Amy's Blog

Weekend Travels

2007-03-13T21:23:00.000-05:00

It's finally warming up some here in the mountains and I couldn't be happier! Last weekend we decided to take the top off of the Jeep and go for a ride. We rode through the Lake Weddington area and wound up about 4 miles from the Oklahoma line! It was such a nice day and I can't wait to go through there again when things start blooming. Here are some photos I took along the roadside. The boulders were just awesome! The kids had such a fabulous time climbing the rocks!

Welcome Macy

2007-01-15T19:36:00.000-06:00

Macy is our new puppy. She's a Golden Retriever/Lab mix. She's been a very good girl and hasn't had one bit of trouble with her potty and kennel training. We're very proud of her and she is in love with the kids.

This is my new life.

2006-12-07T20:46:00.000-06:00

This is what I brought home today to grade. This is less than one day's worth of work from my students. I graded for two hours this afternoon before taking a picture of this stack. This is why I don't get to knit or spin much anymore.

A New Meme

2006-11-28T21:31:00.000-06:00

Don't worry, I'll post some new knitting and even some spinning content soon. But in the mean time...........This one you answer with just one word. Consider yourself tagged! ;0)

1. Yourself: busy
2. Your boyfriend/girlfriend (spouse): true
3. Your hair: boring
4. Your mother: musical
5. Your Father: hunter
6. Your Favorite Item: yarn
7. Your dream last night: missing
8. Your Favorite drink: soda
9. Your Dream Car: mustang convertible (ok, so that's two words!)
10. The room you are in: living
11. Your Ex: gone
12. Your fear: failure
13. What you want to be in 10 years? happy
14. Who you hung out with last night? teenagers
15. What You're Not? simple
16. Muffins: blueberry
17. One of Your Wish List Items: louet
18. Time: more
19. The Last Thing You Did: grade
20. What You Are Wearing: sweats
21. Your Favorite Weather: snow
22. Your Favorite Book: biography
23. The Last Thing You Ate: candy
24. Your Life: good
25. Your Mood: frustrated
26. Your best friend: Rebecca & Colleen (who I miss!)
27. What are you thinking about right now? knitting
28. Your car: Impala
29. What are you doing at the moment? avoiding
30. Your summer: rest
31. Your relationship status: married
32. What is on your TV? cartoons
33. What is the weather like? wacky
34. When is the last time you laughed? today

48 Things

2006-10-18T20:24:00.000-05:00

I picked this off of Lisa's blog, so here goes.

48 Things You Could Care Less About

1. FIRST NAME? Amy
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Not that I know of
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Last week, I was feeling really sick
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? I guess so, but my mom's is really pretty
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? bologna
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Probably
7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? this blog
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? H-E-L-L NO!
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Cap'n Crunch
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? sometimes
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Lately it's been strawberry which is odd because I've hated strawberry icecream my whole life.
14. SHOE SIZE? 8 1/2
15. RED OR PINK? PINK PINK PINK!!!
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I'm too random and way overloaded with stuff to do and I let people take advantage of me because I do not say NO enough.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My great-grandma.
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Um, well, they can steal it for their blog, but I'd rather read it there! Leave me a link in the comments if you do though!
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Plaid multicolored pastel flannel pajama pants, pink t-shirt, and pink fuzzy socks
20. LAST THING YOU ATE? A chili-cheese coney from Sonic
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Mythbusters on TV and Chandler talking on the phone.
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Carnation pink.
23. FAVORITE SMELL? The way Toby's face smells right after he shaves
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My mom.
25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? their smile
26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON you stole THIS from? Yes! She's way cool and she loves pink like me!
27. FAVORITE DRINK? Dr. Pepper, but I've made myself stop drinking it and switched to Diet Coke which I tolerate.
28. FAVORITE SPORT? Well.....I love to watch NASCAR, but I take Tae Kwon Do and now, believe it or not, I play Soccer and it's really super fun too. So it's hard to say just one thing right now.
29. EYE COLOR? blue
30. HAT SIZE? 100 sts in worsted weight on a size 6 needle.
31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Yes, and glasses too, but not at the same time! lol
32. FAVORITE FOOD? Mexican
33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings for sure.
35. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter, I get to wear my knitted wool socks.
36. HUGS OR KISSES? Kisses
37. FAVORITE DESSERT? Cheesecake.
38. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? No idea.
39. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Again, no idea.
40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Ron Clark's ESSENTIAL 55 and EXCELLENT 11.
41. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE Pad? It's a Ducks Unlimited pad with labs on it.
42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? NCIS
43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? silence.
44. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES? Stones
45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? I don't know
46. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? I'm 31 years old, way overweight, but I can still do the straddle splits and get up!
47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Louisiana
48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? I stole it from Lisa's blog.

What a feeling!

2006-10-04T18:43:00.000-05:00

I am so excited tonight. I passed my Tae Kwon Do belt testing and I even broke my first board!

I stink at blogging!

2006-10-01T19:45:00.000-05:00

So I may be one of the laziest bloggers around, huh? Sorry. I've had a lot going on around here. I started teaching full-time. I'm teaching 8th and 9th grade business classes. They're GREAT!

I got a spinning wheel. So far I've made two skeins of yarn. The wheel is an Ashford Traditional single drive. I love it! Here's a sample of the yarn that I made.

My brother and his wife had a baby boy, so I knit a kimono. I made it with Sugar and Creme cotton yarn. I like the way it turned out, but I think it's going to be too small. Will have to wait to see. The only modifications I made were instead of using ribbon for the ties, I used two snaps. I put one on each side. I had thought about using buttons, but after searching two stores and not finding a single button that would look right, I gave up and went for snaps. I just thought that the ribbon would be too girly with this blue. I started another kimono for my sister-in-law. She's having a girl so a pretty girlie sweater it will be!

This weekend we went to Bikes, Blues, and BBQ. It was fun, but we didn't venture too far into the crowd of people. It was VERY crowded.

Chandler got to meet the guys from the Chrome Shop Mafia. They make the television show Trick My Truck on CMT. He was excited to say the least. They had one of their trucks on display and it was really neat to see.

Please pardon the smokey picture. The smoke was from this:

That is the world's largest travelling bbq pit. Pretty cool! Don't know why that impressed me so much.

