Agile Knitter

Dog Agility, Knitting and Spinning - Life in Nashville, TN

The “buy me now” button OR Wanna Be In My Will?

May 6th, 2008 by Leah

Beth suggested that I might have a problem with the ‘buy me now’ button.  My reply to that is that it is kind of like a drinking problem.  I drink, I get drunk, I fall down….No Problem.   The problem isn’t with the button, it is staying AWAY from the button….or would that be the internet in general???   There are lots of things that I do resist, but there are some things that I fall in love with and want.  In some cases (like the Digitessa), I see something, but don’t act on it.   I will live without that something, but then something comes along and revisits me and I then decide that I really do want it.  No rhyme or reason to it. 
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I guess if you are a Thinker (and a knitter/spinner), you might be asking if you can be named in my Will :P

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Knitting/Spinning/Dog Doins and New Toys

May 5th, 2008 by Leah

A few weeks ago, I shared a picture of a mitered square shawl that I just started using Noro Kureyon Sock Yarn.  It starts on the big side of things and gets smaller as you go.  I am using the Loop De Loop shawl pattern and you begin by knitting a mitered square using worsted weight yarn.  I *gasp* swatched and ended up doubling the numbers to cast on for double the amount of stitches called for in the pattern.  It is taking for bloody ever, or seemed like it, to decrease down as you only decrease two stitches every other row.  I have decreased over 100 stitches now and still have a way to go.  It is going faster now as the rows do not have as many stitches in them.  I am using a size 5 circular needle and the colors are very pretty.  While the yarn does get thick and thin, I have not found any knots so far.  It is a great mindless knitting project and feels softer than you would think when you go back and feel it.  I hear that it softens up more after it is washed.  Once I am done, I will soak and block it and will let you know if it does soften up.  I think it will be very pretty when finished and visually interesting as the stripes will be going in several directions.  p1010419.JPG
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I got this little gadget (I love gadgets and containers) to use as a bobbin for my WIP.  I like to leave a long tail in case it can be used to seam up a side when finishing or who knows what.  I have one of these things on a sock in progress (SIP) too.  They are fun and come in all kinds of colors. 
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here is a little to talk about in Spinning.  My Alpaca wheel was calling to me as I have not spun on her in what seems like forever.  I like to spin outside better than inside as I can see the colors in the natural light so much better and it is a lot about the color for me when spinning.  I have been spinning lace to fingering weight for at least the last six months and that seems to take for darned ever.  I subscribe to the Spunky Eclectic Fiber Club and have many fun bits of different kinds of wool to spin in my stash.  For some reason, the Party Dress (which is very brightly hand painted Superwash Corriedale) said that it was time to be spun.  I read a blog post (can’t find it now) where someone spun a tightly twisted single and then plied it with thread with a loose twist….the resulting yarn looked like clouds or moguls and was very interesting looking.  I tried spinning thick and felt like I was spinning rope.  Four ounces of fiber was spun in less than an hour.  Wow, how liberating.  The bobbin has the fiber resting on it and I am going to try and ply it tonight or tomorrow night.  I am hoping the single is thick enough to give that cloud or mogul effect once it is plied.  We shall see.   
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Dogs.  Agility.  Toys.   Many people ask what you ‘get’ when you compete in dog agility.  They are amazed when they hear “I get a ribbon if we place and the dog gets a toy.”  Agility is not about monetary prizes, but spending time with your dog(s) and building a bond with them and working as a team.  Other dog events such as Confirmation, do result in big money and I think that complicates things a little.  I am happy with the way things are in Agility.  Now, if you are highly competitive, there are levels of competition where you could get sponsors and maybe make a living at it.  
 
