HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!!

Today marks the last thirtieth birthday for me, and it has been a wonderful weekend with my family. I even received sock yarn this year from both Miss Cathy and my Mom. Thank you so much! Also, a birthday wish goes out to fellow knitter Javajem.

I'm looking forward to spending the next year with my old and new knitting friends, and planning one heck of a 40th birthday party.

Just in case my birthday and the impending New Year aren't reason enough to celebrate, there is only four months and 5 days until the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival begins!

Party on Knitters!

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa!

I received yarn for Christmas. Not just any yarn. Smooshy yarn! It's a sock yarn from the company 'Dream in Color' from Australia. My mommy rocks. She went to a yarn store for me! I must have been a very good knitter this year.

Merry Merry Christmas fellow knitters. It's back to work bright and early tomorrow morning. Don't forget that Thursday night is our knitting Christmas gathering at Cosi in Columbia. See you there.

So much for 'Knitting for Me Monday' tomorrow. I work all day tomorrow, and still magically have not finished all of my gift knitting yet. Pretty funny since I started out not having any gift knitting this year.

So.... 'Knitting for me Monday' is being moved to 'Knitting for me Christmas'. Think about it. After the presents have been opened and the food has been consumed, you have tons of knitting time. Besides, you will have to occupy your hands so that you don't try to use them to strangle your dearly beloved who didn't listen and ignored your plea for knitting related items as Christmas presents.

Enjoy your Knitting Holiday, and may your knit stockings be filled with yarn!

Knitters are such wonderful people!

I was running around work today when an old friend from my church came in. She was with her daughter who... is a knitter. The excitement flew as we talked knitting (I felt so sorry for those non-knitters around us!) and I gave her contacts for some of the local knitting connections. Before I could say a proper goodbye to my new knitter friend she was gone, and I felt so bad that I did not get to send her off with a proper holiday greeting.

Much to my surprise, the duo came back soon afterward with a Christmas present... for me!!!!! A knitting book that contained the very pattern of fingerless gloves that I was admiring of hers! What a very wonderful gift that touched my heart!!!!! I am treasuring my new gift and my new knitting friend. Thank you so much!

What a lovely story of how the little things mean so much to those in our lives. I hope to make a difference in someone's life this Christmas season the same way I was touched today.

Happy Knitting this Christmas season to you all!

Christmas from Blue Moon.

My last package from the 2007 Rockin' Sock Club arrived in the mailbox today. I was anticipating holiday colors, and I was once again wrong. This month the colors are inspired from the sea. Kinda of summer like if you ask me, but what do I know. The pattern is by Cat Bordhi, so it's yet again toe up.

I will miss getting random yarn in the mail, but I can't say I would ever do this particular club again. Perhaps I am finally admitting that my sock stash is just out of control. I mean- come on. My sock stash has it's own four cabinet storage unit, and it is not even close to fitting all in there. Besides, we have such great sock yarn being produced right here locally that I would rather do a Storm Moon or Neighborhood Fiber sock club.

I was very happy to get the package today, since it was a very emotionally challenging day. I picked up the Blue Moon package on my was to a funeral, which I left and then went to Large Marge's oldest child's birthday party. I can't say I ever had my social calendar work out quite that way before, and I was glad to have some Blue Moon to get me through from one to the other.

Let me just say goodbye to 'Uncle Bob'. He was part of my life before knitting was. This of course means that before fiber was the way I made it through the day, I would call on people like 'Uncle Bob' who were in my life to help me muddle on through. Let me just say, there was alot to muddle on through. Coincidentally, around the time I started knitting was the time our friendship drifted apart. I will always be thankful that I he was part of my life, and I hope to have a beer with him on the other side!

So there's a reason Hot Toddies have long been taken when people have cold symptoms!

I had three, a nap, and a hot bath yesterday- and I'm good as new today. Good thing since I worked like a fiend today. (All without a sniffle I might add)

So what's the miracle cure that has me back to new. 1 oz. brandy, 1 teaspoon sugar. Dissolve sugar, then fill tea cup with hot water. I kept forgetting to add some lemon to my drinks, but they were yummy anyway.

This means I'm back to Christmas knitting. I finished that darn hat for my mother. To answer the Thursday night knitters, yes it fits. It's just really ugly if you ask me. I made an old shale pattern hat that does weird pointy things at the crown that I just can't envision on my mother.

I thought that this was the end of the gifts. Wrong. In comes the girl child again. She was checking out the huge flower cotton washclothes that I knit to go with handmade soaps. Very cute gifts. Too cute. She threw a fit that these lovely gifts were not for her. Usually I can ignore this, but I do love when she covets my hand made items. This means it's time to cast on another washcloth.