After the festival, we went up to Pig Trail Harley to look at the bikes. There were too many people in there to look this weekend. We still haven't decided exactly which bike we're going to buy yet. I know that I will be glad when we finally get the bike no matter what it is because the waiting is stressful.

Let's see...what else....Oh yeah! I'm looking forward to Wednesday because I'm taking nine of my FBLA members to the Fall Leadership Conference. Our guest speaker is going to be awesome. Judson Laiply, the guy who does the Evolution of Dance is going to be the speaker and I can't tell you how excited my kids are! It's going to be a fun day.

I guess that's about it for now. I'll do my best to not be as long updating again.

Very Long Overdue Update

2006-08-06T19:05:00.000-05:00

First, I apologize to those of you who have been checking for posts. I have been quite busy but not knitting much! I finished three and a half weeks of school for my teaching license. That was a lot of work, but we all made it through. I'll know on Tuesday if I've gotten my teaching job. Y'all pray hard because there aren't many options if I don't get the job but as of right now all indications look favorable.

Since I've been away we had a loss in the family. Our sweet kitty Bob passed away. We don't know for sure what happened, but it seems that he got into some poison somehow. We're all very sad he's gone and we really miss him.

The children had their belt testings in Tae Kwon Do. They both did fantastic. It was Savannah's first testing and she handled it pretty well. Chandler is doing such a great job too. You can see video of them here and pictures of their testing here.

I have done some knitting during all of this. I finished a pair of socks! These are just basic sock pattern done in Regia yarn. The colorway is "Clown". I love these. I think they'll be so nice to wear when it's cold and snowy and dreary like it can be here in the winter time.

I also finished the pink sock that I've been knitting on forever. I don't remember the color name though. I decided that I do in fact like the socks that rock. I don't know what the hang up was with finishing the sock. Now I have to make another one and I hope that it doesn't take me months to finish it.

I've now started the Pretty Petals socks and joined the KAL. I've done the ribbing and two pattern repeats in the first sock, and have just now finished the ribbing in the second sock. I hope to catch the second sock up to the first tomorrow.

If all goes well, tomorrow will be my last day of summer break! I start inservice on Wednesday. Wish me luck!

How 'Bout Some Knitting Content?

2006-06-30T10:20:00.000-05:00

This Tuesday I had the opportunity to get together with a couple of friends for some really great knitting and talking. They are just so much fun to be around and it was such a fantastic time! I hope to be able to go again when I'm finished with my summer classes. Cynthia and Melanie are just incredible ladies who are very talented knitters and spinners. Melanie brought some yarns that she had spun on her wheel to show me and I was so jealous! I'm going to have to go over and check out her wheel soon. I really really really want one! She had some gorgeous stuff! It was neat to have a little show and tell too of the things we've been working on.

I'm working on the wool log cabin blanket and also a sock that I'll probably have finished today. It's a worsted weight sock so it's been a super fast project. Maybe this weekend I'll get to finish the second sock in the car.

Tonight I'll be driving over to Harrison to pick up Chandler from Tae Kwon Do camp. Toby's coming home today too! YAY! So he's going to meet us over there to see the closing ceremony and then come on home. Then, tomorrow we're getting up early to drive 5 hours to my family reunion and then we'll be driving back home on Sunday. I start my NTLP classes this week on Thursday and I'll be going 6 days a week all the way to Van Buren (about an hour one way) for three weeks. Sounds like fun, eh? I'm really excited because next weekend Toby has made reservations for us at a really swanky restaurant. It's going to be great!

I'm still looking for a teaching job so, I've got an awful lot going on around here. Unfortunately, that means there won't be much knitting going ton for a while.

Savannah flips out!

2006-06-25T17:06:00.000-05:00

I finally filled the pool back up and I think it's going to be ok this time...third time's a charm, right? We went out this afternoon to get in for the first time and within 5 minutes or so Savannah had figured out how to do back flips! It was so funny! Here's a short video of the little dare devil in action.

Savannah gets her first belt!

2006-06-20T22:12:00.000-05:00

She also earned two stripes today! That's half of what she'll need for her first belt testing in July! How cool is that!

A really cute little girl

2006-06-20T21:58:00.000-05:00

Interesting graphic

2006-06-19T22:22:00.000-05:00

This is a picture of this website in graph form.

It came from here and I think it's really neat! Such cute flowery pictures.

Mason-Dixon yarn plans

2006-05-14T21:16:00.000-05:00

I went to Hobby Lobby and bought some el cheapo Sugar and Cream yarn that we all love so much. Here are the colors that I got combined with what I already had in my stash. You can click on the pictures to see them up close and personal.

First the bib colors:

Next the ballband dishcloth colors:

At about a dollar a ball, there's a whole lot of cheap fun in that pile! I'm already on my second repeat of my first ballband dishcloth. I'm really loving the colors.

I've only got about 3 1/2 rounds left on the star baby blanket that I'm crocheting for my principal's baby. Their shower is this Wednesday so I really have to get some work done on it. These rounds are getting longer and longer. Of course, it would have helped if I had not spilled Diet Dr. Pepper on it and had to rinse it to keep it from staining. It wasn't much, just about 1/3 of one of the points, but now I'm waiting for it to dry so that I can go back to work on it. I was afraid of stretching it if I worked on it while it was damp. Here's a preview of it taken last night at 2.5 rounds of the blue. I'm thinking that six or seven rounds would be just about right color and size-wise.

Tom our "missing" cat came home yesterday and we're very glad he's back. I hope he enjoyed his "vacation". While Tom was away, I let Bob come back inside for a bit. He did alright, but he went back out as soon Tom showed back up. They were sooo happy to see each other, it was really cute to watch. Here's a little picture of Bob napping in the big chair.

Mason-Dixon Knit Along and some other stuff

2006-05-06T19:18:00.000-05:00

How much fun is this going to be? I can't wait! You can join here: Mason-Dixon KAL. I've been reading the posts and this is going to be a really fun group. I hope to get my book very soon. Our local Barnes & Noble doesn't have it yet.

I am so disgusted with the cotton sock I was working. I knew it was a bad idea but the colors were just perfect...the yarn?....NOT for socks! the ribbing section stretched out beyond belief and the rest of the sock didn't fit either. I hated it. So I ripped it out and rewound the yarn and decided maybe it's meant for something else, one day.