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I ran with Jake and Gracie this weekend in Decatur/Priceville, Alabama.  It was pretty much a practice weekend….both Friday AND Saturday.  I forgot to move Gracie from Exc A to Exc B Jumpers, so our one Q in Exc A didn’t go to our Exc B count.  Darnit.  Jake didn’t Q the whole weekend, mostly due to his bad handler (me).  He is at the level where you cannot have any mistakes or you are disqualified.  I ran for the first time last week and this was my first trial since my surgery.  I felt pretty good up to the last run of each day and then I was out of gas.   
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There are usually great vendors attending the competitions and this weekend was no exception.  They are coming out with the cutest toys for pets nowadays.  I think about people saying “I wish they had these cute toys when I was a kid” when I see these toys.   
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How can you resist these faces?   p1010417.JPG 
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p1010427.JPG How about a cat fish, er catfish?   p1010428.JPG

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p1010418.JPG Balls?  How about Biscuits?   These biscuit-shaped balls are a HUGE hit at my house.  They are soft and squishy and squeak – until Jake gets a hold of them.  I have learned to only give one or two toys out and let the crew play with them rather than giving each one a toy.  Now, they have a huge amount of toys in the brass dog bed that only holds toys, but new toys are more interesting and fun to everyone involved.  I give a few of the new toys out and the dogs follow around the lucky one that has a new toy.  The dog plays with the new toy till he/she gets tired of it and someone in line pounces on it to play with it some more.  Back to the biscuit balls.  My dogs are wild about these balls.  I only had one the first go round a few months ago.  Jake carried this ball around for two or three days.  He put it down long enough to eat and then he would pick it up again.  He finally relinquished the ball after carting it around and guarding it.  The other dogs followed the one dog around with the ball and this went on for two weeks.  The vendor at the show this weekend finally got some more of these balls in and I got them all.  I gave out two of them to the pups and the rest are safely resting on the counter for now.  
 
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Jake says it is MY BALL and I am NOT giving it up!  p1010423.JPG
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Hunter and Pierre came Saturday night to visit with us until next weekend.  Their people went on vacation so they came to stay and play with my crew.  Hunter and Pierre are Papillons and compete in agility as well.  

Pierre was HIT (High in Trial) at the Papillon Nationals a few weeks ago.  Hunter got HIT last year and

Pierre got HIT two years before that.  These are some fast Paps! 
 Hunter    p1010421.JPG    

 Pierre
 
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Serious. Sock. Content.

April 29th, 2008 by Leah

Thanks to Monika of Smoking Hot Needles, I found A-nother thing I just ‘HAD To Have.’   Well, I better clarify.  I went to THIS website and saw all these wonderful, amazing socks.  You can order them as kits or as single patterns.  All I can say is “Oh.  My.”   While I was at Yarnissima, I went and found a conversion chart and figured out just how much one of these amazing kits would cost me.  All I could say then was “Oh.  My.”   and then I closed the browser without making a purchase.  I must have signed up to receive updates because I receive an update a few weeks later from Yarnissima stating that they had updated inventory and kits were in stock.  Silly me went to the website and Currency Rate be Damned, I pushed the ‘buy me now’ button for La Digitessa.  Who the hell cares if I have to eat peanut butter and jelly in the dark, I will have a beautiful sock kit to knit during daylight hours, LOL.  Well, it seriously won’t affect my budget to that degree (but the gas prices may), but it was enough to make me think twice.  So, enough about my waffling over the purchase decision.  My Yarnissima package was in my mailbox Saturday.  Oh, what a yummy package it was too.
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Organanza ribbon, tissue paper, cute little business cards, a little wooden lady bug, feathers….oh and Chocolate.  Did you know that Toblerone comes in White Chocolate???   There were some chocolate chocolate things too.  But, best of all was the Wollmeise yarn.  Give me an Oh. My. and an Amen!
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Now for the pattern.  15 pages of pattern.  What the hell was I thinking???   Wellll some of the pages Are charts….   Speaking of charts, a small laminated card was included that is for the main chart so you can carry it around with you in your portable sock bag.  Somehow, I just don’t know how portable this puppy will be.  This is a toe up socks with lots of patterns, a very interesting gusset and traveling stitches.  Not sure what those traveling stitches are, but I will find out.  Someday. 
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On to Ravelry.  I love Ravelry for different reasons.  Some of the biggest reasons are:  You can input a name of yarn and see all the projects people have made or are working on in that yarn.  Another reason is you can input the name of a pattern and see what yarns are all being made into that pattern.  Too cool.  It’s like wanting to get your hair dyed or paint your walls and you can push a button and see what the different colors would look like before you have to commit.  Amen again. The correlation to Ravelry and Yarnissima is there is a Yarnissima group for this vendor and I am not the only one that is a member or that succumbed and pushed the ‘buy me now’ button.  From reading the posts in this group, I learned that the pattern I purchased is likely the most challenging.  Figures.  I think I may go back and download the Firestarter as that is where I believe I should start.  Hey, best part is….Firestarter is FREE. 
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Big news:  I have been working diligently on my Yarn/Fiber room.  It is almost bursting at the seams and I need to think about transferring my fiber over to my office/bead room.  Not quite yet though, but it is a though.  I have about two piles of ‘stuff’ left to figure out what to do with and I will be able to say “This Room Is Clean.”  My friend that cleans my house saw it last Thursday and said “oh, you have a path in there now.”   Now, it was much more than a path, it was a safety zone.  I don’t have to play twister to walk across the room.  I spent about 4 or 5 hours in there this past Sunday and put together this cubicle type thing I purchased at Target on sale.  On

