Knitting Convention

This weekend, The Knitting Guild Association held it's West Coast Convention in Portland. I have never been to a knitting convention so I decided to attend and take a couple of classes that they offered. They also have a market and that was fun to walk around and see all the new and differant yarns they had. On Saturday I took a class about adjusting a written pattern to the size you need. I was looking forward to that one because I do that poorly. However I was dissapointed, it just didn't give me the information I was hoping for. On Sunday I took a class on Fair Isle Knitting. That is color work done in patterns, it looks hard but you only have 2 colors per row, it is mostly reading a chart and holding 2 yarns at a time. I really enjoyed that one and am looking forward to trying it on some projects.

Fair Isle Sample

August Happenings

August was a very hectic month. Sorry I haven't post for quite a while. Pat and April came home from China on the 13th. As I said before April had been sick and we thought it probably was the heat. However when she came home, it just didn't get better, hard to breath, pain, dizziness, nausea, exhaustion, yea, she was fun. On August 20th she called from school and it was obvious I had to take her to the Asthma Doc. She examined her and said the pollution in Beijing had damaged her lungs, the lining was inflamed and irritated so were her tubes. So she was put on a heavy duty medicine. As we were leaving the doctors office, Pat called, his Step-Father had just passed away suddenly. He and Pats mom have been together for 17 years, so he was Grandpa Knute. Good Day, Oh lets not forget that August 20th is Pats Birthday. Yea... Pat, April, and I went to Roseburg for the funeral the next week, unfortunately Casey could not leave, since he had just been home for Zacks wedding. He will be home in a couple of weeks and we will take another trip south.
For the last year and a half I have been the chairman of our churches Call Committee, to find a new pastor. It has been a very stress full and busy time. Yesterday we had a vote and issued a Call to a Pastor in Washington. So until he makes his decision my job is done.
I haven't had a chance to knit since they got home so I am hopping that now I can relax and get back to my regular routine.
Lets hope September is a little calmer.

Sweater progress

I have the back of April's sweater done, and I am working on the left front. My friend Teresa from McMinville is comming for the weekend and we like to spend alot of time knitting and chatting so hopefully I will get more done before April gets home next week.

Lace Cardigan

Since the votes were tied between starting a Christmas present, or making April a summer sweater I decided to make the sweater. It is going to be a black lace cardigan. Getting started was definatly tricky, but once I got going I think I am getting the hang of it. Here is a picture of the back, there is a lace border, kinda scalloped, and then the lace pattern.

All Done!

I finished my sweater today. I like it, although it was a challenge to make it totally up as I went along. But I don't mind ripping out as long as I am happy when it is done. I know I will wear it alot once it cools back down.

New Project?

My sweater is very close to being done, I just need to make the neckline and sew in the extra tails of yarn. I will post a picture soon. So now what? We all know I can't go with out a project for well...yea, I can't go with out a project period. I would like your opinons on what I should do next, so I have a poll that you can vote on what I should knit next. It will be fun. Thanks for your input.

Socks

Well, I just finished my first pair of socks. I used the magic loop method of knitting 2 socks at a time with 1 long needle. I like them ok, but I know now things I will change next time. Now I have to get back to that frustrating cardigan of mine.

Pat's sister Laureen from Idaho was flying home from a visit to Roseburg on Tuesday, and had a 4 hour lay over at PDX, so April and I picked her up and we met Pat for lunch. It was nice to see her we only see her every 2 - 3 years or less so I think Pat enjoyed their visit. Hopefully it won't be so long until next time.

Memorial Day

On Monday, Pat, Casey, April, and myself, drove up to Multhnomah Falls to have breakfast in the lodge. It was a cloudy day but the falls were still very beautiful. It was nice to have Casey home even if it was for a few weeks. He left on Wednesday to fly to Alaska. So far he has enjoyed working on the train that travels through Denali. They go up from Anchorage to Fairbanks, spend the night and then return the next day. He is working as bartender on the top of a double decker train that is almost all glass. He is getting amazing veiws. We will see him again in July for the wedding.

We I got the heel flaps done on my socks. Now I have turned the heel and am working on the foot. It seems to be going well I should be done soon.

Catching up

I have'nt posted in a while so today is catch up day. April has been home from school for the last 3 weeks do to a pinchced nerve in her neck. So we have been in and out of doctors offices and helping her feel better. Casey also came home from Florida during that time, so no blogging for me.





I picked up some new yarn called Happy Feet and I am learning how to make socks. I have always wanted to so this should be fun. I am using a technique called Magic Loop Technique it is knitting 2 socks at a time using 1 long needle. It is kind of hard to get used to but I think I would be one of those who have "2nd sock syndrome" when you finish the first sock and then can't seem to knit the 2nd one. So this way they will be done at the same time.





Pat took a day off last week and we drove to Cannon Beach to spend the day. It was going to be in the 90's here in Vancouver, so we thought the beach would be perfect. Yea, good idea, it was 98 in Cannon Beach, Or. Has that ever happened? We still had a great time. Annie loved to play in the water, and I like the cute little shops they have in town. It was great to spend the day together, before Casey heads to Alaska.