I am making quick progress on the Lotorp bag from Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton's Noro Revisited. I'm making this bag in Noro Iro Color 18. I'm already finished with 1/3 of the bag. It's looking good so far. I'm thinking about making one of the Kuryeon version. It's a bit smaller than the Iro size but I'm thinking it would make a nice gift. It only takes two balls of Kuryeon so it'll be an affordable gift too.

We went to the War Eagle Craft Fair today in the rain. It wasn't much fun. I love War Eagle so much and look forward to it for months. But today? Today I watched the weather and waited. At noon the forecast was still saying 70% chance of thunderstorms for tomorrow. So we decided that since it was just drizzle today we'd go on and go. No sooner had we gotten there and walked across the bridge did it start to rain. I mean really rain. We had to go for cover for a few minutes. Fortunately for me we took cover in a booth of handmade baskets! I bought a really cute basket from a very nice man from Branson, MO. He showed me how he shaves the wood and how it's dyed and also how they've been making them for years. He talked to me about his father who taught him how to make the baskets and then his father came walking up. They were such a neat family. They make all of their baskets from oak that he harvests himself.

I bought another basket from a local lady. Her name was Candace Katz and she has a really neat website for people who are looking for basket making supplies. I soooo do not need another addiction, I mean um, HOBBY. I am thinking it would be fun to learn to make baskets though. I may check to see when her next beginner class is. The thing I really love about this basket is that it has a solid base. The base is very smooth and I don't think it will grab my yarn at all. The inside of the basket is also very smooth and I don't feel any grabby bits to snag either. I am going to be using this for my intarsia project coming up next week.

And speaking of Intarsia, I'm going to be taking a class at the LYS for a couple of Saturdays on Intarsia knitting. I'm really looking forward to it. We're going to be making the Wobbly Circles tote from Interweave's Spring 2006 mag. Here's the pattern pick and the colors that I've chosen.

I almost forgot to show y'all the really cute bag I got today. I think it'll make a really great knitting bag/purse. It's made from oilcloth by Tatermash bags. They had some really great bags today. This bag has six large pockets on the inside and one on the outside. It also came with a matching zip pouch which already has my traveling stitch markers, and small knitting supplies in it. They had one thing that I wish I had turned around and gone back for. It was an oilcloth placemat on one side and a chalk board covering on the other. They were so neat! If I go back out there tomorrow since we didn't get to see much today, I'm going to get one for Savannah. She loves to draw and color now so I think it would be a neat thing to carry in my bag for her to have something fun to do when we're out and about.

That's all the time I have now for updating. Hopefully I'll have more progress to report soon!

Cinderella left her shoe behind...

2006-05-05T21:08:00.000-05:00

At the scene of the CRIME! This post should probably be titled "Why can't turn my back on my daughter to even go to the bathroom." They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but let me give you 3 to sum this up: bread + couch + Savannah......enough said.

Sizzling Summer Socks

2006-05-02T20:44:00.000-05:00

I've been busy already this week! Over the weekend, I finished the heel on the pink STR socks, and started an akle sock that's mostly my own pattern. I'm really enjoying these socks. I've finished finished the gussett and am now working my way down the foot. Here's a picture of the sock as of last night.

Finished Afghan

2006-04-28T18:14:00.000-05:00

Recently there was a post on our local Freecycle message board by a lady who was looking for yarn for making items for a local Meals on Wheels Charity Auction. I thought since I was outgrowing acrylic yarns that I'd donate some of my stash to them. Well, when I went in my closet I found an afghan that I had started and remembered that I still had enough yarn to finish it. So I called up the very nice lady and asked if she'd be interested in finishing the afghan. She was very excited to get it since it was almost half done anyway. This week, she sent me a picture of the finished afghan. I hope it raised a good bit for the meals on wheels program.

Sorry for not updating!

2006-04-18T11:04:00.000-05:00

We've been quite busy at home and work as of late. I haven't gotten very much knitting done either. I seem to be in some sort of crafting funk actually. I went through and ripped out almost all of my projects that had been set aside. I ripped out everything that I wasn't interested in working on or wasn't going to finish for whatever reason and reclaimed the yarns! It felt really good to rid myself of these projects that were just hanging over me like a dark cloud. I was a little worried that I might regret it, but so far I don't'!

I've got one baby sweater (gift) that has to be finished by next Friday, Savannah's blanket, my pink STR socks, and my red mock lacy cable socks still on the needles. That's it! I'm hoping to be able to makes some progress pictures soon of these things to show y'all.

This Saturday I'm going to spend some time with one (maybe two) of my knitting students. I'm going to show her how to line the purse that she knitted and also how to felt some fuzzy feet slippers that she's made for her sister. I'm really looking forward to this. These two girls are two of the rare teenagers that are a true pleasure to be around. (Hi L & S!) Their knitting has really taken off and they are becoming more and more adventurous. They're already thinking socks! One is knitting a baby sweater as a gift for a teacher even! I'm so proud of them!

In other news, Toby was called out again. This time he's gone to Indianapolis. I don't know how long he'll be gone, but hopefully not very long. At least we had him home for a month this time. 7 months in La. was a loooong time.

Chandler got his Senior Yellow belt in TKD this weekend. YAY! I'm so proud of him. He really loves Tae Kwon Do and is working really hard at it.

You can see our Easter Weekend pictures here. As usual, it was difficult to get Chandler to let me take a decent picture of him, but camera hog Savannah had NO trouble posing for pictures.

I'll leave you with some T-shirt slogans that I've seen in the hallway at school today:

"If I got smart with you how would you know?"
"You can't fix stupid."
"I'm with stupid." with an arrow pointing UP!

Isn't that comforting?

Colleen's First Sock

2006-03-26T18:55:00.000-06:00

I've been teaching my friend Colleen to knit. She's really doing well and catching on quickly. She's already finished her first sock and started the mate. I'm proud of her! She did a really great job! Here's a picture of her first sock:

Reason 7,062 My Husband Rocks

2006-03-25T15:48:00.000-06:00

Ok, so yeah it's two posts in a row about my husband's greatness, but so what! Here's the latest thing he did for me. He bought me this:

Sorry for the crappy garage pictures, it was night time and I couldn't wait! lol I'm so happy with my new car. It's a Chevy Impala LTZ in Sport Metallic Red with Ebony leather interior. I love it, love it, love it!!!