Sale.  I think I should look for things Fully Assembled instead of On Sale.  This cubicle thing required lots of hammering.  I now have one purple middle fingernail on my left hand.  It HUT and the air turned a little blue after I banged that one.  I will take pictures after I figure out those two last piles.  It will be worth the wait.  I will be giving tours this Thursday night, LOL.  Jan and Anne are coming to my house to pick me up and I will be giving tours. Au Gratis, Ha.  Is that a real word/term?  Sounds like potatoes, but I know that is Gratin.

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Non Sock Knitting and Such

April 23rd, 2008 by Leah

What am I working on?
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I am working on enjoying the feeling of a finished PAIR of socks.  I am modeling for the picture, but these socks are actually a gift.  I will be sad to see them go as they are very pretty and fit very well.  
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p1010408.JPG   Regia Silk, fingering weight
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Can’t have empty needles, not that I would have that problem ever in this lifetime…but I had a couple of empty sets, soooo…..Haus of Yarn just received a huge shipment of Noro sock yarn.  Carolyn and I were talking about what we could make out of it besides socks.  Is there something more to life than socks? Yepper!  So, I am working on  a mitered shawl.  There are three parts:  one big square and then pick up stitches on one side of the square and knit a triangle (repeat that again on the other side) and you have a finished triangle shawl.  I am on the big square that will be in the center and had to cast on a BUNCH of stitches so it seems like forever to finish one row.  I decrease two stitches every other row, so the stitch count is going down, sloooowly, but surely.  I love the colors and have not gotten to the end of the first repeat.  Yet.  It is like Christmas….I can’t wait to see the next color and want to keep knitting.
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Free Pattern Time!  Scarf this time instead of socks.  Wow, all this Non Sock content.    Dyeabolical Yarns has this really great scarf called Alexio’s Scarf and you can see it on her blog and it looks like Coral Snakes!!!…Very Cool!  This is a Must Knit for sure.  I would have pushed the “Buy Me Now” button if it had not been free.
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 p1010409.JPG Purple Fix.  Need a Purple fix?  Well, I can help you with that.  My Mom visited last night and mentioned she thought the lavender blooms look like beaded flowers.  I agree….very pretty!
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p1010411.JPG p1010412.JPG  Purple and Green, a few of my Favorite Things!

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I Shall Wear Purple!

April 19th, 2008 by Leah

Please DO click the photos to make them larger, the flowers are worth the click!
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Spring….my yard says “I will wear Purple!”  
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I so enjoy Spring (minus the pollen) and how my yard and living things continue to surprise me each year.  This year, my Lilac bush is stunning.  Every year it is beautiful, but this year, especially so.  Maybe it is because it is now, I might have said the same thing last year.
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I wish I knew how to take better pictures, that butterfly was stunning.
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Seems there is a purple theme going on.  In the backyard, the Japanese Iris are fraternizing with the Spanish Lavender with great results.
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p1010397.JPG   p1010398.JPG
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I added Classic Lavender to my flower bed this week and it also rests near some Japanese Iris.  In case you did not know, Japanese Iris bloom both in the Spring and Fall and have shorter stalks and very deep intense colors.  The Fall bloom is always an extra bonus.  Florence, a friend and former sock student, gifted me with this Lavender as a get well gift from my recent surgery.  The leaves on the Classic Lavender are very much different than the Spanish Lavender and the blooms are even a different shade.
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While the Coral Bells are not quite purple, they received a new resting place this week too and I think they are very happy.  For the last several years, the Coral Bells were in two large terra cotta pots.  The drought last year really took their toll on them and I thought htey were goners.  As you can see, they are more resilient than I thought.
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I managed to live through my first full week back at work.  A little stress snuck up on me as I ended up managing a test environment due to the usual manager having a death in the family.  Testing is something that I have done on a regular basis, but my former department was disbanded and I now am on a new team.  I will likely find out what my new role is in the next week or so.  They have been so kind and have been giving me time to recover and to finish up things from my old position.
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I am off to knit at the LYS.  Have a great weekend!

