Just In Time For Spring

Finally a finished object. This sweater was finished a little while ago and has had frequent wearing already. I love the warm cosy feel of this knit and it keeps the chill off in those early spring days of Minnesota.
I used about 11 skeins of Lambs Pride Bulky yarn in Silver Grey. The pattern is from Rebecca Magazine number 30 I believe. Easy pattern to memorize and great result. I think I would plan more button holes for another one as there is one button at the throat of the sweater. It would be nice to be able to close it up a little more but all in all it is a great sweater.

The parting shot:)

Since we finally have nice weather, Saturday night we played a game of Bocce ball in the yard.

Watched the chickens in their new run.

Played with the poor neglected cat.

Admired spring.

And raked weeds out of the new raised bed gardens.

I love Spring.

Works in Progress

Starting off with the knitting, this is my seamless sweater which has fairly flown off the needles. I am at the exciting sleeve and color work part but have not had any free time to sit and knit on it lately:(
You will see my Mother's day present on top of the sweater, it is a new Blackberry Storm. Very cool and unexpected. I am in love with all the gadgets, plus now I can post to the blog even if I'm not home! This work in progress is the bunnies we got at the local Chicken Swap. A Chicken Swap is like a flea market with animals. We now have one Holland Lop which is the black and white bunny, Oreo. The other is a Jersey Woolly which is the grey fluffy one Miss M named her Fluffy, of course.KD is very proud of the bunnies and has been pretty good about checking on them along with Miss M. I made the cage last week while B was out of town for work. It isn't the prettiest thing but it does the job.

I also dyed yarn like a mad woman last week and have a load going to Yarn Harbor as well as a bunch to snap photos of and post on Etsy.

The ones above go in the shop, the ones below are going to YH.
Last but not least my 3 most important WIP, KD, Miss M and Noley.

So sorry for disappearing on you all. We had a busy week last week and it ended yesterday with Miss M's 7th Birthday. I can't believe I am old enough to have a 7 year old child but she doesn't lie and she definitely knows how old she is. I am very proud her in every way and think she is the most beautiful child anyone could have. But I am her mother and that goes without saying. She is smart, sweet, sensitive, moody, loving, quick tempered (um I think that comes from me) and growing too fast for her momma. I am blessed in so many ways but this child has always challenged and taught me so much. I love you sweetie I hope your birthday was a good one.

I won't bore you with all the craziness around here with work stuff and trips out of town but want to tell you about knitting progress and plans for good crafty things to come.

Today is clean house day along with dye yarn day. I am woefully behind on an order for Yarn Harbor and must work on that today, also the Etsy shop has been neglected lately. I need to play with colors and come up with some new colorways. I am bringing back the DK weight Peace Fleece because I feel the Worsted is sometimes a bit bulky for some projects. So I should get some of that dyed as well. This means I better get off here and get working.

Noley is coughing up a storm today and has a slight fever so I will juggle keeping him in the house and occupied with all that. Plus the drapes have had no work done lately since I packed it all away for a Pampered Chef party the other week and haven't pulled it out again. So my week off of work sounds like it has its work cut out for it already. Off to get it all done!

Work Mascot

I was checking rooms at work last night and found this little one patiently waiting for her babe to show. Sitting alone on the bed she was knitting a hand dyed hat for her baby to be. Funny that she didn't call out or let us know she was there.




In all seriousness this was made as a joke to hang out at the nurses' station with us. I have a request from one of our residents for her own office mascot.
Pattern: Womb from Knitty
Yarn: Lamb's Pride Bulky, pink
about 0.25 of a skein used.

I love this!

I have been making a sweater for myself also but it isn't too exciting to look at. Here's a preview.






Have a good rest of the weekend mine has been busy with work and a birthday party at the movies.

Spring has(Finally) Sprung

This little knit is for a baby of a coworker. Spring is definitely the time for new babies! We have bee fairly bursting with mom's and new babes at work. I had to nicely tell some mom's to clear out of their rooms as soon as possible the other day because we were out of labor rooms! I think the hat probably has too much pink for a boy hat though, that was the original intention. Oh well! I'll gift it to one of the other girls expecting at work and find some other yarn for the boy.

The family went for a hike in the local state park last Saturday while I was at work. It looks like fun and finally no snow!!

My living room looks like this right now, I have been sewing drapes for the basement and breakfast nook but it is turning into a bigger job than I bargained for. Hopefully I can get it done this weekend.

Of course I had to throw in a picture of the kids with the eggs they dyed. KD didn't want to be in this pic but Noley and Miss M were more than happy to oblige me.



I'll leave you with the kiddo's notes for E.B.

Enjoy!

The perils of living in Minnesota

Yesterday there was almost no snow on the ground. Today... We are supposed to get around 10 inches today and tonight.

The birds are swarming to the feeder, I think this is a pine grossbeak.

This is one of the smaller woodpeckers, Downey? I'm too lazy to go look it up.

At least my Silver sweater is blocking Finally!!

Stay warm and cozy out there!

Introducing Ike

This is Ike, my youngest child's' lovey. He came from a clearance sale at a local department store. When I got him I thought he would be a cute toy for all my kids, so we have 3 Ike's. Noley has bonded to this toy doggie to the point that Ike now goes on the potty first, sleeps with him every night and jumps on top of Noley daily while he tells me in a tolerant voice, "Mom! Ike's jumping me again!".


Ike made the long trip to Florida with us and saw all the wonders of Disney World with Noley.
He waited in the car some days and rode in the backpack others. Noley is in love with this puppy to the point that I have started to almost think of the puppy as real. Maybe I need to knit him a sweater to stay warm:)
The best part of this funny little love affair Noley has with his Ike is watching him use his imagination daily. He talks to the puppy, uses him to try to get out of stuff, plays kitchen, cars and many other games. The day he grows out of this puppy will be a sad one for me. Luckily I have a few more years to watch my Noley grow up. He is a sweet funny little guy who likes to make you laugh. Thank you Ike for showing me more of Noley's personality than I would have known you could.