Visiting

I have been taking a Math 111 (that's college Algebra) for Fall Term. (I have taken it once before, but didn't do as well as I'd like.. too much on my plate that time around) I am also paying for it out-of-pocket, which wasn't planned, but didn't have much choice. The interesting thing about this time, is the teacher. She's Russian. She posesses a thick accent. She's kinda feisty. She has a PhD. And, she knows her math. What's even cooler than that, is I UNDERSTAND her. Every concept, idea, and discussion. Every word. Dudes, if any of you ever took math in college, or high school, you will feel the waves of jealousy flood over you.. (unless you are like me and think math is totally cool).

The other thing I did, was head to Eastern Oregon to visit family, and go to my cousin's wedding. Not only did I not get wedding photos, I even forgot to get some good ones of my soon-to-be 87 year old grandmother. How lame is that?

I did manage to take other pictures.

Just wandered around the ranch and took shots of things that interested me. I hope you enjoy them too.

Off to Math class, and learning more about Shifts, Reflections, and Transformations. It's amazing. EVERYTHING has an equation. Well, at least that is the claim.

I just prefer the paycheck at the end of this ordeal. ;)

Layke

I named this one Layke. This wool is from an old stash of my mother's. You don't find a good turquoise blue around much (unless of course, you make it yourself).. That, my pretties, is yet another course of action I intend to take as soon as I graduate from college. I will have a spinning wheel, oh yesss!

Another view, my pretty daughter's hair looking great with that hat.



The decreases were fun to design!





A view of the Diamond pattern. Just a 13-stitch repeat I was playing with. I think hats, mittens and scarves are a good way to practice a  stitch pattern for preparing to work up to a Jumper.

This is my very own February Lady sweater I started almost a year ago. I finally got it out of the UFO drawer and finished the increases (there were only two rows of increases left- what was I thinking!) and working the first Gull stitch repeat. The yarn is Cascade 220 in Plum Heather. Love this yarn!

You can see the heathered look in the fiber here close up. It's amazing how all those different colors enhance the purple.

I had forgotten about the stitch markers I made. Aren't they fun? Also a better look at the wonderful yarn. That's a Garter Stitch pattern for you that are curious about what I'm doing.

Here are a couple more stitch markers. I just used jump rings, some favorite beads and finding, and - Voila!

If you want me to make you some, I could put together a set of 8 for $30 to include S&H.

A couple more. I love turtles! These little guys really make knitting fun! Little luxuries other than plastic really make the whole journey through the process very satistfying. For me, knitting  is that and so much more.

And, finally, my pretty ball of Cascade 220. 

Now, I need to get back to the Math homework. First quiz is tomorrow! Equations of circles, the Distance formula, and Domain and Range are what's happening. Love it!

Happy Sunday!

Finishings

I proudly present to you a finished project or two! *BIG happy self-satisfactory smile here* :

My daughter showing us "Faug"

Closeup of seed stitch. K1,P1, then on the next round K the p and P the k. Repeat.

This is "Smaug", Fisherman's wool slouchy beanie. I made two so far. I will probably make more! They are very versatile and handsome. For Men and Women.

Another angle. Sadie looks really good in these!

Love the way these sit on a head.

Yet another Pirate Hat. I LOVE this pattern. I am going to have to design one of my own though, SO many people want one and I don't want to breach the copywright thing.

I knitted it up using Knit Picks Telemark Yarn, in Black and Natural.  

My only issue with this was the pattern. Otherwise a joy to knit and beginners with the basic skills of knitting in-the-round, you should be able to whip one of these out. Skulls are IN, baby!!

I start school TOMORROW (erk!). Not looking forward to cutting into my knitting time, but a Mom's gotta do what a Mom's gotta do to feed these kids, keep a roof over their head, have a car to drive, etc..

Update on video. After much thought, I think I will do live broadcast, then modify as I go along. I am not a 'script' kind of person, and after following my mentor's lead, I think you will enjoy learning to knit, and knit along with me as well. I am really excited about the fun to be had!

Sunday melancholy

Feeling a bit blue this weekend. The fall rains came way too early this year.  I mean rain, people. I woke up several times during the night listening to it pour.  Crazy stuff. Rain usually brings me to a place of - well not necessarily sad, more towards.. melancholy I suppose. Maybe as I go along I will find a better word. (In case you haven't noticed, my 3 followers, I don't edit much. It's all raw and out there).

When I woke up Saturday morning, I noticed how it was foggy and light, so I went out and took a few pictures in the garden.

Love the somber feel to this.



Sunflower in the fog.. I love it!

Adds to the melancholy..

Black-eyed Susan

I love the colors in this flower!

The gray hat is done. I'm looking for a model to post for you all to see. Pirate hat is almost done. It's just down to the decreases.

Oh! on a side note: My good friend, John Darrow, who you can find staying up all night with his webcam on Ustream (the 3rd cam) emailed me and I have another knitter friend!  I love how such a humble craft

can bring people together.

You can also find John's website at www. phoons.com where there is a phenomenon called "phooning" that has rocked the non-tradtional traveler's world. You should check it out!

Not sure why this darned blog won't align left all of a sudden. Grr! Hope you enjoy the pictures. I am off to finish the hat, and start another project, and whittle away at some w.i.p.'s.

Enjoy your Sunday.





