You're what? ...disappointed in ME?

Is there a 'right' way to quit your job?

I've dedicated 3 years of my life to this place...sure, I take the summers off - but I work my butt off the rest of the year. I take calls outside of work- answer questions, use my personal cell phone (and never expense a minute). Many of these little side interruptions go unbilled. I didn't secretly line something up before leaving, I didn't use company time to surf the internet, steal office supplies, or do anything immoral/illegal/unethical...

They are disappointed in me? (incredulously)

So, I've never - ever quit a job before. Don't you write a letter resigning, sign it, give two week's notice, and walk off into the sunset?

Apparently NOT!

Is there another way to quit? I need help!

....by the way, it looks like I have a lot more time to knit in my near future.

My Veritable Rhinebeck?

We're off to Grand Rapids (or thereabout) for the Holiday Open House for Briar Rose Fibers.

I've been waiting for this all week!

MY yarn! The yarn in this photo is my first yarn spun on Georgia. We went to an Alpaca show a few months back BG (before Georgia) and I couldn't resist the roving which became this yarn. Really, this is my first attempt at spinning and plying (2-ply) and I am pleased at the beginnings. I'm thinking a class in my near future would help a lot.

The roving came from North Star Alpacas in Ithaca, MI. There were 2 ounces of Berringer with some light blue hand dyed silk added. Maple, from North Star, invited us out to the farm and that is something I would love to do. She was super-nice! Check out her etsy shop here -- PLUS, she has 15% off roving right now.

On another note - there isn't much yarn on my 'lust list'. Of course, anything from Briar Rose is fair game. Handmaiden Silken is the only other yarn that has been on this list for awhile. Let's face it, it would take a stronger lady than myself to resist the Tuscany shawl or River Rock Scarf in Amy Singer's No Sheep For You. When one of my favorite IYS (internet yarn stores) started carrying Silken AND had a 20% discount, I folded! Sometime soon, a package will arrive with 5 shiny skeins of Handmaiden Silken will arrive on my doorstep...all for the price of 4 skeins - what a deal! My lust list has just gotten a little smaller.

Good goobldy goo

...My 100th post! Lots of bloggers have giveaways at their 100th post and I should too, but there just isn't time right now. In the upcoming weeks I will be coming into a lot of time and will make the effort to giveaway then.

For now, I've been knitting away on a couple of things and finished the Summer of Love Lace socks from the Rockin' Sock Club. I love the yarn, I love the colors, I love the pattern. This was a fun knit...on size 0 needles, it took a little while.

Darby and Lucy get new sweaters

The 1st Annual Washtenaw FiberExpo in Ann Arbor, MI was close enough to make me jump in the car and head out. There are two reasons this fiber extravangaza caught my attention - the first being an opportunity to pick up something for Georgia and the second being an opportunity to finally meet Corinne. Darby and Lucy have been in the market for some new sweaters and they can be choosy shoppers. Only the finest for these pups and they now are the proud owners of their own Lucky Penny Hand Made Sweaters.

Lucy decided to take a nap!

Celebration Cardigan

Celebration Retro 004
Originally uploaded by kniterella

While hunting for the perfect color of Abundance to use for my mom's birthday sweater, Chris and I decided to try a double strand of Celebration.

The Retro Cardigan pattern has just been altered for a variety of sizes and I wanted to test knit a larger size for my mom.

The Celebration was very bulky while wet blocking, but dried to perfection. The bamboo in this yarn should help keep the 'heat' down when worn.

I will get some modeled photos as soon as I can see my mom - her birthday is Nov 23rd!

I also finished my first sock from the Rockin' Sock Club. The colors of the yarn coupled with the lacy anklet pattern were irresistible. I worked on it diligently at the Socktoberfest yesterday.

What can 90 miles get you?

A FAB spinning wheel of my very own!

Spinning has called to me for a very long time. Memories of sitting in a shop (90 miles from home) two years ago watching a lady spin on a wheel. Mesmerized! I always knew a spinning wheel was in my future - I tried to suppress it, ignore it, fight it...surrender!

They say that the wheel needs a name so...meet Georgia! Georgia is a sweet thing as far as wheels go and from the moment my feet hit her treadles, she was mine! She is a Kromski Minstrel and I have Chris to thank for making sure I tried a Kromski before purchasing anything else.

