Come join us for a swap

Do you knit dishcloths? Do you like swaps? Well come on over to and see the info here.

It's fun and with a $15.00 cost it's affordable for just about anyone. Just send off an email to dishclothswap@comcast.net by midnight June 30th and you are in.

Joey says .....

" 90 degrees with 70% humidity and still she doesn't turn on the ac. I'd rage against God for giving me a lush fur coat which makes it even more uncomfortable in this weather but that would take energy. Think I'll just stay on the bed sprawled under the ceiling fan and decide if I should pee or barf into Diane's knitting bag tonight when it's cooled off a bit. Hummmm maybe both?"

Joey aside I need some help. How should I finish the bottom of this bag I'm knitting? It's a summery mesh tote thing made of cottonease so it'll pop into the washer and dryer and still look great. The bottom is just knit and needs something to support the 9x6 shape however it needs to be removable or be able to be stitched in and be washable. Any ideas?

Dog days of summer swap

Do you knit, or crochet, or do both? How long have you been knitting\crocheting?
I knit. I've been knitting for many, many year. I know how to crochet but I really don't crochet all that well and don't enjoy it as much as knitting.
Have you knit dishcloths or dishtowels before?
Yup dishcloths and washcloths. They are fun little projects.
What are your favorite cotton yarns? Is there a cotton or linen you’ve been dying to try but have not?
I really don't have a favorite cotton yarn. I tend to knit with wool mostly.
Are there any cotton yarns you don’t enjoy knitting with?
None so far.
What type of needle do you prefer using? (Metal/Wood/Plastic)
Bamboo for socks and my trusty knit pick options for everything else.
What other projects do you enjoy knitting or crocheting?
Socks, bags, scarves, shawls. I have the attention span of a 2 yr old on chocolate overload so I tend to stay away for really big projects.
Do you have other hobbies or enjoy other kinds of crafting?
Not really. I plan on giving soap making a try somewhere down the road.
What kind of treats do you like? Chocolate? Candies? Nuts?
yes, yes, and yes.
What colors are your kitchen and bath decorated in, if any?
blues and greens
What are your favorite colors and what colors do you dislike?
I like everything but I'm not a big white, black, or brown fan.
Do you drink coffee? Tea? Other beverages?
coffee, mostly with a terrible addiction to crystal light.
Do you have any kids (human or pet variety!)?
I have 4 children ages 19-24 (3 in college right now ugh!). I have 2 grandsons ages 2 and 4 and a granddaughter who is 10 months old. We have 3 cats currently. Oscar is an evil antichrist cat who is 17 yrs old. Joey is 17 also but he's really nice. Charlie is 3 and he'l a little slow. Not the brightest cat but funny.
Do you have any allergies?
Goldenrod so please don't send goldenrod fiber. lol. Actually since they seem to make yarn out of the strangest thing lately that not be as far fetched as it sounds.
Please share 3 tidbits about yourself that you think your pal and other swappers might find odd or interesting.
I always wake up before my alarm clock goes off.

I can't eat anything that I can't identify. If there's a question in my mind about the ingredients in something I just can't taste it.

I can read just as fast when the print is facing away from me as I can when it's positioned correctly. I always thought everyone could do this and didn't realize that they couldn't until I was in the 3rd or 4th grade. It's a quirky gift that really does come in handy at times.

Bag for the exchange take 4

First I'll start off with fun stuff. Yarn yummy sock yarn from Astrid. How I love sock yarn .... how I love Astrid. Damn her and her great prices ..... Anyways we have Opal smoke 1651 and 1656, Meilenweit Magico 2531 and Megaboots 503, Gedifra 4205, and two brands that I haven't tried before but couldn't leave at her store because of the price and colors Scheepjes 1711 1721 1723 and Garnstudio Fabel 672.

I ripped open the package and ran to get my needles only to find my secret project laying on the loveseat. And then I realized how unhappy I was with my secret project. So off to the frogpond again ......
and casted on for try #4. As I was knitting this morning I decided that this is definately the correct project for this yarn. No more searching. This will be the one to get finished. It's hard when you have a vision in your head of how you want something to look but you can't seem to translate it into the work on your needles. This is definately more of my vision.
I'll leave you with poor Charlie who is in search of cooler temps. He's gone from laying on the cement front porch, to laying in the tiled hallway, to laying on the hardwood hallway, and finally up to my room to give me the "Hey cheap bitch! Turn on the friggin air conditioning!" look as he took up a position that would allow him to scratch my foot as I tried to step over him.