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Soup, er Bowl, anyone?

April 16th, 2008 by Leah

I got the coolest bowl this weekend.  A church was hosting a charity thing and they had ceramic painting for these bowls at a pottery place.   You go to this place and pay $5 to paint the bowl.  Then this church hosted a soup night and you paid $20 and got to pick one of the bowls and got soup.  Two of my friends went two days after my surgery to paint a bowl.  In honor of me, one of the ladies painted a green and purple bowl in memory of me (they have been my favorite color combination for years).  She painted it lime green and then stamped different kinds of faces all over the outside of it in purple and splattered purple inside.  She called me the night of the soup event and asked if I wanted to buy the bowl.  The rest is history…. I love this bowl.  I had the bowl sitting where I was knitting.   It is a small, deep bowl.  I put my ball of sock yarn in it and was knitting with it–iIt is the perfect yarn bowl.     I thought it was nice of them to think of me and paint a bowl…and I love the bowl.
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p1010391.JPG   p1010388.JPG  (much less fattening too)
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Now, I am thinking about a bigger deep bowl to put fiber in while I am spinning,.
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Each time I visit the lady that I got Sprite, my black and white Pap, from, I admire this picture she has.  It is a print from Arthur Beckham from 1907 and is of the Teaparty with Alice in Wonderland.  Well, she recently let me purchase it from her.  I also have a ceramic topiary and the green part of the topiary is of the Cheshire Cat.  Now, I need to figure out what to hang the picture….

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Maybe you should feel my forehead….

April 14th, 2008 by Leah

In other words…I knit/washed/blocked a swatch AND I cleaned.    Oh, I forgot….I cleaned my stove off and cooked too.  I know I am sick…..
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Rambling first pictures and links to free, great sock patterns toward the end.
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Recovering from surgery meant time off.  Time off is a very Good Thing.  In addition to having time to sleep, not wake up to an alarm clock, do the things you want to do, time also allows you to get some things done you might not normally do – like clean up your fiber room, clean out a corner of the room, clean off the top of a cabinet – you know….stuff you don’t Want to do, but would like to Have done. 
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While I can safely say that I did NOT take a picture of my fiber room, Before or After.  I just couldn’t bring myself to document the total chaos that my room Was in.  For those of you that are thinking that you may need to feel my forehead or want to know where the real Leah really is, I offer that the Fiber Room is 75% straightened up-not 100%.  I guess I need to leave some still to do.  Not sure why, I get to a saturation point and have to save some for later.  There were three motivating factors: 
1.  I had to play Twister and do unplanned pirouettes to get across the room