So, what does hubby get in return? Socks! Yeah, that sounds about equal right? I'll post pictures of them when there's more to see.

Reason 5,486 My Husband Rocks!

2006-03-11T08:09:00.000-06:00

Toby's home from New Orleans for 30 days! YAY ME! This morning he got up to make breakfast and made beignets from some Cafe DuMonde mix that he brought home. It was heavenly!

My latest sock project

2006-03-07T20:26:00.000-06:00

I've decided to pull out the socks that rock socks with the swirling issue and drop down to 64 sts. Even if that doesn't solve the problem, I'm going to stick with them this time. In the meantime, I have started a new pair of socks. The yarn is Online Linie 11 Alpha, a very nice and shiny mercerized cotton. This yarn is soooooo soft. I love it! It's also working up very fast. I was able to complete the short row toe and work a good portion of the foot in just over an hour and a half...not too bad! I'm not really a fast knitter. The pattern is from the book Sensational Socks. I just got this book recently and it has got the most wonderful patterns in a multitude of options for sizes and gauges. It's really an amazing book and a very good purchase!

I've also started a blanket for Savannah. I'm using the Utopia yarn I bought in New Orleans. It is so soft and the longer I work with it, the more I like it. I'm doing a progressive stripe pattern that is lots of fun. Normally I would be flipping out with boredom from the stockinette stitch, but the color changes are really holding my interest. I think perhaps it's because I like the colors so much.

So, what are y'all working on????

Socks That Rock Pooling??

2006-03-04T08:27:00.000-06:00

I have heard so many people gush over the wonderful STR yarn saying that it doesn't pool and how lovely the colors are, so I bought two skeins. I have to say that the yarn is gorgeous and very soft and the stitch definition is unmatched. BUT, I started my first pair of socks with 72 sts on size 1 Addi's and it's pooling terribly.

I laid the sock out so that you could see the pooling in full effect. Although it doesn't look terrible, it's just not what I had in mind. So I need some help from you experienced sock knitters. I have an average size 8 foot. I need to know how many sts is good to use and if there's a better pattern for the Socks That Rock yarn than basic K2P2 ribbing. I just want something that will show off the yarn not so much the stitches in these socks. The colors really are magnificent. This is the Carbon Dating colorway.

New Socks!

2006-02-28T19:27:00.000-06:00

I finished another pair of socks. These are made from Andes Wool and they are really soft. I like the colorway too. It's the same yarn that I used to make my Grandmother's Christmas Stole. The colors are very calming I think.

Olympic Knitting is finished!

2006-02-26T18:11:00.000-06:00

I'm so glad to be finished with this project! I finished Savannah's sweater today. I know most people wouldn't think it such a big deal to finish a child's sweater in 16 days, but when you consider that I work full-time and also travelled for 5 days during that time, I think it's pretty good! She's looking mighty indifferent though!

Also, I'd like to show you the wonderful yarn and stitch markers that Marie sent me! She sent the most lovely sock yarn! I really love the colors. The yarn is from Over The Rainbow Twinkle Toes yarn. It's very nice! I can't wait to see it knitted up in socks! Thank you so much Marie! The stitch markers are really cute too! I've never had any beaded stitch markers before and the little pouch is way cute too! Unfortunately, Savannah took off with the pouch and went running down the hall yelling "I gotta new purse!"

LONG update!

2006-02-22T08:19:00.000-06:00

Everyone at home seems to be feeling better now! YAY! I'm glad too because we've all been sick for weeks now. I just returned yesterday from my trip to New Orleans to visit my husband. We had such a wonderful time. It was absolutely the best trip we've ever had I think. I took loads and loads of pictures of the hurricane damage. You can see them here if you'd like.

Toby took me to not one but TWO yarn shops while we were down there. First I visited the Bette Bornside Yarn Company. I had a lovely time visiting with Mrs. Bornside. She and I talked for a long time about how the hurricane had affected her and her business. She told me that she had lost at least 1 in 3 of her walk-in customers. She was such a lovely woman...very friendly and had lots of great suggestions. While I was there I purchased some yarns that I had never seen before at my LYS. I bought some Reynolds Utopia yarns for a blanket for Savannah. This is the softest acrylic yarn I've ever seen. Mrs. Bornside had a blanket made from this yarn that she had washed several times and it held up so well and was even softer after the washing. I also bought four skeins of Lopi yarn for a felted purse, and two skeins of Fortissima sock yarn. My LYS has the sock yarn, but I couldn't resist after seeing the sample she had worked up. Mrs. Bornside had a very interesting layout of her shop. The yarns were on display here by brand and color, but there was only one skein samples of each color. Some yarns were on display on hanging color cards. You just picked out what you wanted and she went to the back to collect your choices. I kind of liked this because I didn't feel overwhelmed by the yarns. There were lots to choose from, but there weren't thousands of skeins stuffed here and there. Here's a picture of the Bornside loot.

I also got to visit The Quarter Stitch. Right now their website is just a picture of the owner's dog and their contact info. BUT they are located in the French Quarter about half a block down from Jackson Square. It was a very quaint little shop. The yarns were yummy and I saw lots of new things I'd never seen before like Galway, Malabrigo, and Koigu. There were yarns of all kinds here. Most of them were very unique...lots of frilly and hand dyed yarns. They carried Noro, Classic Elite, Trendsetter, and many others. This would be a great place to shop if you are really interested in trying new things with yarns. It's so easy to see the combinations that are possible by mixing yarns here. They also had an awesome display of Collinette yarns and their throws were magnificent. This shop also caters to Needlepoint. There was a massive display of needlepoint yarns. The Quarter Stitch also sells needles but they are not on display. They were in a really neat cupboard. I loved the atmosphere of this shop and the lady who was working that day was very friendly and I enjoyed visiting with her. She chatted freely as we shopped and seemed to go out of the way to make my husband feel welcomed. At the Quarter Stitch, I purchased 2 skeins of Koigu and 2 of Malabrigo. I've already started a hat and scarf set from the Malabrigo and it is sooooo soft. It's 100% Merino wool and hand-dyed. Here is a picture of the Quarter Stitch yarns:

Contest at My House

2006-02-02T15:23:00.000-06:00

We're having a contest at my house. The children and I are trying to see who can get the sickest and stay the sickest the longest! That's what I feel like anyway. Chandler has got bronchitis now. I'm sure Savannah isn't far behind. I took him to the doctor this morning and the doctor sent me home with more medicine for myself even, and a prescription for when Savannah gets it. Talk about encouraging, huh? Well, at least it saved me a $75 office visit and another $75 office visit for when Savannah gets sick too. I really like our doctor!