Patty cake

In my house we play patty cake not pat-a-cake. Why? When my youngest daughter was about 4 I was driving her to a classmates birthday parties when she came out with, "I wonder if they'll be serving patty cake." "Patty cake? What's that honey?" "It's that cake from the rhyme. You know, patty cake, patty cake, baker man. We never have patty cake because everyone at our house likes chocolate but I've always wanted to taste patty cake." How I didn't drive into a telephone pole from laughing was beyond me.

And now as I play patty cake with my grandkids I giggle the whole time.

Got any cute stories of mispronounced words?

Swap received

I got my bag exchange package but I've decided that I can't open it until .....
I finish my part of the swap! If that doesn't get this finished in record time nothing will.
And speaking of swaps, this is going out to my second ISE4 pal. I hope she likes it half as much as I loved making it.

A day at the park

W and his mom at the nature center
This is a big fiberglass tree complete with a fiberglass stone wall tunnel, and birch branch stairs leaving to an upper level. The railing over the branch of the tree is made up of a hockey stick, guitar, baseball bat, bird house, and boat oar. Very unique.
And this is missy A playing patty cake after a long stroll.

If you was wandering around Connecticut I'd highly recommend a day trip with picnic to Northwest Park in Winsor. I've never been there before but it's about half way between my daughter's house and mine so it was a perfect place to hook up for some grandkid/grandparent time while closely supervised by their parents (Hey someone has to be in charge). Hiking trails, a nature center, barn, animals, playground, fields, tabacco barn, make for a wonderful fun filled day.

A done deal

Clementine Shawlette done and ready to be mailed today. I love this pattern and love how it blocks.
Done and dry too. Loved this pattern also and once I added more fringe it came out really cute.

But this one was frogged and started over. I just wasn't feeling the first pattern and I hate to knit unhappy.

Blocking is magic

I just love blocking. The orange/pink scarf will get some more fringe once it's dry. The blue scarf will be winging it's way across the ocean on Monday.
I love this pattern
And this is a secret project which I started yesterday.

Pretty things

We had a tiny sprinkle of rain late yesterday and I noticed this pretty rainbow when I looked up from knitting.

And this is little missy A snacking on some bread crust.

Yarn sale at knit picks $96.50

Ok here we go: memories 6 skeins each of smores and rocky mountain dusk. I'm thinking Forest Canopy shawls.
8 balls of essential in dusk with will be socks for W knit this fall. Gossamer in sweet pea, rose garden and blue jean. The rose garden will be a shawl for my neice who loves orange. The rest of it? Well I'm kicking around a few ideas. Gotta love Joey. Picked his head up, looked around, and went right back to sleep. "Can't let a little yarn ruin my late afternoon nap."

Money spent on yarn so far this year? $460.69
Charlie doesn't care as long as there's enough catfood to go around.

No more single socks around here

In going thru my stash looking for something I found some knitpicks yarn and decided to whip up a pair of cic socks. Being the year of "greedy" knitting aka knitting for me or knitting projects that are of interest to me, I haven't been doing a lot of charity knitting. Oh well, maybe later this year.
Socks for D1 in Lana Grassa Meilenweit Multieffekt #3122. She liked the ones I made for myself.
These are for me. Fortissima 9503. Very fuzzy, grabby yarn that didn't come out of the ball well and knotted a lot. Soft yarn and wears well so I'd use it again.
Finishing this stuff left me with just a clementine shawlette in progress so onto the needles jumped this yummy yarn; won in a contest at Redheaded Ramblings. It's an alpaca/merino wool blend. Very soft. Seems like once I started knitting with alpaca I just can't stop. The pattern shows sequeins laced into the scarf. I don't think I'll be adding the sequeins. And I'll leave you with a picture of D2 out for a paddle in her kayak around the pond yesterday. It was a really nice, bright, sunny day perfect for being outside. I of course was inside working.

More from the weekend

N is potty trained for the most part but when he's at my house he just gets too busy playing to remember. His mommy realized that he needed to use the bathroom and said to N, "Quickly, quickly before it's too late." N looks at her and comes out with, "It's already too late. It's just too late." And as daddy walks him down the hallway to clean him up he keeps repeating, "It's just too late." I just mopped and laughed.

W looking at the DVD's I borrowed from the library, "Gram why didn't you get Curious George?" "Well since you have Curious George at home I figured you won't want to watch it here." "Next time get Curious George. It's better at your house."

Saturday morning my dad and I took them to play at a school playground. They were the only kids there. Whole sandbox 20' by 8' filled with tonka type trucks, diggers, loaders, etc. W is playing with about a dozen different toys. N has one and he's pushing it around singing Thomas the Tank Engine songs. W announces "Hey I need that tractor." "No it's my turn." "Well it's important that I have that one to finish this contruction before traffic." N nods his head and hands over the green tractor. Obviously he realized that traffic in the sandbox was going to pick up shortly and those dump trucks full of sand need to be level.