2.  I couldn’t find a pattern that I knew I wanted to make

3.  I am missing one of my sock blockers
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I can now safely walk across the floor without playing Twister or creating a new crazy looking dance move.   I found my pattern, which, by the way, was NOT in The Room.  Alas, I still have not found my Blocker.  Hmmm, where is That thing???
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Another really cool thing that I did in some of my Free Time is I met Susan of Susan’s Spinning Bunny.  You may remember the Hibiscus 50% merino/50% tencel that I recently spun….well, that beauty was dyed by Susan and SmokeyBlue, her spinning bunny.   In talking with Susan, I learned a little about her and am truly inspired by her, not only for fiber reasons, but because of the kind things she does for animals.  SmokeyBlue was a very interesting character and you can learn more about him and how she cared for and loved him a little over two years after he broke his spine.  In addition to SmokeyBlue, Basel is a much loved family member who had two broken legs when she met him.  She nursed him back to health and, in her words, he now levitates in the back seat when they take a ride.  Such selflessness, love and dedication are an inspiration to me.   It also lets me know I am not the only one out there that does what they can to help one in need.  There are so many ways you can help, even if you cannot adopt.  Donating time, supplies, money, or driving on a transport are a few ways to help a little friend in need.
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Enough with the mushy stuff….in addition to Susan’s awesome empathy for animals, she has an amazing eye for color.  I contacted her last week to purchase some of the A-m-a-z-i-n-g new color Butterfly Bush in the merino/tencel blend.  At that time, I read her blog and realized she was making the Antique Lace vest by Ilga Leja that I just purchased and was contemplating what yarn to use.  Susan is making hers from her Hibiscus merino/tencel yarn which is fingering weight.  The pattern calls for a DK weight yarn.  Hmm, I figured why not, it gives me a chance to work with some of her yarn…so I ordered it in the Blueberry color.  The yarn came last week and it really is nice.  In talking with Susan via email, she said she swatched AND washed/blocked her swatch before beginning the project.  I read the pattern and the designer stressed how important it is to knit a swatch and wash and block it.  Harumphfffff!   Mee?  Swatch???   I replied that I usually swatch by knitting the sleeve.  Susan rather smartly replied that I am ahead of the game (remember, it’s a vest, LOL).  So, now, those that know me can come feel my forehead.  I swatched.  Yep, me.  Hmm, I lived to take pictures.
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Pattern and yarn p1010385.JPG

 Swatch p1010394.JPG
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The amazing thing is that I got gauge.  That is, thanks to Susan, since I knew she dropped a needle size and I did the same thing….she saved me from knitting TWO swatches.  Something tells me that there is no way in H-E-double-hockey-sticks that I would’ve knitted two swatches, so it is a Good Thing I got gauge the first go round.  It is very pretty too. 
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Question is, do you think the pattern shows up with the varietgated yarn?  I need some input here.  I also went to Ravelry and looked to see what some other people used for yarn and they are all beautiful.
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Now that  I have that outta the way, I need to go find some stitch markers.  I better find em the first go round because I don’t want to clean that Room anymore tonight!
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(Warning:  Links to seriously beautiful sock patterns coming up.  Nice thing is…they are all free, shared by some amazing designers!)  Before I get to knitting on that vest, I have a pair of socks…almost.  I am halfway down the foot on the Second sock.  Regia Silk….Primavera Sock pattern.  I love it!
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I have been wanting to make some Monkey Socks for some time now and I also have Nutkin on the list “to do.”  So much to knit, so little time. 
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Brr, it is cold out here.  75 degrees one day and 35 or 40 the next.  Go figure!  We are even supposed to get Frost tonight.  Ugh and poor flowers!
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I am going to stare at my yarn room and enjoy all the colors.  G’day!

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Spring has sprung

April 7th, 2008 by Leah

p1010365.JPG Click to make it bigger

Weeping Cherry Tree.  This is the most beautiful tree in the neighborhood when it blooms and it never fails to charm each Spring with it’s graceful bending branches loaded with blooms.
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The Lilac bush is lilacking…p1010377.JPG 
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p1010380.JPG The Forsythia is sything…. p1010379.JPG
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The Tulips are twolipping…p1010372.JPG   p1010370.JPG
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The Iris and Lavender is fraternizing….p1010368.JPG
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And some kinda little purple flowers were peeking….p1010376.JPG
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Spring is such a joy that Nature shares with us!