I was able to produce some results in the shop - the creamy yarn on top is what I spun to practice.


...And, this is what I spun after getting Georgia home...

Mom-In-Law brought us this bowl from one of her vacations. It has been around for almost 10 years and does not match anything in our house. Turns out that she knew I was going to be needing a spinning bowl long before I ever thought about spinning - rest her lovable soul!

Oh, guess what came with my purchase...

Homecoming part duex and some knitting

So, we survived Homecoming. EA did not get his butt kicked and had a pretty good time at his first high school dance.


Bugg has her very last High School Homecoming behind her...(sob). It seems harder for me than for her. At this age, they think they are self-sufficient. I've heard this a lot during the past 6 months and then we were shopping this weekend. Out of the blue, she asks who is going to help her pick out make-up when she gets to college. I tell her she will be fine, she will manage alright - her new friends will help her. Then she asks if I will just pick it out and send it to her. Blinding flash of the obvious - she wants me to pay for it, right? Well, that may have been part of it, but I'd like to think that us bonding this way may be the other half.

This dress may look familiar. We bought it new her Freshman year and she has loved it so much that this is it's 3rd formal appearance. Saved money on THAT one!

Knitting has been happening. I have caught cast-on-itis and am home sick from work today. Hubs and I took the new toy up North last weekend to the Fiber Festival in Ogemaw County. It was a wonderful day. We sat outside and listened to music while eating - the food was delicious - seee.....

Chris was VERY busy and the yarn I long for flew off of the shelves right before my very eyes. We chose some Celebration to use for the Retro Cardigan. You be the judge on how it is working out.

I have re-sized the pattern and this is the test. So far, so good. The Celebration is double-stranded and knits up nicely. The sizing is right-on and the pattern should be ready once this is complete. The best thing about knitting it this time is there are not large numbers of ends to weave in. I just wound the two skeins into cakes and took off. There is no need to alternate rows to allow for skein variation.

The pink suit

The pink suit
Originally uploaded by kniterella

My youngest son is now a Freshman in High School. Bugg is a Senior and the opportunities for them to bond since school started have resulted in some difficulty. On the other hand, they have been getting along better in little spurts.

E A thinks Bugg's friends are pretty cool (what Freshman wouldn't relish acceptance by the Seniors?) and E A can be fun...She took him to get his very first Homecoming suit this week and this is what I saw when I walked in to pay for it.

The rationalization began:
EA: Aww, mom - come on. You've bought ALL of those dresses for her and they cost A LOT of money. I only want this ONE suit.
Me (thought bubble): He is going to get his A-- kicked if he shows up in this suit.
EA (seeing me hesitate): I will wear it, I PROMISE. I just want this one suit. Look, it has matching shoes AND a matching belt. Pink alligator - isn't it cool!
Me (thought bubble): Crap, there is really no way out of this.
Me: Do you take debit cards?

And this is what we have.

His sister and her friends took him to dinner with them and he had to agree to scram once they got to the dance.

I've got the bandages ready, just in case he gets his a-- kicked.

Bugg's Shrug

Bugg's Shrug is finally finished! The pattern is the Lacy Cable Shrug from Briar Rose Fibers. The pattern originally used Briar Rose's Earth Song, but Bugg liked the color and texture of Wistful.

We originally purchased 2 hanks at about 8 ounces each and there is about 6 ounces left. The yarn blocked wonderfully!

The matter of those 'good enough for now' buttons is resolved! Chris sent some 'these are THE button' buttons. They are a wonderful addition to my Retro Cardigan.

Ravelry!

Thrill!

Our High School football team won tonight - we trekked over a couple of towns and took in the game with some good friends : ) My Ravelry invite was in the mail and I've joined and added a couple of FO's. It is apparent that this diversion could consume vast amounts of my time.

OK, excuse the corny name, but I'll be know as jonesn4yarn....it's true!

Good news on the knitting front: I finished the never ending lacy cable shrug which has been washed and is drying. Also, the Retro Cardigan with the 'good enough for now' buttons has had a face lift. Chris found fantastic buttons and there was time this week to replace the brown leaves - yay!

