the pattern. But, it is much easier when you are actually given the dimensions ahead of time.

Here’s a shot with my knitting tucked inside:

These little bags are so simple, they only take me about an hour to make them.  I used two fat quarter squares of cotton fabric, a 9″ zipper, some interfacing and matching thread.  Only about $5.00 worth of materials, if I buy them at the fabric store.  The beauty of these are I have a lot of scraps of fabric and a stash of zippers that will let me crank one of these out anytime.

Coming Soon:  Pyramid Bags!  In the meantime happy knitting and sewing

Well, what a wonderful time in Denver.  Though, I have been to Denver before, this was the first time that I got to see anything!  The first time I went, was as a baby, I don’t think my sister was even born yet….the thing that sticks out in my mind was sitting in my hot plastic car seat and going to Mesa Verde….I recall being really mad that my dad was seeing all this neat stuff and climbing around, and I couldn’t be out of my stroller.  Last time my family went to Denver, our station wagon pulled up at my aunt and uncles house, I got out of the car and promptly tossed my cookies all over their driveway.  I then got to spend the rest of the time in their basement guest room with a riproaring case of strep throat and an ear infection, so I didn’t see much of anything.

This time was much better.  My sister chauffered me all over, we hit Golden Gate State Park, Boulder, Aspen, Leadville, Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, Manitou Springs Cliff Dwellings, Downtown, Buffalo Bill’s Grave, and a few more places that escape me at the moment.  Lots of driving in a short period of time.

Here are a few highlights:

Garden of the Gods

Gretchen and I at the Reservoir at Pikes Peak

Me at the Siamese Twins formation at Garden of the Gods

Gretchen at the Pikes Peak Reservoir

Aspen Grove just outside of Aspen, CO

Gretchen and I, at Garden of the Gods

I think we both had a good time.   We also had great timing, since this week, she has 5 inches of snow!

Coming Soon:  Knitting and Sewing pictures

Yesterday, while I was on a hunt for pattern at JoAnn’s using their $4.00 Vogue Pattern sale, I took a look through the book rack.  I don’t normally really find much at my local JoAnns, since their selection is pretty slim (there is a fairly decent JoAnns Etc. a little further afield that is a little more stocked). 

But low and behold on the bottom of the bookshelf, in the back corner, hidden behind six other books,  I scored a copy of Victorian Lace Today for $14.00, after using the Colombus Day Sale coupon for 50% off.

I find this is a great way to add to both my sewing and knitting reference library.  JoAnn’s routinely sends out 40% off coupons in their fliers.  I don’t always have anything that I really want to get, so a lot of times the coupons go by unused.  I have been able to pick up several good reference books, usually stitch dictionaries, or how-to guides….but occaisonally a gem like this pops up and I snap it up.

 For those of you on a budget, keep an eye out at your local big box fabric and craft stores and use those coupons to stock your library!

Sorry for going AWOL on you all.   My long delay in posting was caused in part by a nasty computer virus that took the computer out of commission for a week.  But I put that time to good use…..  By finishing my Lizard Ridge squares!

I was able to borrow a friend’s floor to lay out my squares…..my biggest open space wasn’t quite  big enough.  She even had her hubby vaccum for me….Thanks Allan and Tana

 I am really excited about the possibilities for the blanket.  I’m not sure there is a wrong way that this can be layed out, and its even a little hard to tell the difference between some of the arrangements that have been created.  I have 4 extra squares, which are a start to my sister’s blanket.  It was really nice to have a few spares to switch out, because there were certainly a few that didn’t really fit the color schemes that I have come up with.

Posts may be a little sparser, although they haven’t been terribly regular lately.  I am off to Denver to visit my sis for a week.  But I have also landed a job at one of our local indepedent fabric stores.  Don’t worry, I will still post pictures of my projects…..I have plenty upcoming ideas

 Happy Knitting!