Well, I can safely say that recovery is not a cheap form of entertainment.  Recovery gives you lots of time to ponder, investigate and and SHOP!  Hmm, I must admit to a little presurgery jitters and I spent a little time (and $$) online.  I keep saying it is cheaper than Crack, but I am not sure about that (big smile).
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So, a few pretty things to show you…
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p1010358.JPG Left to right - Union Center Whatnot Sock yarn Bahama Dreams and Arizona, Posh - Dragonfly
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p1010359.JPG Madelinetosh-Spring 101 (top), Blue Ridge Yarns Kaleidescope-Evening Jewels (bottom)
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p1010362.JPG Shot of the sock I am making from the free Primavera sock pattern I shared a post or two ago (update the sock is finished).  Made from Regia Silk #190   yummm
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I finished a lace sock using lemmony butter yellow Shibui too, but it as the store showing off.  I am on the second Regia silk and almost to the heel.  Yipee!
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While I was off recovering, Murfreesboro Jan and I visited my friend Jan in Clarksville.  We had a dye day and played a little.  I dyed a little and they dyed a lot.  I got tired so sat and watched (and helped by saying “add a little more green there…”   Jan fixed this awesome salad that had an oriental pear in it and a ginger teriyaki dressing.  She fixed cappachino and I actually liked it.  My TV died while I was off and replacing it was a major event replacing the darned thing.  I had a projection TV so it was necessary to learn about a bunch of letters like HD, LCD, Plasma, HDMI, blah blah.  It took from Monday to Thursday to get everything situated.   I missed American Idol, LOL.
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So, today was the semi-end of recovery….I went back to work half-days this week. 
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I think one of the things I enjoyed the most about the recovery was sleeping without waking to the alarm clock.  I so enjoyed spending time with the dogs and I got a LOT of sock knitting done.  Many of my friends called or visited to check on me and I received  a fruit basket and another fruit basket with CHOCOLATE in it (yes!).  I was surprised to find out that everyone was interested in my recovery, but I shouldn’t have been with such good friends.  Mufreesboro Jan gave me a big mug that says “Everything tastes better with Dog Hair in it.”  Too fun!
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I am trying to organize my yarn/fiber room.  Again.  Sigh.  It is never ending.  IF I get it in shape, I will take a picture.  Yeah right.   The big IF….

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Life’s Journey – Choosing a New Direction

March 26th, 2008 by Leah

(There are pictures in this post, just scroll down)
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During the past few weeks, I knew Change was coming and boy has that happened.
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Work Change:   I work for an insurance company and they just reorganized the part of the business that I work for.  The department I worked for was disbanded and the team members were separated and put on new teams with other people.   I have a new boss or maybe two and was told they were glad to have me, but did not know what I would be doing exactly yet.  As I had surgery pending, their instructions were to leave, get better and then come back.  That leads to another change…

Health Change/Life Decisions.   I blogged several months about unfun female things and that I was possibly going to have a hysterectomy…..well that happened this past Monday. The change here is that I no longer have the choice to have children naturally.  That is not such a big deal to me as I never planned on having kids.  Having the choice taken away or that it is an ending of sorts is what saddens me.  I can also choose to look at it as a positive and that new doors are opening. 
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Actually, new doors are opening for work and in my personal life due to this change.  I am excited about the opportunity to do something different and work on a great team where there are several successful people who I can learn a lot from.

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One such positive is a friend that I know from ‘Blogland’ named Robin.  You can find Robin’s blog at For the Love of Fiber.  Robin sent the sweetest Get Well box and it had all kinds of things in there.  Robin has been making bunnies and ducks for Easter and I got my very own bunny.  How cool is that?!!!   Included in the box was one of Robin’s handmade soaps (lavender that includes patchouli and real pieces of lavender).  She has tvery nice little boxes that the soap goes in and the box is labeled to tell you what the soap is.  She even put in a ball of cotton yarn in there so I could do some mindless knitting like a dish cloth.  

 To see the pictures better, click the picture and it will become bigger.
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p1010345.JPG  What do you call a Bunch of Rabbits ?  
Besides CUTE?  p1010347.JPG 
notice the purple ribbon, LOL

Well, I wanted to know what you called a bunch of rabbits. Here is the answer:

Male Rabbits = Bucks; Female Rabbits = Does; Newborn Rabbits = Kits; Young Rabbits are called Bunnies; and most important A Whole Bunch of Rabbits = Herd.  So there you have it. 

So, I have the next two weeks off from work and have spent the majority of the last three days sleeping.  As you may know, I have a firm rule against knitting and drinking.  It takes a lot longer the next day to fix what I messed up.  So, new lesson here is that you cannot take pain meds and knit without the same effect.  I cast on for the same sock three times before getting it right.  So, I flushed those pain meds down the toilet….no more for me.  I will stick to Advil or Motrin.  Plus that, the sooner I get those meds out of my system, the sooner I can drive.  I don’t necessarily Want to drive somewhere, it is knowing I don’t have the choice.
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Also, talking about Purple, I was gifted with some really cool purple Tulips and they still have their bulbs (see, even flowers can have hysterectomies or Not).  Aren’t they pretty?!

