Rosewood needle magic ~

I have fallen again. I have fallen again under the spell of rosewood needles. The Jitteryknitter mentions that she is cleaning out her stash and says, "I found a scarf half finished" and I laugh, and she continues, "I was using rosewood needles, do you want to finish it?" How hard it is to say, "no"? "No, I have tons of other knitting I'd like to do" or "No, I've got Christmas knitting to do" or "No, I have to do more knitting for our church bazaar in November"

ahem....yup, guess who's knitting on rosewood needles these days......ooooh, they are lovely!

Inspired by Beate ~

I am hoping you've noticed along my blog roll that one of my favorites is Cloudberry Knits, written by Beate, a delightful and creative gal that lives far from my back yard...yet I visit her most days...through the magic of blogging. If you haven't visited Beate yet, please do, you'll love her as she makes you smile with her knitting, her flowers, her bike rides and her travel. I'll wait while you pop over there.....

She has bestowed an award upon me, and a challenge to state seven things not known about myself.....Yikes........ here goes....(I'll wake you up at the end, as these may be snoozers...)

1. I learned to crochet in grade school, taking a class at the Community Center of my home town. I remember that "snoods" were the rage, putting the crocheted snood over ones' hair bun. Eh gads....remember these?

2. Our wedding reception was also held in the Community Center of my home town (I did not wear my hair in a snood).

3. I can't recall exactly how and when I learned to knit, but I knit a few sweaters while living in Colorado for almost a year. I was inspired by my sweet Grandma Agnes who knit mohair and cobweb lace and all of our Christmas Stockings. All of her grand kids still hang ours by the fireplace each year ~ they are classic and amazing reminders of the skill that exists in our past. I often think of Grandma Agnes and know that she's with me as I knit.

4. (do I really need seven?) Before knitting the sweaters in Colorado, I was knitting a very lacy white square neck sweater, and showed it to Grandma Agnes, and she held up the front to my front and could not stop laughing as the square neck went past both shoulders ~ too big for even my Dad to wear (6 foot plus of him)....something about checking gauge that I missed...and all of her 4 foot 8 inch height laughed and laughed as she ripped it out for me...as she knew it would be too painful. Her wisdom, "If you're not going to check gauge, then make your knitting a color that your Dad would wear." My next sweater was grey.....crew neck... just in case....

5. I have fuchsia mohair of Grandma Agnes in my stash ~ its lovely ~ I'm not sure I'll ever be able to knit it. I've often wondered where her needles are ~ she was an amazing knitter.

6. I crocheted up a storm in college, once I lived off campus. Blankets for me and my roommates, and wedding gifts and baby blankets...crazy acrylic yarn and I loved it.

7. I feel a compulsive urge to finish projects...any one's projects will do....why is that?

Birthday cast on ~

After pondering what yarn I should cast on for my birthday.... as it is a tradition for me to cast on a delightful project on my birthday, so the rest of the year I can refer to the project as, "my birthday socks" or "my birthday socks" (I guess the projects have typically been socks...)

This year, I thought I should cast on my handspun. I wasn't sure of the needle size so I went big, and cast on for a hat. But, I needed to either have a bigger needle, or start with yarn a few feet into the plying job that I did on my handspun....

so I'll have to cast on again, soon!!

Birthday Manos ~

Remember a few posts ago when I was loving Jitteryknitter's Manos? I started digging around my stash and I didn't have any. Then I started digging around my existing projects, and voila!

Manos is the yarn of my Whidbey Island scarf. Very beautiful, still, and so on my Birthday road trip today I knit the Manos. I still love this yarn! P.S. I still need to cast on a project for my Birthday.... what shall it be?

Another Starbucks Knit ~

Here we are again, in a different Starbucks this time, and I'm knitting Mum's Christmas socks while waiting for #1 at youth group.

I think I'll be knitting the gussets soon!

Starbucks progress ~

A bonus to be able to meet Jitteryknitter at Starbucks while my #1 kiddo is at cross country track practice. Multitasking at its best!

Jitteryknitter has started to crochet, and is using the most beautiful yarn with her hook...Manos.. in deep green and jewel purple...ahhhhh....her scarf is beautiful! I think I need some Manos...

and some Malabrigo while we're thinking about it.... first I'll finish these socks....

Cast On Socks ~

A great feeling to be casting on another Christmas gift. These are the socks for my mum that I mentioned as "on deck" and I was able to cast on Monday night.

There is something magical about casting on.... the excitement of a new project, and the feel of the new yarn, and the new colors..... I love casting on!!!