On another much better note, I passed my Business Education Praxis exam! Yay! I'm so thrilled, now I'll be certified to teach Business Ed. classes for grades 7-12. I have another big test in March for my Grade 4-8 Certification in English, Math, Science, and History! That one will be a booger.

For the knitting content, I've started a pair of red socks! They are looking good so far. I'm using a Lacy Mock Cable pattern and I think that is looks very much like eyelet lace to me. I'm enjoying the pattern very much and the five row repeat was simple to memorize. These socks are also growing quickly. I'm making them out of Brown's Sheep Nature Spun Sportweight, but really the yarn feels the same to me as Regia's Crazy Color and I ended up having to use a size 2 needle. Here's a picture from last night:

Not much progress

2006-01-30T18:51:00.000-06:00

There hasn't been much knitting progress here. I've been sick and now Chandler is sick so I haven't felt like working on much lately. I sure hope all of this stuff passes soon. I've got a lot of projects that need to be accomplished. Mainly baby gifts. I still have seven baby gifts left to make. SEVEN! Seriously, the people that I work with need to take it easy in the baby department. I had to rip out the LSU sweater and start it over again. Savannah spilled a glass of Dr. Pepper on it and it had to be washed. The problem came when it got wet. It grew and grew. I thought this was very unusual for acrylic yarn, but it really grew. It went from tiny baby to almost too big for Savannah. That's a big jump since she's 3. So I started the sweater over with smaller needles and a much smaller gauge and I've reached the sleeve portion again. I'm much happier with the fabric of the sweater this time too. I hope to have it finished soon. This baby isn't due until May though. I've got to get some ideas going for the other babies. I know that two of them are going to be boys now. I have one coming up in March so that's not too far away. I need to make something simple and quick, but what? I'm stumped. Here's a pictures of the LSU sweater waiting for sleeves and a bodice.

I'm going on a Diet

2006-01-26T10:13:00.000-06:00

A YARN Diet that is. I need to do some serious stash reduction so I'm publicly announcing my yarn diet. I will be keeping a tally in the sidebar (assuming I can figure out HOW) to keep me motivated. I will keep track of the number of skeins used from my stash and the number of skeins purchased, because we all know that it's nearly impossible to go an extended period of time without purchasing a single skein of yarn. Don't look at me like that! You know it's true! I recently read a blog that was comparing yarn to heroine and seriously, I may have some pretty bad withdrawals. BUT the good news is that after a fairly good inventory of my yarn stash (after the yarn I got for Christmas) I have enough yarn to knit up 27 pairs of socks. That in itself is enough to keep me busy for months! Especially when you have to add into the mix that I now spend every evening shuffling the kids to Tae Kwon Do and Dance--totally worth the effort though!

LONG Knitting update

2006-01-20T14:09:00.000-06:00

Yeah, so it's been a while. I know! I got your emails and I hear you! :0) So here are some updates. First a picture of my grandmother's stole, I can show you now that she has seen it and worn it! I took this picture right before I bound off and before blocking, but you get the idea.

I finished another pair of socks too. These are also Regia Crazy color and I love them just as much as the first pair. These were also my first toe up socks and my first short row heel.

So it also seems like everyone I know is pregnant. There are 8 babies at work alone! Seriously! I refuse to drink the water there. So for the first baby, I knit a pair of booties and the most adorable baby beret. But, alas, I once again forgot to take a picture of the hat and second sock. Here is the first sock after it was finished. Sorry the flash was a little much in the picture.

Now for some works in progress. I only have a few right now. I'm making a baby sweater for another friend at work who is a MAJOR LSU fan, so of course it's purple and gold. No picture to share of it yet. I've completed the body and started one of the sleeves. It's a bottom up raglan. I think next time I make a sweater I'd rather do it top down though. I also finished one sock of a pair of worsted weight fuzzy socks. It may be a while before I make the second sock, I hated knitting it. Here's a picture:

I've also started the cutest little hat for Savannah and a rug for my laundry room. I should finish the rug today or tomorrow maybe.

That's about it for now. I'm on a mission to knit from my stash only for as long as I can. I need to reduce the size of my stash and basically not spend any money on yarn until I do. But with all the yarn that my husband bought me for Christmas, that won't be hard to do! Y'all I SCORED!

Christmas Knitting is D.O.N.E.!!!

2005-12-18T08:12:00.000-06:00

If you are my grandmother, stop reading immediately!!!!

Is she gone yet?? OK, good! Now we can talk about her present!

That's right! I finished my Christmas knitting on December 17th! I was so afraid I wasn't going to make it in time, and now look........time to spare and even mail the package! Yay me! Although, there is one tiny problem. Well, maybe not so tiny really. I was sitting in my comfy chair last night looking at the shawl and then it struck me. I thought "You know, I really probably should go on and block this thing." Yeah, well, I haven't blocked many things before and wasn't really planning to block this either so I knitted it to the size I thought it should be in the end. Yes, I hear the experienced knitters out there gasping for breath. And I also hear you laughing and snickering at me! Stop that! I'm new at this remember! So after I pinned the shawl/stole thingy out I measured it.....and it's now 81" long! Holy Moly! That thing grew nearly 15" in length. No Kidding! It's still pretty. Actually prettier now, but man is it gonna be a long one on my Mammaw who measured only 63" from fingertip to fingertip across the back! I wish I could post a picture, but you'll have to wait because she might peak. No peaking! You're not supposed to be here remember!

A few things about me

2005-11-29T13:16:00.000-06:00

I saw this today on Crazy Aunt Purl's blog and thought it would be neat to do so here goes:

TEN Random Things You Didn't Know About Me:
1. I wear something pink, somewhere on my body every day.
2. When I take a shower, there is a specific order I do things and if something happens and I get out of order, I have to do it all over again.
3. If a restaraunt doesn't have sweet tea, I will always order a soda instead of unsweet and adding the sweetener myself.
4. I like my coffee to be very sugary.
5. I take pleasure in coming up with new ways to wake up students who go to sleep in my classroom.
6. I still don't really know what I want to be when I grow up.
7. The one thing I do know is that I want to own a yarn shop.
8. I hate going to the restroom in public places and I will make myself sick before I do #2 in a public place.
9. I spray my classroom computers with lysol everyday because kids are gross.
10. For some reason, my students love to talk to me about their problems and I seem to be a magnet for troubled kids.