On the tire swing, N says "Push us high so I can touch a cloud." W comes out with "No you can't touch a cloud. You need to keep both hands on the chain so you won't fall off. Mommy would be mad if you fell off and got hurt. She's say, N I told you not to touch those clouds." Hands staying on the chain and off those clouds.

Sunday: Astrid's website + my credit card = more sock yarn

Auntie's education and more

W and N slept over Friday night. In the morning Auntie N decided to get them breakfast before she went off to work.

W: Where's the hole in the middle of my bagel?
Auntie: It's there but the cream cheese covered it over.
W: Well get it back.
(Auntie had to get the knife and get the cream cheese out of the hole in the middle).
W: That's much better. They don't taste good without the hole.

Auntie: What do you want for breakfast?
N: Flake cereal.
(Auntie pours some corn flakes into a small bowl for N)
N: No not these. I was the flakes covered in candy. (frosted flakes)


We had a combined birthday party for my dad, hubby, and the twins on Friday night. Tonight W called to discuss important things.
W: Gram, do you have any cheesecake from the party?
Me: Yes I do.
W: Well I didn't get any cheesecake.
Me: You didn't? That's sad.
W: Yes it is sad. I got chocolate cake and chocolate and vanilla ice cream but I didn't get any cheesecake.
Me: Ok, next time you sleep over I'll get cheesecake for you.
W: Then I can have some and I won't be sad anymore. Cheesecake always makes me happy.

Next up was N.
N: Hi Gram. Do you have chocolate cake?
Me: Yes I have some chocolate cake left over from the party.
N: Good. I like chocolate cake with banilla ice cream. Chocolate makes me happy.

Must run in the family because cheesecake and chocolate make me happy too.

Another scarf from my pal

I participated in the ISE4. I received the first scarf of the enchange from Rachel, and wife and mom to a couple little cuties. She is the queen of the tag sale getting bargins like you can't believe. Beautiful blue scarf made from bamboo yarn. I've worn it a couple times and it's great. Imagine my shock to have the mailman put this package on my doorstep. Another scarf from Rachel. Soft pink cable, coffee and a book that has great ideas for all different crafts (which my oldest daughter took home with her today). Do I get the best exchange pals!?!?! Joey didn't seem all the impressed and slept thru the entire package opening and photographing thing.

Summer dishcloth exchange

I decided to participate in a dishcloth swap. My package was sent off to Kat. Always fun to have an international pal because I put together a box the speaks of summer in the USA. My pal for the swap was Sherry. I think she and I will be good cyber friends because we both seem to be OBSESSED with grandchildren. Her little Bella is a doll.
Anyways, we start off with a dragonfly cloth, a pattern, brown and blue suger n cream yarn.
Candy, ribbon, a headband, a do it yourself scrap booking card, note pad, soap she molded herself, a tin with a picture of yarn on the lid and inspirational saying inside.
Cow soap on a rope (made me giggle) and a note card with socks on the front. She noticed a few pair of socks on my blog and when she saw the card she had to get it. You meet the nicest people with these swaps and Sherry certainly is one of the nicest of all.

Thomas the Tank Engine recall

I've mentioned a couple times that my grandsons are really into Thomas the Tank Engine and how I've probably invested way too much money buying trains, buildings, t shirts, etc. We have a great time sitting on the floor playing trains for hours at a time. They learned colors and numbers from playing with the different engines.

So imagine my suprise to find news of a recall in the paper this morning for Thomas things between 2005 and 2007. I looked up the recall info on the US Consumer Product Safety Commission website and found the list. HOLY CRAP!!!

Red James Engine & Red James’ # 5 Coal Tender
Red Lights & Sounds James Engine & Red James’ #5 Lights & Sounds Coal Tender
James with Team Colors Engine & James with Team Colors #5 Coal Tender
Red Skarloey Engine
Brown & Yellow Old Slow Coach
Red Hook & Ladder Truck & Red Water Tanker Truck
Red Musical Caboose
Red Sodor Line Caboose
Red Coal Car labeled “2006 Day Out With Thomas” on the Side
Red Baggage Car
Red Holiday Caboose
Red “Sodor Mail” Car
Red Fire Brigade Truck
Red Fire Brigade Train
Deluxe Sodor Fire Station
Red Coal Car
Yellow Box Car
Red Stop Sign
Yellow Railroad Crossing Sign
Yellow “Sodor Cargo Company” Cargo Piece
Smelting Yard
Ice Cream Factory

The bold indicates the ones I have that need to be sent back. If you know of anyone who might have newer Thomas stuff please share this information and RC2's website which has the form needed to get replacement things.