Photos coming soon...I'm tired now and there is an early call for a tennis match. Happy weekend!

Nuts!

Darby and Lucy have been going bonkers lately. They rarely bark or growl and the behavior has been puzzling. Darby has been 'in waiting' these days, choosing a spot by the door instead of his nice, soft cushion.

Up until last week, we wondered what was causing the change in behavior and then I found a clue...

A little pile of nuts has suspiciously appeared just outside the step...about 4ft. away from where Darby sits waiting and 20ft away from the tree of origin.

The nuts were there for a few days before they were relocated to a spot within view from the front door

AND the 'competition' was taken out

The culprit sits and watches us, taunting all the while.








...Meanwhile...





I am taking the proverbial beating where my knitting is concerned. That Lacy Cable Shrug that Bugg wanted is taking for....ev...er! There are about 6 inches more to go before the decreases begin on the second sleeve.





The finisher in me pushes it along, however slowly progress is being accomplished. The knitter in me wants to cast-on for something new...a shawl, sweater, even socks!





Onward, I trudge!

International Scarf Exchange 5

Am I really signing up for the International Scarf Exchange 5?

ISE3 was such a wonderful experience. My scarf knitter - Kristy is a gem. Our matching was serendipitous and my scarf has gotten lots of 'air time'. ISE4 rolled around - I hemmed and hawed until finally deciding to join and by then, it was too late.

Here's to hoping for a second experience half as good as the first!

Beginning Knitters

A very good friend sent an e-mail this week with lots of news (thank you, - I enjoyed reading every detail : )

My friend's daughter, Sarah, has joined the Knitting Club at school and proudly shared her very first project to her mom (a non-knitter). The details made me smile because the memory of my first attempt at knitting is fresh in my mind.

Ok, Knitting Clubs at school? YEAH! What a cool way for teens to show their individuality and explore their creativity than by making something unique from two sticks and some string.

We all know how addictive knitting can become - some of us even become obsessed (my hand is up!). I applaud the teens who are beginning these clubs and gathering the courage to go check them out to see what this knitting thing is all about. I also wish we lived closer because there is fun to be had in helping a new knitter and offering helpful hints that we've painfully learned along the way.

Sarah, check your mailbox next week because your first box of fibery goodness is on it's way.

Flowers for my Mother-In-Law

The kids are back in school and Hubs is at work. The opportunity to go on a long walk alone presented itself this morning and I grabbed it. It's no secret that some of my best ideas and solutions pop into my head during the morning hours. As I walk, problems work themselves out and joys are reminisced.

It has been a little sad around our household lately. There is a sense of moodiness, uncertainties, loss. I feel it, Hubs feels it, tears spring into my eyes as I write about it now. I miss my Mother-In-Law and my husband misses his mom.

Maxine passed away quite suddenly on August 30, 2002. We wonder where the 5 years has gone - has it really been 5 years? She had just celebrated her 68th birthday and her 40th Anniversary. All of her children and grandchildren (except one) were there for the party and a week later she was gone.

Our sadness is not easily shared with the rest of the family due to distance and other factors. We share our mutual sadness together, my husband and I. We will be traveling to put flowers on her grave later this month and as I walked this morning, thoughts of what was so special about her flooded my mind:

1. Her 'cackle' of a laugh: I rarely hear a laugh like hers, but it always makes me smile when I do

2. Acceptance of 'my' kids: She immediately accepted them as her own and always treated/loved them the same

3. She was a little girl at heart

4. She laughed at jokes even when she didn't 'get' them

5. The way she would disappear at night and return minutes later with a treat-for me-just because

6. How she gave every other sister-in-law a job after dinner, but told me to sit and talk with her over coffee

7. How much we had in common and how little everyone else recognized it

8. Her appreciation of me taking care of her son and making him happy

9. How much we just enjoyed and appreciated the time spent together

10. Her ability to grow things - anything

11. The way she loved her whole family

12. Her calling and asking to talk to me instead of my husband

13. The way she would gently take the 2lb box of Godiva's I got her every Christmas and put them away 'for later'

Placing the flowers is strictly symbolic, we both know she isn't really there. Yet, we feel her all around us all of the time...oh, how I miss her- sigh!

Socks, anyone?

