Patiently waiting for a CD!!!

Better Pics of the sweater below....

Finished and waiting for winter.

Love the way it turned out. The two tones of Cascade's Eco Wool worked out well. The back is done in a stripe using both colors. I folded the sleeve over so you could see it since I changed the cables from the pattern for the sleeves. It's hard to photograph the dark colors and cables in the tweed yarn. So, now I'm waiting for winter to wear this quite often I'm sure.

Now back to the 3 shawls and another wool sweater I have on needles in various places!!!

Thrift store jackpot!!

It was on my 'Hope to Find Wish List' and it came true today. A Le Creuset cast iron 2 1/2 Qt. pot! It's color is Chestnut Brown which is now discontinued. I bake wonderful artisan crusty bread in my larger Le Creuset and this one will get lots of use as well. Check them out Le Creuset

Another great find is an almost new Bialetti Espresso maker. Came with it's box but lacking the 2 cups and saucers. Bialetti

My new favorite blog

I can't help it. This blog is just full of important information. Maybe it's because I've recently taken up learning to shoot a gun and now own two. What a step for me since a few months ago I never wanted a gun in my home. It's hidden and unloaded so it won't do me a bit of good if an intruder came in so I have to figure that one out. With curious boys it's a challenge.
Check it out Women of Caliber

Sugar or honey?

I've started a collection without really realizing it. I always look for teaspoons when in thrift stores. Nothing fancy and I've only gotten one silver spoon. I love iced tea in the summer so they fit right in. Some are cheap and some from nicer sets. So far I've only duplicated one. The count at this time is only 10 and some I've left behind. It's fun looking!

Bread Gadgets

One of the kitchen gadgets I recently found and love is a dough scraper. It's just a small piece of plastic but now indispensable when mixing bread dough of all kids. Also, a bamboo wide spoon or actually a small paddle. I've used that for years. Both pictured here. Rising is a quick loaf of what I call French bread that really isn't other than the shape. In the back is a loaf of potato bread I made a few days ago in my Zojirushi bread machine that is unfortunately now ready for the trash. It has tons of mold!! Yuk! That's the only bad thing about homemade bread is the short shelf life. Everything else about homemade bread is wonderful especially eating it!

The Cardigan

It's coming along. Knitting on the sleeves now and doing them at the same time on one circular needle so at least it seems to be going a bit faster. I like the two tones and the 'RAG' look. The pattern is the 'Must Have Cardigan' by Paton's and I'm using Cascade's Ecological Wool.
I'm sending the pattern book on to my Aussie friend RoseRedShoes. She wants to knit one too and doesn't have easy access to the pattern. Check her blog. She's a great knitter and so much fun.

A photo with the sleeves very soon!

Click on the link on the video frame cause the music from my blog interferes with listening to it here! Sorry about that.

Dogwood Blossoms and Beetle Bugs

Fancy bathing again!

My Redeemer Lives

This is one of my favorite songs. Nicole C. Mullen is awesome. Her voice is powerful. Hear the song done to a portion of the movie, "The Passion of the Christ" here: Nicole C. Mullen
***********************************************************************************************

Who taught the sun where to stand in the morning?
And who told the ocean you can only come this far?
And who showed the moon where to hide till evening?
Whose words alone can catch a falling star?

Chorus:
Well I know my Redeemer lives
I know my Redeemer lives
All of creation testifies
This life within me cries
I know my Redeemer lives

The very same God
That spins things in orbit
Runs to the weary, the worn and the weak
And the same gentle hands that hold me when I'm broken
They conquered death to bring me victory

Now I know, my Redeemer lives
I know my Redeemer lives
Let all creation testify
Let this life within me cry
I-I-I know
My Redeemer

He lives
To take away my shame
And He lives
Forever I'll proclaim
That the payment for my sins
Was the precious life He gave
And now He's alive and
There's an empty
Grave!

And I know
My Redeemer lives
He lives
I know
My Redeemer lives
Let all creation testify
Let this life within me cry
I-I-I know my Redeemer

I know
My Redeemer lives
*I know my Redeemer lives*

*I know, That I know, that I know, that I know, that I know
He lives
*my redeemer lives*
*Because He lives I can face tomorrow
He lives
*I know, I know*
He lives
*I spoke with Him this morning!*
He lives
*The tomb is empty*
He lives
*He Lives! I'm going to tell everybody!!*

Honeybee Stole

I've been wanting a white shawl or stole and have also had this pattern for a while. It's Anne Hanson's Honeybee Stole. The pictures here won't do it justice at this point but will soon be beautiful! I'm knitting with KNITPICKS fingering weight Merino/Silk, BARE.

Other knitting I've got going is Paton's Must Have Cardigan. I'm using Cascade Ecological Wool in a two-toned rag wool look. The back is finished and I am halfway up the left front.

My 'fabulous fiber find' from a thrift store. Obviously not really fiber but certainly related. Says, "Burwood Products Co" on the back. I love it!! After checking online it looks like they might be from about 1965. I found some oval plaques similar doing an internet search selling for $36.00. Mine is a keeper!
It measures 16"X7"

A Little Treat

If you've never knitted yourself a facecloth/washcloth think about it. Knit it in a day and immediately take a hot shower or bath and enjoy! Makes a wonderful gift as well. This one is knit in Reynolds, Sedona cotton, long ago discontinued. Try any fingering weight cotton or Euroflax Linen by Louet. The latter is pricey but a skein makes 2 and if it's a gift then of course you can justify it and you get one too!

Almost.............

with the exception of weaving in all the ends and sewing up the side seams it's finished. What started out as a jacket turned into a vest. I'm happy enough with it. Now onto something new or actually a cardigan already begun.

Mission Falls 1824 Wool

I'm on the last half of finishing this "Siobhan Vest" by Mags Kandis. The back and left front are complete. It started out to be the jacket version of the same name but I've changed my mind. The pattern comes from the Mission Falls book, 'Harvest'. Knitting on the front button placket, armholes, weaving ends and seams are going to be a pain!



What does the name mean? I wondered too.
SIOBHAN
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: shi-VAWN

I took a break from tedious knitting to something I thought would be easy and fast. This was definitely the ticket!! It's the "KAINO" Vest by Norah Gaughan knit in Berroco Ultra Alpaca. The pattern is in her Vol. 1 book. It's a great simple design. I love the ribbing down the back, the collar meeting in a point at the back and that it has no closure in the front. The pattern picture shows it worn with a belt. I did change the stockinette cap sleeves to a K1P1 rib and like it much better.

We finally got some...............

SNOW! Not the depths like you westerners or upstate people but for us a nice treat. 4-5 inches at the most. Our schools get all crazy when the white stuff falls and were closed yesterday as well as today!
The tree is a beautiful Blue Spruce that I planted in my front yard a few years ago in place of a Dogwood that had died. At that time it wasn't quite 3 feet and now it is well over 5 feet. I live on a fantastic street in town with a view. There are no houses directly across the street but a stone wall like you would see along the Blue Ridge Parkway. We can see the far off mountain range and the downtown lights at night. Also, at night when you are able to open the windows you can hear the distant train run along the tracks. I do love that sound. It's quite soothing at bedtime.
Today's a good day for hot tea and knitting by the wood stove.

Then there was the caller who asked for a knitwear company in Woven.
Operator: 'Woven? Are you sure?'
Caller: 'Yes. That's what it says on the label; Woven in Scotland.'