Don't forget that tomorrow is 'Knitting for Me Monday'! Stay firm knitters. Remember that you need to knit for yourself or you will start putting bad vibes into your stitches for others.

Happy Knitting!

Just when I thought that my Christmas knitting was coming along nicely (despite working in a high stress environment 6 days a week, having twins with 'I need you' issues, and sickness and death amongst friends and coworkers) I woke up on my last day off before Christmas with a cold. So much for knitting.

I have, however discovered Hot Toddies. Yippie. I can always give gifts of January 6th, the day a lot of cultures celebrate as the Feast of the Three Wise Men.

Happy Knitting!

As I work on a hat today with leftover Brooks Farm Harmony yarn, I am reminded why I hated knitting the coordinating scarf. This mohair makes my eyes itch like a beast! AUGH! The things we do for our Mothers.

While I was at the Daily Grind today for my weekly knitting while the kids are at youth group, I mentioned to the owner that the Central Maryland Knitting Guild meets right down the street from her coffee shop. She instantly came on board the membership card bandwagon, and now all card carrying members of the guild will receive 15% off all food and beverage purchases at the Daily Grind in Maple Lawn, MD. Awesome. She also is interested in hosting a sit 'n knit for the guild, and will even extend her hours just for us if we would like the place closed to only the guild-rent free (as long as we promise to buy at least one cup of joe). How cool is that?! I'm really looking forward to showing local businesses that we knitters do have a buying power in this community!

Off to tackle some more of this beastly mohair. Happy Knitting!

I hope you all are remembering it is "Knitting for Me Monday". I know every time I turn around I keep thinking of all of things I need to do for Christmas. Perhaps a night of knitting instead of shopping, cooking, baking, addressing, or wrapping is the answer. If so, I'm going to have to leave my house because the guilt I get while sitting on my couch knitting instead of doing the holiday things staring at me is too much!!!!!!!!!!!

I never never never say this, but perhaps Starbucks is the answer. Perhaps I've lost my mind. I can't believe that Starbucks would ever be the answer to anything! However, my Christmas cards can't tell me to address them if I'm at Starbucks. My boss can't keep calling me if I 'forget' my phone at home. Certainly no one would every dream of phoning Starbucks for me (with good reason!).

Let's face it, as tempting as it may be- I just can't go to that place. Let's just hope that I can successfully lock myself in a room in my home that does not contain Christmas guilt and enjoy my knitting. I might have to pour a drink to help me along with that one!

Here's hoping your 'Knitting for me Monday' is easier than mine!!!! Happy Knitting!

The new Knitty is here, the new Knitty is here!

It feels like I just wrote this same blog not too long ago! Is it me or is my knitting just getting more and more backed up?

I need me a pair of those kilt dress stockings. I know they are for guys and kilts and all, but I think they would be awesome snowy day socks. Maybe that's because today is Maryland's first snowy day, and I have snowy clothes on the mind.

So many great patterns and only but two hands to knit with. AUGH!

Happy Knitty viewing to you all.

Is it me or did 'Knitting for Me' Monday feel really good after all this holiday knitting? I started a scarf for myself, since it always takes until the really cold weather for me to figure out that I have no scarf for my dress coat. It's sad really. All this knitting, and nothing to show for it.

I managed to stop off a the local wine store today and get a bottle of Boarding Pass Shiraz for tomorrows predicted snow. I'm sure there won't be so much as a flake since I am properly prepared with yarn and wine, but here's hoping!

Boy child says, "Hello" to all the knitters out there in knitting land.

Happy Knitting!

A 'Fetching' mitten hanging out in my Christmas tree. My camera seems to like the tree more than the cables. I made them out of Meunsch yarn 'Bel Air' and was pleased to have them finished so quickly. My son, however, wants to know why there isn't a scarf to go with the mittens. There's always a critic!
I finally finished my mother's 'Old Shale' scarf made out of Brooks Farm 'Harmony'. She found out that I was knitting the mittens for someone else and told me that she would love a hat for Christmas. Think I could tell her to wrap it around her head and pretend that it's a hat? Probably not. Back to the drawing board. Now I need to knit a matching hat. Good thing there was a ton of yarn left over!
This is the Storm Moon sock I was working on when these last minute Christmas demands started pouring in. The second sock had been started and I had thought that I would make tons of progress on it this weekend. HA! I have a feeling this poor, lonely sock will be single for a little while if this is a sign of the Christmas season I have before me.

Remember to knit for yourself tomorrow since it's Monday! Holiday or not, you need some me time.

Happy Knitting!