Another finished pair of socks? You bet! Surprise is knocking me back and forth with this pair. The yarn is Knit Pick's Memories which (I believe) is being discontinued? The colorway is Smores and I was a bit disappointed when the hanks arrived, a little less when wound into cakes, but still skeptical. Once the colors began to show themselves, it was all love.



At this rate, I will have enough hand knit socks to wear everyday this winter...if I do laundry twice a week. Ha Ha, I need a Briar Rose Fiber fix and need to finish off Bugg's Lacy Cable Shrug before breaking out new yarn and needles.



PLUS, Hubs wanted to get a shot of these socks with me jumping in the air...(chuckle, chuckle) I agreed to support myself on the cabinets in the kitchen and even that didn't get me far off the ground. Definite support of the fact that a few pounds have graced my buttocks during the glorious summer months. I believe some strict eating habits and additional exercise are in my near future!

Finished Retro Cardigan and Good Enough For Now Buttons

Chris' Retro Cardigan is a sweet little knit (my son says the new 'sweet' is 'sick', but I cannot bring myself to use that word to represent anything in knitting).

Buttons for this baby were/are a challenge. You know how you get something in your head - the perfect thing to finish off a project and then it doesn't seem to exist? The buttons are that something with this sweater. The hunt for the perfect buttons (all 10 of them) will continue thus these are the Good Enough for now Buttons.

Yarn: Briar Rose Tuscany, 4 hanks - I had 5 hanks just in case

Needles: 10 and 10 1/2 circulars

Gauge: 3 sts/inch

It was a little difficult to get good pictures of this yarn. There were shots of it while blocking and the colors were too mottled. The close-up of the buttons is closest to the true color.

Thanks to my Hubs who went on the Great Button Hunt with me and was patient enough to come back for more and take the pictures.

A New Toy

"beep, beep"

I always, always, always have wanted a convertible - totally impractical for Michigan weather MOST of the time, but lately...

My convertible is cruising around most every day with whichever family member will indulge me and come along - fun - definitely more fun that I imagined. The feel of wind through your hair and the 'oneness' with the outdoors appeals to me - an outdoors girl at heart (ok, just warm weather outdoors).

Knitting

The Briar Rose Retro Cardigan out of Tuscany is finished...well, the ends need to be woven in and some sweet buttons are being hunted. An original thought was to use the buttons pictured above, but I need 10 and only have 6 of these. I need to get some other projects finished and then beg Chris to dye something to use with these buttons.

Of course, a pair of socks are in the works - the Smores colorway of Knit Pick's Memories is knitting up much nicer than I would have thought. I can imagine the smell of chocolate, marshmallow, and graham crackers drifting through the room when knitting these socks. As usual, everyone in the family is trying to position themselves as the recipient.

Other thoughts

With school coming into session, work again looms at my door. I've had a couple of meetings in the past few weeks, but the things they have for me to work on will take a lot more time. It is good to have knowledge that can help - I will try to maintain my focus on that aspect and not let the schedule rule my life.

A parting photo of Miss Kitty. She was adopted, but must be close to 13 years old now. She still finds the energy to chase the dogs and was stalking one of them via the stairway last week.

Finally finished Tilly Shawl

My Tilly has been in the works for quite awhile. Ultimately, it took two blocks to get this where I wanted it. There are a couple of other edgings and techniques that will work better than the knitted on border this Tilly ended up with. Soon, I will be re-doing some aspects to this pattern and I plan to swatch many of my ideas to see how they work out.

Tilly's Garden Shawl from Briar Rose Fibers
Finished measurements:58" across the top and 37" long
Yarn: Briar Rose Fibers Legend
Yardage: ? I had two hanks to begin with and have finished this as well as my 'V' neck pullover. Enough yardage remains for another project.

Yarn de-stash sale - Manos del Uruguay

I am de-stashing a little at a time. If you are interested in any of these items, please e-mail me at kniterellacomcastnet or comment and let me know which item.

If the yarn has been sold, I will mark it on the original post.

All Manos is handspun pure kettle dyed. Approx 138 yds/skein. This yarn felts beautifully.

4 Skeins SOLD

4 Skeins Not available

5 Skeins SOLD
3 Skeins SOLD


5 Skeins $40.00


5 Skeins SOLD