SOCK CLASS :0)

I taught my first sock knitting class today at Gabriella's. Here are my students, Jo and Rita with their finished mini-socks. They look so happy :0) and me too. We had fun learning and chatting. I really like this teaching gig, and I'm desperately happy to have a LYS to hang out in now. And as we're on the subject of socks, here's my latest cast-on. Leyburns for the Socks-that-Rawk group KAL on Ravelry. My colour is Fled Flintstone. Yabba-dabba-doooooooo.........

Happy Saturday evening everyone - I'm going to relax by myself for a few hours while my boys are at a family party. My Leyburn and wine are calling :0)

Embossed Moms

I started these socks forever ago, with the intention of giving them to my mom for Christmas. Well, that didn't happen - she got a pile of books instead. They languised as one cuff for the longest time. Until about two weeks ago, then I ramped up the action.

The second sock took only a matter of days. It's amazing how quick they are to knit when you really get into the pattern.
Pattern: Embossed Leaves
Yarn: Lornas Laces Shepherd Sock in Periwinkle (my mom loves this colour).

A close up of the pattern. This is one of the prettiest sock patterns I've ever seen.

Gabriella's Yarn Shop

Here's my awesome new Local Yarn Shop. Totally cool. That's Gabriella behind the register :0) Pretty yarns......

A big table for knitting and teaching......

More pretty yarns. Oh, and that's Jo, she works there Sundays :0)

I got the Pagewood Farm sock yarn. It really is soft and squishy and oh-so-pretty hues of green.

And it has cashmere in it - joy!

I'm all about the socks these days (or this week, at least). I just finished a pair yesterday and cast on another pair tonight. Loving it. It's so great to be using all these pretty yarns :0)

Anyone feeling the winter chill?

We're not, that's for sure. Look what we did today....

And I have to say, I really enjoyed it. The boys and I headed to the beach while Tommy stayed to host an open house. That went well, we had 8 couples come look at it today. I hope someone buys it soon - all this keeping it clean and tidy is killing me!!!

I can't go ANOTHER post without showing some knitting. So here it is. The completed Noro Kureyon Log Cabin blanket. Only, as you can see, it's not entirely finished. Gotta weave in all those ends and block it. It's gonna have a bath, then into the washing machine for a spin cycle. I'm terrified. Imagine if I felt it!

As we sit here watching the Golden Globes, I'm thinking about all the really great movies I've seen recently.

Just after Christmas it was The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. After which I cried (like a freaking baby) for half an hour. Possible my new favourite film ever, knocking Shallow Hal off the top spot. Hmm, maybe I need categories.

Friday night we saw Marley and Me. My husband who, to put it mildly, is NOT an animal person, cried. For a dog! When we got home we googled hypoallergenic cats and dogs. Maybe Matt and I have hope after all :0)

Last night, I saw Doubt. I had no doubt, but those last 10 seconds sure were interesting.

Last weekend, the boys and I saw the Tale of Desperaux. Matt was enthralled with the mouse with the ears. What a cute movie. You wouldn't believe the amount of people who come into Barnes & Noble asking for a desperaux toy!

Other movies I'd really like to see include Valkyrie, Gran Torino, The Reader and I can't wait for Revolutionary Road to come out. So many movies so little time.

Hope y'all had a great weekend :0)

"Disco" - friend to the stars

Well, I mean, look who commented on my previous post!

That's all thanks to Irishgirlie's recent fundraiser, I'm sure - I got a thank you email today too :0)

And Irishgirlie will remember well, how I greeted Vickie Howell last year at Stitches, as though we'd been friends since Kindergarten!!! What a goof. Thank God that poor woman is so calm and cool - she obviously gets it all the time as she really didn't bat an eyelid.

Can I help it if I get knitting-star struck? I was even a bit giddy when I went to Charlotte Yarn to meet Turtlegirl last year (or was it the year before?).

I promised you knitting in this 'episode' and boy do I have major knitting news. Or maybe I should call it fiber news.

A new LYS opened 'near' to me. It's about a 20-25 min drive, so not exactly on my street corner. But only a 5-10 min drive from Matt's pre-school, so in a way, it's very local :0) It's a bit tucked away, on the side of, kind of an industrial looking building. And it's tiny. And cute. And has gorgeous yarns.

Did you see Turtlegirl's crayon yarn post today? They have that sock yarn. In muted greens that were just screaming to me the other day when I was there.