We had the family over for late Mothers Day, Grandma's Birthday and Martin's too.



Cousins, Zack, Josh, Molly, Casey & April.

We were missing Kate and Molly's husband Rob and the kids were home sick



We got to meet Zack's Fiance Collen. We will all be going down for their wedding in July.

It was great geeting together with everyone. I look forward to more family things this summer.

Retreat Weekend

This weekend my church had a womens retreat at Cannon Beach. I have never gone a womens church retreat before so I wasn't sure what to expect. Our speaker chose the topic of transformation, how we are transformed through knowing Christ and how that works in our lives. I got alot out of it and thougt it was a good weekend to reflect, refresh, and renew. ( yes that was the theme.)

The weather was amazing clear skys and warm. Haystack rock was as beautiful as always. The beach was so pretty. Here is Joy, Me, and Robin.

The hotel we were at had these adorable bunnies all over the property. I had to take a picture of one.

I actually got some knitting done and I got a lot done on the second sleeve.

One Down

Well I got the first sleeve done, finally, it took 3 trys but I guess 3 is a charm. I am pleased with the way it turned out however I am still not in love with the decreasing but it fits comfortably, so that is a plus.

I started the second sleeve and then took it out because the stripping didn't match up.

So I had to rewind the ball from inside out so the stripes would be close to the same on both sleeves. Yes I did have to make it more complecated.

I am hoping to get a lot done this weekend, so I will let you know if this sleeve is a keeper.

Pulling my hair out

Last week I ripped out my first sleeve on my sweater and started over because it just wasn't working, so guess what I just did.. yeah, I just took out 10 inches that I did over the weekend, I must be sleeve challenged. I can knit sweaters, arans, afgans ect. but I just am pulling my hair out over this sleeve! I am going to work some more today and hopefully I will get the decreases right this time. I wish I knew the formula for decreasing sleeves in the round.

Sweater Woes

Well I got the first sleeve done and I took it all out! Augh! I needed to make the armhole bigger and I was to aggressive on my decreases so I am just doing it over. I would rather take a while than to have it not fit right.
Since yesterday was our first day of over 70 degrees since October, Pat was out doing alot of yard work I think he has more to do today, but at least we can be outside. Annie sure enjoys playing outside in the nice weather.
April's school is going well, 7 weeks now, she is in a 3 week bread class right now, its amazing what she is bringing home. If you want bread give her a call, seriously, we have so much bread its crazy.
I will try to post more this week, pics on the sweater soon.

Time for a breath

Last Week was very exhausting more mentaly than physicaly, It seems like I was busy with volunteer stuff almost every day for the first couple and then I kinda zonked out in the middle of the week. I thought because April would be in Florida for spring break that I would have all the time in the world, no it was just the opposite. I did buy a bunch of movies last week and got to watch some of them toward the later part of the week. I bought some of John Waynes later stuff the good westerns from the late 50's to his last in 1976. You can't go wrong with a good John Wayne movie. I got out of the house on Friday and had lunch with my niece and her little ones. That was fun we need to do that more often. On to sweater news I did get a lot more done on the first sleeve it was frustating to take it out but I am plugging along and I am hoping I can get a bunch more done on it this week, I will post a update picture soon.

Weigh In Tuesday

So last week I didn't post how weigh in went. It actually wasn't too bad, however, I am getting very discuraged and decided not to go back to weight watchers for a while. I am still going to try to lose weight its just the healthy thing to do, I just need to do it at home for a while. I will still weigh in on Tuesdays just at home. So now I have to adjust to the fact that I am now dealing with a new scale. So that is my excuse this week! But next week no excusses.
About my sweater I think I need to take out the first sleeve because as I knit my stitch gauge loosened up therefor, my final inches are now differant. Frustrating but fixable. I need to figure out my new gauge and then add on stitches for that gauge.
I had my piano tunned yesterday, the man who tunes it is very talented he is blind and is amazing at what he does. He aged my piano to 1903 due to style, material, and company. He said it had been completly refurbished probably sometime in the 70's. That was exciting.

Sweater Progress

My seamless cardigan is going very well it is a little differant than normal, most cardigans are in 5 pieces, back, left front, right front and 2 sleeves, I am making this in one piece so there will not be any seems. Here are some pictures of my progress.

Weigh In Tuesday

Umm, so I didn't go to weigh in today, oh well that happens, I did do my 30 min of exersice though. I will work harder this week. I have been putting in alot of time on my new sweater, I will post a picture of the progress soon.

New Project

Since this yarnaholic dosen't have enough yarn I bought some more the other day! I have decide to desigh a cardigan for my self. I haven't made something for me in a while. I bought Universal Yarn's Classic Worsted LP, it is a varigated yarn in brown tones light to dark, I am going to border it in my brown Encore that I have left over from something, (see I do use some of my leftovers) I am excited to get started.

Baby Blanket

This is my current project. It is for a friend of April's that we have know since she was about one. Her little boy is due any day now so I had better finish up.