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Now for the fun part….fiber!

I have several things that I am working on to share with you.  First off, I scored some really cool gadgets from Yarny Goodness.  The little sock bobbins are used to tie your sock tail on when you are knitting your sock.  You could also just put it on your keychain or on your rear view mirror.  The llama or alpaca (not sure which) is a WPI tool.

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At Haus of Yarn each month we host a Sock Knit Night and it is a LOT of fun.  We have new sock yarns to share and we work on a pattern as a group.  Working on the same pattern is not mandatory, but it is fun to work on the same pattern and see how different each and ever sock turns out.  This month, we will be beginning the Fiber Trends Raindrop Lace socks.  Using US size 2 needles and fingering weight, we will learn to knit (or brush up on your lace skills) socks, how to read a chart for knitting in the round and how to convert a pattern written for DPNS to knit socks on two circs.  Because I am the hostest with the mostest, I knit one sock so everyone can see what the finished sock looks like.  Mind you, I said I knit ONE sock, so the mate is an altogether different matter, LOL.

p1010348.JPG   Rio de la Plata handpainted yarn  p1010349.JPG
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This sock was so much fun, I decided to make another in a different color altogether just to how different they look.  This is the yarn I will be using for a different pair:

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Speaking of patterns and such, there is a shawl I haved wanted to make for a LONG time.  It is the Peacock Feather Shawl and can be found here: 
Fiddlesticks Knitting
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You know how it is, you find the perfect pattern or perfect yarn, but not usually both at the same time.  Well, I broke down and ordered the pattern and now am on the hunt for the perfect Peacock yarn.  I ordered three hanks of yarn just for that purpose.  I cannot tell how close the yarn is on the computer to the color I am searching for, so it was easier to buy the yarn (yea, that was a real hardship, LOL)  and then decided in person which yarn is the winner.  Here are three candidates….which one do you think is the most Peacocky?

To hanks are from Ball and Skein and the other is from Miss Babs

 p1010338.JPG  What is your vote?

On the agility front, I took Gracie and Jake to Harriman, Tennessee for a dog agility event this weekend.  I had it figured out to run all the way up to the last minute, compete and come in screeching sideways into the hospital for my surgery and said “Damn, that was fun” and that is exactly what I did!

p1010332.JPG  We had a great weekend and brought a few toys and ribbons home. 
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I have this remainder of this week and all of next week to recover…which means, eating, sleeping, walking, knitting, etc.  Unfortunately no spinning because I am not allowed to lift more than 10 pounds and my wheel weighs about 14#.  So, I plan on enjoying this new phase.

Ah oh, the UPS man just delivered….some shirts I ordered for work AND, most importantly, a big box from Jen at  Wool Girl.  I will share pics of that later!
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Have a great one!

Leah

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Best Laid Plans

February 29th, 2008 by Leah

I thought I was going to work on the gusset of my sock last night and make some progress.  When I picked all the stitches up and began to work the first round, I realized that I had worked the heel turn in normal fashion.  This means in normal stockinette…NOT in reverse stockinette.  I briefly went forward (about 10 STS) and thought I will have one sock with a Princess foot and one with a normal foot and I can wear them and decide which I like better.  I quickly kiboshed that idea and came to the sad realization that I needed to rip back. 
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Actually, before this little kink, I also discovered that I did not slip 3 STS before the heel flap to make the pattern more centered on top of the foot.   I had already decided that it would not be that big of a deal and I was NOT ripping the heel flap out.  I could not live with the unPrincess-like foot though, soooo I spent the evening ripping the heel turn out, reworking it and picking up the gusset STS again.   I now have my markers in place and a couple of decrease rounds made.

Last night, I found a free pattern that was listed in Threadbear’s weekly newsletter that I HAVE to make.  It is to die for!  It is one of those that when you see it, you immediately start inventorying (sp?) your stash and sorting through what would work and mentally shopping online at the same time!

Go see this beautiful Primavera sock!

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