NINE places I've visited:
1. Taos, NM
2. Durango, CO
3. Sante Fe, NM
4. Atlanta, GA
5. Memphis, TN
6. Biloxi, MS
7. Mobile, AL
8. New Orleans, LA
9. Pennsacola, FL

EIGHT ways to win my heart:
1. Clean house for me, without being asked, begged, or paid.
2. Cook for me.
3. Buy me yarn.
4. Listen to me talk about my knitting, and fake excitement or at least act impressed!
5. Compliment me.
6. Love my children.
7. Romance me.
8. Talk to me about small things.

SEVEN things I want to do before I die:
1. Go on an Alaskan cruise with Toby.
2. Own a yarn shop.
3. Go to Ireland.
4. Go to the Grand Canyon.
5. Be debt free.
6. Be a granmother.
7. Be skinny.

SIX things I'm afraid of:
1. Bugs.
2. Spiders.
3. Snakes.
4. Rats.
5. Running out of money.
6. Having to tell my husband if we actually did run out of money!

FIVE things I don't like:
1. Sick teenagers that don't cover their mouth when they cough.
2. People who don't wash their hands.
3. People who are mean to my kids.
4. Any of the things from above that I'm afraid of.
5. How hot it gets in my classroom. I mean really, there are 31 computers in here and it's 82 degrees in here. Come on! Fix the air already!!!!

FOUR ways to turn me off:
1. Smell bad.
2. Have bad breath.
3. Be mean and rude.
4. Lie to me.

THREE things I do every day:
1. Knit
2. Read
3. Love my family

TWO things that make me happy:
1. My husband
2. My kids

ONE thing on my mind right now:
1. Is it time to go home yet? How long 'til Christmas Break????

Knit Socks Rock!

2005-11-21T12:48:00.000-06:00

Ok, so y'all, I have finished my second pair of socks and I am so addicted to sock knitting! Thanks a lot Ann, you enabler you! Here are some pics:

Things that make you go hmmmm......

2005-11-18T19:47:00.000-06:00

Your Birthdate: September 19

You are resilient, and no doubt your resilience has already been tested.
You've had some difficult experiences in your life, but you are wise from them.
Having had to grow up quickly, you tend to discount the advice of others.
You tend to be a loner, having learned that the only person you can depend on is yourself.

Your strength: Well developed stability and confidence

Your weakness: Suspicion of others

Your power color: Eggplant

Your power symbol: Spade

Your power month: October

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Why?

2005-11-17T15:26:00.000-06:00

Why is it that when I've got a huge project that I'm way behind on that I develop a raging case of start-itis???? What's up with that? I've been working on the secret Christmas project and not making much progress might I add. So I'm stressing and guess what...starting new projects. Yep! Like I didn't have enough to do right! Today I started a scarf in the Lionbrand Landscapes yarn to match my "boob" hat. So named because the top of the hat looks like, well, a boob with a nipple! LOL I also started a hat on dpns recently that also keeps calling to me and I have the second sock going and I'm so going to finish it soon because I want to wear them so bad! I still have the old shale shawl going too. But what is the number one project? The ONLY one with an actual deadline????? Of course, it's the one project that I can't seem to make myself work on right now. UGH! It's not like the yarn is the problem. I'd show you, but well, I can't for obvious reasons! It's absolutely dreamy to hold and work with. The pattern is great too. Not too dull, not too complicated. So what then is the problem? Is it the stress? Is it rebellion against the deadline? Is it just that I've turned into a selfish knitter who only wants to knit for myself right now???? hmmmm, so many things......so little self-control. Sorry no pictures today, the camera's at home and well, I'm not right now. Maybe next time I'll have an FO to show or two??

A New Sock is Born

2005-11-15T17:40:00.000-06:00

I finished the first sock of my new pair. I love love love these! The yarn is Regia Crazy Color in the Pinocchio colorway. Aren't they great?

Ding Dong! The Socks Are Done!

2005-11-07T10:35:00.000-06:00

I'm so thrilled because I have finally finished my first pair of socks! Weeeehaaaw! Seriously, they're probably not the best socks ever made, but I love them! I wore them to school today I wasn't even in the building good and a couple of my knitting club kids spotted me and said, "Mrs. Long? Are you wearing your socks yet?" I said "Yep! Check it out!" and they were so impressed! If they only knew that socks are way easy and that they really aren't magic! I'll have to tell them one day, but for now, I'm loving my socks! And, I was so excited that I cast on another pair immediately! So, here's a picture of my socks at work and a picture of the new sock project.

I've Got Fuzzy Feet!

2005-11-04T20:33:00.000-06:00

And NO I do NOT need to shave my toes! LOL :0) My Fuzzy Feet slippers are finished and I love them! I'm so happy with the way they turned out and seriously, they fit like they were made just for me! Oh wait! They WERE made just for me! Nothing like being able to custom fit something, right?

Knitting Update

2005-10-29T19:17:00.000-05:00

Well, I took a bit of a break from my current projects to knit a hat. I bought some really gorgeous yarn at the War Eagle Craft Fair that was 50% silk/50% wool and it was handpainted in the prettiest colors ever! I couldn't wait to knit this up and it was burning a hole in my yarn box so I had to do it to save the rest of my stash from total destruction, right??? Well, it made the softest hat I've ever put on my head. I was actually sad when the project was completed. I even tried to prolong the project by using dpns for the first time when it got too small for my circular needle. I have been terrified of those double pointed needles since I learned to knit, but it was time and it really was tough to figure out at first, but then all of a sudden I was knitting away on them! Weeehaaaa! I feel like a real knitter now! I'll post a picture of the hat soon.

I have a new project too. I joined the Fuzzy Feet Knit Along and I've already started my practice pair out of some left over Lamb's Pride from my clogs. If I love how they turn out as much as I love my clogs, then I'll make more! I'm thinking these would be a great gift too. Perhaps Chandler's teachers would like these? Hmmmm.......