Gotta love the quality of things coming from China. "We need to make the toothpaste taste sweeter but want something cheap. Let's add antifreeze." "What's a cheap filler for this petfood? How about some chemicals used in plastic?" "We need some paint to finish these train cars that will be played with by small children. Hummmm, well this stuff has a high contect of lead but what the heck. We'll only use it on 1.5 million units."

Knitpicks had yarn on sale ....

and I had a credit card and a computer last night. Enough said.

Weekend round up

Little Missy A: Yup, I'm super cute here on the couch after my bath.
One less single sock in the bunch. Lana Grossa Meilenweit Multieffekt #3127. Love, love, love these. Good thing I've got another ball of the same yarn so I can make myself a pair.
And another Clementine shawlette. This one is being done on #6 needles so it'll be a bit wider. I'm also toying with the idea of adding another repeat to make it even wider yet. Well see.

Spent yesterday up visiting with the grandkids. W is sick. He has mono so he was a little grumpy. I woke him up from a nap and he spent 20 minutes sitting on my lap sobbing into my shoulder crying, "I'm sick, I'm sick." Heartbreaking. We went for a stroller ride (since he gets tired easily) and he settled down well.

N was his usual happy little self full getting into one thing after another as only a naughty 2 yr old can. I love naughty 2 yr olds. You can just see the wheels in their little heads turning as they try to think of what they can get into next.

The missy was a gram's girl. Crawled to be by me and wouldn't go to anyone else while I was holding her. She must have figured out that I've always got cookies and lollypops. lol.

The coffee swap

How can you not love the mailman when he brings you stuff like this? Perri, was my wonderful swap buddy. Coffee, treats, coffee flavoring, more treats, and more coffee.
Won't that knitpicks parade make wonderful socks for little missy A? The Country hill yarn is a yummy mix of orange and white. Sock key chain which will make my hubby definately think I'm over the point of being OBSESSED with sock knitting and to be perfectly honest .... he's right. A knitting rules sticker. I've got all Steph's books. She's hysterical.
A Lionbrand bag that is big enough to hold a bed pillow. It actually ended up holding my cat charlie after this picture was taken (cats crawl into anything don't they?).
These adorable stitch markers
And a lamb pez dispenser. I emailed Perri and told her that Connecticut has given the world 2 things: frisbees and pez.

Thanks for everything Perri. I love it all. Gotta go brew some coffee.

The power wheel jeep

My son in law was giving a broken power wheel jeep. He's an electrician so he rewired the jeep and got it running for W and N. Now that they have a 2 acre yard to drive around they are having a blast in their jeep however sometimes a guy wants to take a road trip.

W: We should go somewhere today.
N: Yes we'll go.
W: How about if we go to see gram?*
N: Drive to gram's house and play trains.
W: I'll drive and you sit here and we'll go to grams and sleep over.
N: Ok.
W: Oh no we can't go. The battery won't have enough power and we're too little to walk on the highway.

*gram lives 65 miles away now
Smarties!

Last year they got a wagon and W told N, "Hop in and we'll go to grams." They lived about 8 miles away so it would have been quite a hike! N got in the wagon and off W went down the street. Got to the corner and turned right (dad walking behind watching). Gets to the next corner of a fairly busy road and says, "We can't go to grams because we're too little to cross the road by ourselves. Dad, you'll have to come too."

Dear swap pals

One of these is a scarf, a coffee swap package, and a summer dishcloth package so if you are my swap buddy your package is in the mail.
Finished a pair for my "I love colorful socks" daughter. I rarely find knots in sock yarn. This skein? 3 knots. Oh well, I think they match fairly well.
I haven't been feeling well. I thought I had a cold but really it's a case of startitis. Can't seem to finish another pair so I just keep casting on single socks and ending up with this pile-o-socks. I'd love to tell you I won't add to the pile but I've got 3 new skeins of sock yarn sitting on the couch calling to me ...... "Diane, come on and cast me on. You know you want to."

Today my twin son and daughter are 19 yrs old. Yes, 19 yrs old. Doesn't seem possible that this has happened since they were 2 yesterday. They are wonderful, kind, young adults who will put me in a really nice home when I am old and feeble.

And for something completely different ..... you know how you and your spouse bring different things to the marriage table? I cook, my hubby does the dishes. I clean, he does the gardening. I in charge of Mt Laundry, he changes the oil in the car. Turns out the only thing he really needs me for is .......

putting the paper on the holder. I guess it's a still he hasn't mastered yet.

We have a winner

TREK

Thanks for all the great rants. Doesn't it feel good to get stuff off your chest?