catch up

Seems I am always catching up, but never quite there. Another school year has started and I am behind. We need to get BG's assessment done and paperwork in for last year's homeschooling. BG has already started the new year of work, and seems to enjoy it a bit better this year. We have had 2 days in a row that the babies came sleeping and stayed asleep long enough for us to get a good hour of school work in.

We are getting away this weekend with my son and his wife. DD-i-l only has about 9 weeks left to her pregnancy and I sure need time away from watching dd's babies..even if it is only one day. Most weekends are spent trying to catch up on the housework that has slipped during the week when the babies are here. It will be nice to just sit and talk. Maybe I will get a good bit of knitting done too. New granddaughter is due mid November and her name will be Leeve.

DS#2 is planning on being home on leave in the middle of October. It will be good to have him home even a short time. He emailed me to tell me which PTerry books he has finished and which ones he just bought. We have another Discworld convert! I might even let him watch The Colour of Magic on my pc when he is here.

OTN: Morpork Pie shawl from MMario which is about 65% done. I have about 15 rows of round knitting to do then the border.
Queen Anne's Lace shawl from MMario which I am knitting up in crochet cotton for a tablecloth. I would estimate about 60% done. I have about 15 rows to do before I start the repeats to make it the right size. I just don't know how many repeats I am going to do. Enough for it to hang nicely over my 58 inch round oak table.
Mystery stole 4. Just started this project as the only clue out so far is #1. It is a beaded shawl and this will be my first beaded project. I got to row 5 (8 overall) and noticed I was 2 stitches over the count, so I ripped back to row 3 and found I was now 3 stitches short. grrrrr. So I frogged completely and am casting on again. It wasn't as hard as I thought to bead as you add the beads one at a time after you knit the stitch instaed of threading on all the beads before hand. A bit time consuming though. Pictures of the finished clue are showing up at the group and it looks nice.
Not OTN (yet): Sock Scare Fest socks, though I am downloading the patterns for a more convenient time.
Also planned for the near future: The Ankh-Morpork Knitter's Guild has decided to read Terry Pratchett's books in order and make an afghan square for each book. This is definitely something I want to do. We will each end up with our very own Pratchgans!

Pratchgan

Been a while since I posted, but had to share this exciting news. As I posted earlier, I was priviledged to contribute a square to the Ankh-Morpork Knitter's Guild's Pratchgan project. 99 people contibuted squares which Cherryred assembled and backed. After a little back and forth talk with Rob, Terry's assistant, Cherryred was able to present it to him in person! Here for your pleasure are a few pics:



All wrapped up and heading to its new home..PTerry's bed!

Early AM

I find myself with sleeping child time. Both babies and BG are still in bed...well, dgd is BACK to sleep after waking up crying several times overnight. I should be using this time to do things like make my bed, get dressed, maybe start a load of clothes. Instead I am fiddling with this blog. I was trying to get a link up with a changing pic...similar to the Ravelry button. The pic saves to my pc correctly, but when I link it here, it stops moving. I think it has to do with the original site I am trying to link to. The other ones I have tried have given me a code to copy and paste...this one didn't. Maybe I will try again later after many cups of coffee.
I didn't get to post yesterday about the Wednesday night knit. We had 18 people!!!!!!! (sorry Pterry, had to use that many !) I kinda felt bad cause we were scarfing up the tables left and right so other customers where milling around like they had no where to sit. (we only really used 5 tables) This was the first week we hadn't used the tables near the windows as some were bothered by the setting sun, but the electric lighting is plentiful, so it wasn't a problem.
I need to go shopping for the Music With Socks Swap I am doing with the Ankh-Morpork Knitters' Guild. Witht he 'luck' I have been having trying to produce a likeable/wearable pr of socks for myself, I may opt for the skein/pattern idea. Then I just need to find an awesome cd of music.

Sigh......

I really had reasonably good intentions of posting more often. Life sure interferes sometimes. Not only are my days filled with caring for dd's children, BG is now on crutches and needs extra help. Words that aren't quite comforting to start a phone conversation with: "The good news is...she's ok". BG fell up the steps at dd#2's house and twisted her ankle. We spent a few hours in the local ER getting x-rays. There doesn't appear to be any breaks or fractures, but they splinted her foot anyway and she is not allowed to put any pressure on it till her regular DR gets a look at it next Monday.
Started a pair of socks, (Nutkin Socks) got 3 sets of pattern into it and 'tried' it on...didn't fit over the heel. So frogged it til I can decide if I want to use the yarn for a different pattern or just add extra stitches somewhere. The pattern has no give so doesn't stretch..nor would it tighten up around the ankle again once on.
Working on the Seamless Baby Kimono in a Caron Simply Soft Tweed.. colorway Dark Sage. I love this pattern! It works up easily and fairly quickly. Body is done and I am working down the first sleeve. I did the one side tie and am not sure I like it. I may opt for small buttons instead.
I am sure there are many other things I can post about, but time has run out and I am needed.

Mom?

Mom? Where are you? I know you were told to lock yourself in the bathroom for extra knitting time....but........... Mom? You forgot me, Mom! ...Mom? ...Are you coming out? Mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(posted by Feegle)

knit?

For a blog that's supposed to be (somewhat, at least) about knitting, this one sucks. Since I have started babysitting 2 of my grandkids, knitting time is down to a bare minimum. Just enough to keep me from going completely over the edge. Wednesday nights with our group still happen, but it seems some nights I get more coffee and chat in than knitting. We have some competition for the chatting also, in the form of a Bluegrass band. The music is great, but a bit loud. I used to knit while BG had her piano lesson, but these days I am rolling the double stroller up and down the hall keeping the babies entertained instead.
OTN: slowly working up the sleeves for the wool/silk sweater; BS Johnson hat (at a stand still while waiting for 4 lost stitches to reappear out of L-space); a light mint green baby blanket for new grandchild that should make an appearance in November.
O(ff)TN: the 2 single Jitterbug socks. I got past the heel and was doing the decreases when I realized I didn't like the way it fit on the ankle.
Looking at a couple of patterns:
http://www.knitzi.com/freedownloads/Nutkin.pdf
This one looks great, but not sure if I should use one of the Jitterbugs or my other skein of Wollmeise.
This free pattern from Ravelry looks good for the Moss Jitterbug:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/zombie-socks#
Decisions..decisions

House Sitting

I had the opportunity to house/dog/cat/fish sit at my son's this past weekend. BG and I went up Friday before son and daughter-in-law left to board the plane for Las Vegas where her sister got married in a beautiful family wedding out in the desert amid red/orange sand and rocks. Mostly we relaxed and vegged out in front of the TV. I got a good bit of knitting in. I finished the 6 pattern repeats of chart A and started chart B on my Bloody Stupid Johnson Hat, and started a pair of socks on ML from the new Jitterbug I bought at Knit-Wit Knits, (645 East State Street, Salem, OH.) If you are ever in the Salem area, stop in. The shop is located in the back of a thrift/craft/resale group of little stores, but worth the visit. The owner was very friendly and helpful. There was a nice little toy area for BG to play while I wandered.
I say I started a pair of socks, but actually I started the first sock of 2 different pair. I have one of Moss (75) and one of Castagna (128)on the magic loop. Hopefully SSS won't set in or I will have 2 unfinished pair.. lol.. or I will be wearing mismatched socks.
Returning now to the real world....sigh