My major focus project is now going to be finishing these cuff down socks and then my shawlette. These are two projects that I really want to finish soon. Mostly so that I can wear them and then move on to some other things. Some of my current projects are on the back burner because my family won't make up their minds if we're going to exchange gifts with everyone or draw names. I hope they do SOON because I need to get busy if I am going to have enough time to make something and then I can decide which projects I can let go too because I've already got some gifts started. hint, hint, hint!

What kind of English do I speak?

2005-10-29T16:25:00.000-05:00

This was cool!

Your Linguistic Profile:

50% General American English

35% Dixie

10% Upper Midwestern

5% Midwestern

0% Yankee

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

I was actually pretty surprised that I don't speak more Dixie being born and raised in the South and all! :0)

What does Amy need?

2005-10-19T11:06:00.000-05:00

This is the funniest thing ever! Go to google and type in "[your name] needs" and then list the first 10 things that come up. Here are my ten needs:

1. Amy needs help! (umm, duh, we already knew that right?)
2. Amy needs to get out the monkeysicle and do some tests on him and what not.
3. Amy needs a flu shot - like really really needs a flu shot.
4. Amy needs to be found.
5. Amy needs a loving home and help with her veterinary expenses.
6. Amy needs a new pair of shoes.
7. Amy needs to either wake up or start getting some extra willpower.
8. Amy needs to get another facial expression for deep ponderance.
9. Amy needs a new diaper. (ROFL!)
10. Amy needs a web page consultant.

This was fun! What do you need?

Dishcloth Exchange finished

2005-10-14T14:05:00.000-05:00

I finished my cloth for the dishcloth exchange on Monthly Dishcloths . I used the Lacy Round Dishcloth pattern. Here's a picture although it doesn't show the Lacy Border very well. I like it though.

Dinner anyone?

2005-10-01T20:55:00.000-05:00

I was having me some dinner and then it struck me as kind of odd what I was having! But it was nutritious! After all, it was diet soda, ya know?

Finished Sock

2005-10-01T13:29:00.000-05:00

I finished my new sock! I love it....well except for one thing. There are holes where I did the ssk stitches at the gusset and at the toe. I pulled the yarn as tight as I could, but it still happened at the toe. :0( Very unhappy with that. So, anyway, if you know how to fix this would you please let me know? I've already cast on for the second sock and hope to have it resolved before I get to the gusset.

New Sock in Progress

2005-09-27T21:58:00.000-05:00

I've decided to make a different sock. One without all the ribbing. Here's a picture of the progress thus far. I know, the striping got all bungled up when I made the heel, but hey it's gonna be my first completed sock. I figure striping issues can be resolved in future sock projects.

Old Shale Progress

2005-09-20T21:22:00.000-05:00

Here's the progress I've made on the Old Shale Shawl. Unfortunately, I think I might have to rip it out AGAIN! You see where I'm pointing in the picture? That's where the center yarn over section and the center stitch sort of shifts. I don't what's wrong with it. I counted the stitches, it's the right number. I think the problem is because of the stitch marker being between a yarn over and a knit stitch. The yarn over keeps slipping over the marker and ends up on the wrong side. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to fix this?

Dayflower with 2 Repeats Done

2005-09-19T19:46:00.000-05:00

This is showing 2 repeats. Not sure I love this yarn in this pattern, but we'll give it time yet.

Old Shale Shawl

2005-09-19T18:25:00.000-05:00

This is the beginning of the Old Shale shawl. I hope this is at least close to what it's supposed to look like. It's a lace shawl.

Dayflower Scarf

2005-09-18T21:33:00.000-05:00

I have completed one repeat of the Dayflower Scarf. Such a pretty pattern! I can't wait to see it grow!

The Clogs are Finished!!!!

2005-09-18T17:56:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited that these clogs are finished. I think they turned out great. I'll have to shave them a bit when they are dry. Here are some before and afters:

Gratuitous Cat Pictures

2005-09-18T17:05:00.000-05:00

We just love our new kitties!

Finished Savannah's Scarf.

2005-09-18T17:02:00.000-05:00

I finally finished weaving the ends of her scarf today and she wanted to model it.

Help Me Decided

2005-09-18T16:51:00.000-05:00

Do I need to go up a needles size or stay the same for this fingering weight yarn on size 6 needles? I am making a lace shawl. I apologize for the blur in the pictures.

Another FO!

2005-09-11T17:33:00.000-05:00

I've been meaning to take a picture and post it of the mitered square bag that I finished this week. I am LOVING this bag! It's an awesome design, my first experience with multidirectional knitting. I made it with Noro Kureyon and it took only four skeins but the pattern called for five. The bag is being modeled today by the lovely Savannah....and Mammaw, I see she needs a haircut and I just cut her bangs five minutes ago. :0)

My knitting helper

2005-09-11T11:10:00.000-05:00

This morning I was sitting at my desk, knitting away on my Fiber Trends Clogs and Savannah sat down to help me. I just happened to have my camera at my desk and thought this was such a sweet picture.

Updated Sock

2005-09-08T21:37:00.000-05:00

I think these look weird.

Why 2 Cats were a GREAT idea!

2005-09-06T20:48:00.000-05:00

Sleeping children....happy momma! Notice Savannah asleep with a smile on her face. That's awesome!

My LYS

2005-08-10T13:33:00.000-05:00

Several people have emailed and asked about my sock class or about where I've bought yarn and such, so I thought I'd take a moment to introduce you to the best little yarn shop around. I love to go to Handheld Knitting and fondle the yarns. The ladies who own the shop, Joy and Colleen, are fabulous! Joy taught me to knit the sock in a personal instructioin class. Cool, huh? They have all sorts of neat classes that you can check out on their website. They also have a Monday night knitting get together from 6:00 - 8:00 and I went this week for the first time. I had a wonderful time and there were a lot of very nice women there to chat with. It's a very laid back atmosphere and a fun place to visit. I love their book selection too!

Knitting and Fiber Related Exhibits

2005-08-10T13:05:00.000-05:00

We went to the Ralph Foster Museum at the College of the Ozarks in Branson last week. I have to say that it was a very nice experience. We saw the original Beverly Hillbillies Truck, y'all have to know that I love the Hillbillies! There were all sorts of neat things from the original kewpie dolls and a large display about the creator to gun from the beginning of time to now, to animals and birds. Mixed in with the exhibits were a lot of things on Ozark living in the 1800's. I saw several looms and spinning wheels and such from as early as 1800 to the mid 1900's. Here are some pictures of the things that really caught my eye.

