Hemlock Ring Blanket

Pre-blocking state:

I couldn't resist trying it on as a hat.

Blocking:

Hemlock Ring Blanket : 5.25 skeins of Wool of the Andes Bulky, taupe

The color looks kind of boring in the pictures. It's still plain in real life but not nearly as boring. I really liked knitting this. And somehow I finished it within 2 weeks. I hope it blocks quickly because it's on my bed. I don't really want to sleep on the couch tonight.

Those final 5 rows take forever!

I am so close to finishing the Hemlock Ring Blanket! I've been working on the last 5 rows since Tuesday!

Tuesday, 5 rows from the cast off (which I imagine will take a while with so many stitches) I broke my cable to my needles. Yep! It was exciting. I was sitting on my sons bed watching StarDust with him when it broke. I did my best to not freak out and loose all those stitches. I hollered for a circular needle, any circular needle STAT! Joy #2 ran to my room and brought me one back before things got ugly. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty impressed he knew what a circular was. I didn't drop many stitches but I didn't have anything big enough to use to finish up the knitting.

The next day I was able to borrow a large, cable for my Boyd Knitting set from Sandra and was back on track.

Last night I managed to complete 2.5 whole rows at knit night. Now I've got 2.5 left to knit. It's all straight knitting from here and then the cast off. I hope to finish knitting on Saturday and block on Sunday!

I'm so glad I took the plunge on this one. I think I'm gonna love it! Next up I'm going to make so V-Day Presents for my Joy's. Another pair of socks for Joy #2 and a bag for Joy #1.

One FO and One Blob

Noro Cash Island Scarf. 1X1 ribbing My favorite scarf to date. It is so soft!

And here is my hemlock ring blanket blob. I'm up to a 350 + stitches on the needles. This is still flying off the needles considering how little time I've had to knit on it. I can't wait for the magic of blocking lace.

My freak out in Aldi's

Today, amongst the long list of things I needed to take care of I decided to go to Aldi grocery store. I haven't been to Aldi's in a long time, about a year. It was right by 2 other stores I needed to go to.

Let me back up...since the spring I have done my best to eat real food. Nothing packaged, boxed, canned, or food like products. I've been cooking from scratch and eating from the garden. I had read Animal, Miracle, Vegetable, and the 100 mile diet last winter and those books opened my eyes to what food really is. I'm not a fanatic. I eat what people cook for me but when I shop I buy real food. I didn't realize how ingrained this has been for me until I tried to shop in Aldi's.

I got my cart and started down the isles. I picked up this and that, mostly packaged foods that I haven't bought in a year. As I continued to shop, I started feeling like yuck! I don't want to eat any of this stuff. Yuck don't they sell real food here? I had my moment when I was in the frozen food section looking at BBQ ribs in a box. It was then and there that I realized, I didn't want any of this food. I didn't have much in my cart so I just pushed it to the side and walked off and out to my car, with the quarter still in the cart. I got in my car and went home.

I, my friends, am a wacko. And I'm ok with it. Somewhere between cooking from scratch and picking up my farm produce over the past year I've come up with a standard that I can't sink below. No matter how hungry I am I'd prefer a banana and cheese for dinner to bbq ribs in a box. So I'm sticking with my regular grocery store where I can buy what I want and dream of the garden that will be here before I know it.

This is the year I'm starting the strawberry patch!

Oh, and my sincerest public apology to Joy #2 who in fact did not misplace the camera but instead found it under a cushion of the chair. Pictures to come!

Checking In

Our camera is still MIA. I have no idea where it is. I suspect Joy #2 used it and forgot it somewhere but he swears it wasn't him.

I've been wearing my Noro scarf and I love it! It is so soft and beautiful. It looks like this only finished. (man I really want to know where our camera is)

I'm cranking out the Hemlock Ring Blanket. I finished the middle flower part in a flash and now I am now working on the fan and feather portion. I'd say I'm 50% done based on how much yarn I've used. There isn't much time to knit in the evenings anymore. The real job is kicking my behind this week. I hope to work on Saturday and get everything caught up so next week won't be so intense.

It is freezing here. Really, negative degrees and all. I don't know how those poor people wearing acrylic are making it!

I don't know what's got into me

I finished the beautiful and soft Noro scarf. I love it! No picture because our camera is MIA. I surprised myself with this project. As I've said, I don't enjoy scarf projects. They drag on and on and 1X1 ribbing I thought would be a pain. I had fully intended to dread the process and love the product. Surprisingly, I love the process AND the product. Weird.

To top that one I've casted on for the Hemlock Ring blanket. This one I've had in my queue for awhile but knit a blanket? that's just crazy!! I learned to crochet last spring so I could make an afghan since "There is no way I would ever knit a blanket." Yet, here I am on row 14 and I'm excited. And guess what I'm using to knit it?

Wool. So not only am I knitting something I thought I never would I'm using a fiber that I will have to hand wash. I am totally off my rocker here.

Who knows what's next! I'll probably crochet a toilet cozy soon.

Swee16

Here are a few pictures of "the party". A great time was had by all. Joy #1 had a friend come in from NE and stay the weekend. Between the main event and taking them to every shopping center in a 25 mile radius they wore me out! I was glad to get to the office that Monday so I could get some rest.

Ahh rest. I'm already looking forward to resting in April once tax season is over! Funny 'cause it hasn't even really started yet. Working out at the resort is turning out well. At first I was overwhelmed but I cut back my hours and now have a pretty good system. Joy #2 is enjoying getting a lot of time in at the slopes. He skied with the college age crowd last night and taught a couple of them to ski down the hill backwards. (Why?Why, I ask you does anyone need to ski backwards?) It was funny seeing him instructing grown men last night. That kid's got confidence. Before those of you think he's just off meeting who knows who, Snow Creek is heavily staffed and I've made sure all the key people know who he is from hill manager to restaurant.

I have been knitting. I am a few rows from casting off my Noro Scarf. It is beautiful and shockingly I've enjoyed knitting it. I thought the 1X1 ribbing was going to drag on forever. I don't know if it's because of the yarn or because I needed something simple these few weeks but I'd cast on for another if I had the yarn. That's saying something because I am NOT a scarf knitter!