Why was I there? Well, apart from fondling the squishy goodness of their malabrigo, and inhaling the scent of the softest cashmere, I was teaching a class.

If one person counts as a class. And it wasn't so much a class as a project helpdesk. But it was fun. And my client booked me again, same time next week. Suhweet!!! Also, Gabriella, the owner, asked me to teach a sock knitting class. ME!!! I'm psyched.

Maybe next time I'm there, I'll remember to take my camera out of my bag, take some pics and post them on the here with more details. Until then, let me just.....

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Segue back to my 'friend to the stars' theme. I worked at B&N a bit over the Christmas holiday. I just tried to type out the details, but bored myself, so, to cut a long story short, I wrapped the gifts of designer Kristin Omdahl.

She lives locally and has just had a book published by Interweave Press called, Wrapped in Crochet (I'd put a link in, but my right mouse clicker isn't working and I don't know how to copy and paste without it! and amazon's links are forever long). What a very nice lady she is I must say. She's teaching a crochet class at Gabriella's later this month and you know how I love to crochet. So I'm taking the class, making the http://www.ravelry.com/projects/kristinOmdahl/blaze scarf.

Last but not least, a random famous person snippet. The two most famous people from South Shields, the town where I grew up:
Literary icon - Catherine Cookson
Film Director - Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Gladiator, etc)

I'm off to finish the last side of the border on the Noro blanket now. Oh garter stitch, how I love thee :0)

It's a Blue Moon Birthday Bonanza

My mom sent me some money for my birthday last week. I've been coveting a few things from Blue Moon Fiber Arts for a wee while, so what better to spend it on.

When the new colours came out a few months ago, there were so many I liked. Well, all of them really. But reading the stash enhancement thread on the Socks That Rawk group over on Ravelry, one in particular kept jumping out at me.

Here it is. Treehugger. I love the mix of greens, browns and red. Now it's actually in my hands I'm not disappointed at all - I just LOVE it.

And Irishgirlie's pink yarn fumes have gotten to me finally. I also ordered the beautiful Oma Desala. Pinks of every hue.

Finally, I've wanted sock blockers for the longest time. They were first on my purchase list this time. Here's the full package. Not as large as some others' Blue Moon orders, but perfectly proportioned for me.

I really like the Leyburn socks that, it seems like, everyone is knitting right now. I think I'd like to make them with the treehugger. The little crossover stitches seem to really highlight the different colours in the yarn.

Oh yes, I still knit. Although I haven't posted pics in ages, there's been a good amount going on. I hope to have some knitting news in my next post actually.

Until then, I bid you good night :0)

Happy Happy (birthday) Me :0)

I just got a wonderful box of birthday goodies from my awesome pal, Irishgirlieknits.

Yarny goodness
Socks That Rock, Rare Gem. Love the ginger colour, with a teensy bit of green and peach.

And gorgeous Mmmmmmmmalabrigo Silky Merino. Now what to make with this......

P'raps a hat and mittens? Oh look, the perfect pattern for both :0) I'm going to be toasty in Charlotte next winter :0) :0) :0)

And take a look at all those other goodies: books, chocolate, notecards, lemon soap (yum), tea and tea-ball (hey, how did you know I've always wanted one of those?)

But, best of all, she made me some gorgeous fingerless mitts. Eek! In what other colour than January One Socks That Rock. Might have to find myself some of that colour for a hat and scarf to match. Again with the toasty Charlotte winter thing :0)

Thanks Irishgirlie, especially for knitting me something. And hey, great minds DO think alike, right :0)

Whenever Irishgirlie sends a package to me, she never forgets my boys. What a great Auntie you are. Look at these cute snowmen ornament-baggies. And what's that inside them? Oh, chocolate. Mmmmm. They're definitely going to like those. Thank you again, Ms Irish, on behalf of the boys.And while we're photographing the Christmas Tree, before Christmas (when I was too busy/lazy to blog), Bezzie asked about favourite Christmas Ornaments.

Well, here's mine. This was the favour at our wedding. Ours still has the wedding ribbon and tag still attached - for sentimental reasons. And to remind us of the wedding date! hee hee only joking :0)

Last night, we had some friends over for dinner. Lots of fun and laughter, great food, really good wine. A great kick-off to the weekend and the New Year.

:0) Disco