The first two pictures are of traditional costumes from the region of Sophia. The are hand embroidered and I thought they were magnificent.

The rest of the pictures are misc. knitting and spinning items from the 1800's. Pretty cool stuff!

If you're ever in Branson, you must drive over to the little town of Hollister to the college and check this place out! It's cheap too! Only $3.50 for a whole day!

Changes to the Blog

2005-08-05T15:11:00.000-05:00

Because I want to keep this blog mostly about my crafting, I have created a new blog about my kids. Don't want to go all "Kathy Lee" on people, ya know! So if you're interested in seeing all the great pictures of my two fabulous kids (and there will be LOTS) go here!

This week we went to Branson, MO, and I have some great knitting related pictures to show you, but I'll have to wait until tomorrow. I've got a ton of dreaded housework that is begging to be done for today. YUCK! Phooeey! So, check back tomorrow for the goods!

Update on the sock and new project

2005-08-01T14:59:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd post an update on my sock and my new project before I went out of town. Here is the progress that I've made on the sock. I'm down to working on the foot portion. I redistributed my stitches so that all of my ribs are on one needle. That way, when I'm done, but seam will be right on the end of the toe.

I've joined a knit along group and our first project is a dishcloth. I chose to use my own pattern since I had just bought a new book of dishcloth patterns. The first picture is the accurate color. The second picture has color taken out to show the stitch pattern which is a simple weave.

Socks N Kids

2005-07-27T21:28:00.000-05:00

I thought you might like to see how my sock is coming along. I started this sock this morning at my sock class and I think it's turning out nicely. I'm not too sure I'm in love with the colors of this yarn, but it's ok for a first sock.

It's also been brought to my attention that there are no pictures of my son on the blog for the Nana to ooh and aah over so here are some obligatory pictures of both kids taken yesterday evening.

Finished Objects

2005-07-26T17:04:00.000-05:00

In the last few days I've been knitting like a mad woman to finish some projects before my sock class starts and before I have to go back to work. I finished the shawl for my mom. Here are a couple of pictures.

This is a picture of the "shawl" wrapped around my rocking chair. The next picture is a close-up of the stitches and fringe. I used a plain garter stitch throughout the pattern.

Here is my sweet Savannah modeling her Nana's shawl (or is in an afghan?) to show how much she likes it. She says "I not give da blankie to Nana! It's MINE!"

I also finished my first Booga Bag! I liked knitting this bag. It was fast and a fun road project. Here are a couple of pictures. The first one is before felting and the second is after.

It feels great to finaly have some FO's! Now, I'm working on a Clapotis shawl and will start my first pair of sock tomorrow!

I'm back!

2005-07-19T19:26:00.000-05:00

We went to my family reunion this weekend. It was a nice weekend, but boy was it hot! I enjoyed spending the time with my grandparents and the kids sure had fun. Thankfully, they were both pretty well-behaved. I had lots of time for knitting, too. I am 42 rounds into my Booga Bag now and I hope to finish it this week. I never did get the shawl finished last week and need to try to work on it some more this week and get it wrapped up. I also started my gauge swatch with my sock yarn to prepare for my sock class that starts next Wednesday. I didn't realize how small this stuff is! It's going to take some getting used to. Well, that's all for now. I've got a bushel and a half of peas that I shelled today to put up!

I forgot!

2005-07-13T14:50:00.000-05:00

I forgot to tell you that I signed up for a sock class at my LYS. I bought Cat Bordhi's book "Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles" and some sock yarn the last time I was there and today I signed up for a class. It starts on July 27th! I think it'll be lots of fun!

On the Needles

2005-07-13T14:32:00.000-05:00

I have a few things on the needles, or hooks, that I'm pretty excited about. I'm almost through knitting a prayer shawl from the Lion Brand site in the Homespun yarn I told you about earlier. I'll be glad to get this one finished and hopefully I'll be done in the next day or so. I've also started a booga bag out of Noro Kureyon color 40. I'm excited about this bag because it's my first knitted bag and my first experience with circular knitting. I've got the yarn to start a clapotis and I hope to start working on it soon. I'm going to knit it in the Sinfonia sportweight mercerized cotton. The color is Jacaranda, a really nice blue. I had started an afghan at the beginning of summer but it got too big and too hot to work with so I've decided to wait on it for a while. Oh, and I bought the yarn to make a "Coming Home" poncho sometime in the near future.

Boy was I mad!

2005-07-12T09:44:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I spent several hours working on the shawl I'm knitting. Something told me to take a measurement and see if I was going to have enough yarn to finish since I made some modifications to the pattern size. Well, sure enough, I wasn't going to have enough. So, I took the lot number down off the wrapper and went to Hobby Lobby to see if by any chance they had more since it has been over three weeks since I bought this yarn. BTW, it was Lion Brand Homespun. Well, lucky me, they had some in the same dye lot. So I bought one more. I headed for home excited that I might be able to finish the shawl in the next few days. When I got home and sat the new yarn next to the old yarn, I saw that it wasn't the same color at all and rechecked the lot numbers....yep, same lot. Then I noticed extra tails sticking out from under the wrapper. I slid the wrapper off and underneath the wrapper, not visible until you removed the wrapper, was about 20 yards of an entirely different color yarn. We're talking major difference. This yarn was peach colored and I'm using the Tudor color. I was so mad! So I had to drive all the way back to Hobby Lobby to exchange the yarn. This time I took along what yarn I had left AND my shawl just to be sure it matched. I showed the yarn to the manager and she told me that someone else had returned some of the same yarn recently and for the same reason. The manager was soooo nice and I really liked her. She was very interested in what I was making and made the whole deal much better. Now I'm off to finish that shawl.

My Savannah

2005-07-10T20:38:00.000-05:00

She's ready for her brother to come home from his vacation!

In the beginning....

2005-07-10T20:25:00.000-05:00

I've just begun to knit. I taught myself only a couple of weeks ago. I'm currently working on a knitted shawl that is done in garter stitch with homespun yarn. I think it's coming along nicely! I'll post a picture when it's finished.