What is black is white

Once again, apologies for the picture quality. Photography is a crap shoot for me lately. Sometimes the digital works better, sometimes the 35mm, and sometimes, the Phone does! (who would have thought of that 30 years ago?!?)

Pirate hat #2. Actually as of this morning, I am about 6-7 rows further along than this, but wanted to show you the great look.

Pirate hat pattern pet peeve. I would like to address the charts to this:




























Notice anything? Anything at all? Ding! That is right, my friends. What is black is white, and vice versa. OMG! So, when I knit, I have to say it out loud- "Black-black-black, white," etc.. Definitely an exercise in concentration. I had to un-knit at least one section because I was distracted (texting, of course) but for the most part, black is white, and white is black.

One of the little luxuries I enjoyed over the weekend, was being able to knit in the car! Which meant I didn't have to drive the entire time. (Thank You, Dave!;)

Wool slouchy beanie with seed stitch design. Love the gray!

It's almost 6 am. Better get my son to the daycare and hang out at the Day Job a few hours..

Feeling the Changes

Isn't this a pretty flower? It's in a bouquet  Dave sent me at work.

Only a girl understands the feeling when your name is paged over the intercom- "Marilyn, please come to the front office".. and even though you might suspect because- well.. you were sorta "warned" a day or two in advance..(darned texting!) but wasn't quite prepared for your heart to go all  a-flutter, and then ShaZaM! There they are, all pretty and smelly and all the office ladies are asking questions, and you are in the spotlight turning all shades of the flowers you're holding and. .WHOA! did I just lose it there a minute? ME? going all gaga over flowers? Oh HELL yeah!!
I don't care how feminine you are or aren't, or your views on the issue, Flowers from a guy are just the coolest! As cool as a good soft skein of  Alpaca/silk blend you found at a second hand store in the bottom of the Acrylic pile for 99cents! (Okay, it is totally way much cooler than that, but I had to say something knitterly cool about it). Thanks, Dave! Love ya!

Joe, Mom and I went fo a walk a few days ago, and I took a bunch of pics. I really wanted to catch the essence of innocence with Joe running with the dogs in boyish abandonment. THEN I noticed the side event going on in the foreground.. (!) Too funny! Darned dogs!

Mom spotted these. Turkeys are all over the place around here!

Frank! Looking all happy panty and cute!

Just a shot of some of the moss hanging off the trees. I think a wide-angle lens would really catch this. Maybe more afternoon light to have more shade and good natural light that is not so bright.

Here we are on the way back, since I am not supposed to do hill work yet. Frank, Mom, Jessie, Joe, all enjoying the morning weather.

I tried to get a decent pic of this, but I don't have three hands. Sadie is shooting while I demonstrate the stranding method for knitting with two or more colors. I tend to switch around, but traditionally, you hold the background color in your dominant hand, (in this case, black) and the contrast color in the off hand for the colorwork. I knit continental style, not European, so those who knit that way will want to switch.

This is Dave's Pirate hat. I can't wait to get it done! It will be a lot of fun to wear and hopefully make a bunch more for his faithful customers.

School started this week. Here's to all the single moms that survived the summer!

Just when you think..

There are so many things I want to write about right now. All of the thoughts, feelings, ideas are all trying to get out at the same time, and I sit here and stare at a blank  box trying to let one, just one, loose.

I could choose chronological, or most important, or most exciting.. hmm

Okay, let's start with this. I met a wonderful man. the kind of person somebody like me thinks she will never, ever ever meet. I promised myself I wouldn't get on here and ramble on and on about how great this new realtionship is, but that is rather difficult considering what I have been through. Suffice it to say, there will be (hopefully) many blog entries about Dave and I this, and Dave and the kids and I that. I asked him last night if he was cool with me blogging about it, and  (of course!) he is. Like he wouldn't be. This guy is my twin. My soulmate, as far as I'm concerned. Don't wonder how we met because it sounds like one of those sappy Online Dating commercials. (gag) We don't care about how anyway. What matters is everything after that.
And I am excited about a whole lot of everything!

Other things.. The webcam and I are fighting. And the webcam is winning. I want to smash the webcam into tiny little silicon-valley circuit sized pieces. So, that means, until I win the epic battle of the webcam, there will be no knitting videos. Don't hold your breath. I had considered sending tiny slivers of webcam in individual envelopes to microsoft, but I don't wanna waste the damn stamps.

Next.. the garden! Look what we did!

Just a sample I picked for my birthday dinner. The tomatoes were luscious!

Playing with the camera again. Love messing with close-ups!

Cool Birthday presents #1 and #2. The top barrette was from Sadie. Brass mountains and sun rays. Artisan made from the Oregon Coast. The bottom one is Paiute hand beaded with brain-tanned leather backing, from Oard's near Burns. Thanks, Mom and Sadie!

You got it! Birthday money well spent!! Addi Turbo circular knitting needles, 4 sizes, 16" for hats. Woo! These babies are sssmokin!! (starting another slouchy beanie with my own design after bouncing off the book a few times...:)

First green bean pick of the year: I only planted two rows...

Mom working away ..

Averages out to 40 pounds.. the big long ones are going to get pickled. Yum!

Yes, I know. I LOVE playing with the close-ups!

Dave wants a pirate hat. I started it today. Love this guy! :)