My day......

My last day of MY THREE DAY WEEKEND - going back to work tomorrow (big pout).

Only you can't tell by the sock held up in my face..... This was my SPT post on my other blog.


I loved this site of her BIG BIG BIG bite!!!!




Rowan was STARVING!!! Must be all that summer activity over the weekend AND her new acquired skills at riding her bike without training wheels.


She is quite proud of herself.... In two days she mastered riding by herself, starting stopping and steering around obstacles....

The rest of the story - go here!


Natalie had Olympics today at school.... and of course there I sat in the 0800 sun wilting.... knitting the sock....


The look from the child.... Mom - please do not let anyone see you knitting in public... for goodness sakes....



Meanwhile here I sit - knitting.....

See the hair - wilted in the sun.... I had no appetite at Break-unch with Rowan (after the meeting at work that she displayed exemplar behavior) so I knitted........

Again - I got the "oh brother mom" from Rowan...... I am obsessed and addicted... and I am loving it!!!!!!

FAST asleep - while I do a row on my new sock......






Fast asleep Rowan fell just as Natalie did (only she fell first) while I was reading the "Sisterhood of the traveling pants."
That is such a CUTE book!!!!!

Now I am on Knitpicks... looking at SOCK yarn!!!! How fabulous!!!!!

Knitting socks in the summer..... is like crocheting.... perfect summer knitting project.......

Summer of Socks Entry #1

I joined up with the Summer of Socks.

So cool!!!! So very cool......

This past weekend marks the beginning of summer AND the beginning of my socks summer tour... (LOL) Not to be too Yarn Harlotish - because I do believe she coined the traveling sock.... I am going to have one of my socks that I am knitting recap my summer activities....

Without further ado.....

Memorial Weekend in recap.....

• The lake was officially openned...

• The backyard was our escape from the heat....

Whether we were playing.....


reading a book.... or drawing....

• I cast on the official "SOCK of summer." to carry around on my escapades.

It's a Interlacement Sock Yarn - and I am using the Jaywalking pattern. Very easy to do... I was kinda shocked.

• We went to the movies....

While waiting for the movie to start I did a few rows (okay TWO)....

• Nat and I got our first pedicure of the summer.....

I was hoping the sock would distract me from the pedicure. I am not a very good pedicure person... I think the people that do it are in fear every time that I will drop kick their head.... My feet do feel good though.....

• I got a bike... well it's on order there wasn't one in the shop (all four of them) so they ordered it. BIG POUT

For the full Memorial Day weekend story go here... and here... and here.... and here!!!!

Off to curl up with Devil in the White City. (Most Awesome book!)

Yeah - you were the one knitting

And the Saga continues.....

Day two of Hazmet/Bioterrorism class with "MANDATORY" final exam.

Me and My sock (or is it the Sock and I?) got up after about oh and hours worth of sleep dreaming of Toxidromes, antidotes, carboxyhemoglobins, methylhemoglobin and cyt a a3's floating around in my blood (or not)... Acth firing or not firing, GABA inhibited or produced in excess.... These truly what my dreams were made of last night.... needless to say I could have used a lil GABA action.

The class seemed more fast paced today - or maybe that was because we focused more on bioterrorism and weapons grade chemical warfare as opposed to the everyday posions we may come in contact with. Perhaps it was the ever looming "MANDATORY" final exam. Maybe it was the fact I had lil sleep and was trying to mainline caffeine all morning.... My fight or flight was flying!!!!

However - the sock, my sock, lil sis sock - was never ignored. I knitted and purled my heart away trying to stay focused on the fast paced lectures. The lil bunny trail on Crystal Meth labs threw me for a loop but I quickly got back on track and picked up that stitch I dropped.

I stopped one rotation before turning the heel.... not on purpose. It was that Mandatory final exam time.

Out goes the test - and down sank my heart. The first ten questions were a cake walk and then something happened. My mind went blank, my heart started throwing pvc's, the brain went flat line and my palms started secreting what might have been perspiration??? (never) Maybe if I could have pulled out my lil sis sock and started knitting everything would have come back to me. I literally felt like my mind was an empty slate. I knew things prior to the test but blanked out in the middle. I drudged through the test convinced I was flunking.... The sock and I slinked out of class after handing in the Mandatory Final and knew - just knew - I was going to be apart of the remedial group.

To make matters worse - I had hitched a ride today with a co-worker. I hated to have to make her wait.

To make matters even worse (as if taking the test wasn't bad enough) it took for ever... FOR EVER to grade my test. Everyone was getting their scores and either leaving (cause they passed) or lingering behind for remedial coaching (don't you just LOVE that word REMEDIAL?) Finally, taking it no longer, ready to frog my lil sis sock for no other reason but out of sheer anxiety (afterall it didn't don't anything wrong... it's just sitting in my bag waiting for me to turn the heel), I went back into the class and inquired about my test.

Okay - here is the bad part. The instructor looked at me and said "no I think Brian has your test out there." Now - I saw the last two tests he had in his hand - and they were FLUNKING scores.... I really started panicing (is that a word?) I must have turned a pasty pale shade of DEATH because her eyes got really big and she immediately started typing on her laptop as she quickly reassured me that "you passed I am sure of it." Then she looked up not at all convincing and said "yeah you passed you are fine." I squeaked (and I mean SQUEAKED) out "are you sure." I think my brain was fighting for all the oxygen it could get at this point because there wasn't alot getting exchanged in my hyperventalating chest.

THIS is where it gets worse.... "Bonnie right - the one that was KNITTING." Okay GABA, GAD, SOMETHING could have kicked in at that point to knock me out...... I am not sure I even answered her - cause the other instructor (a real military, cop, Paramedic bioweapons geek - and I mean that in all respect to him) smiled and said "yeah, the one listening intently and knitting - you passed." Did I mention this was a BIG class.... we never went around and introduced ourselves and I tried to be inconspicous.

Now, I am not embarrassed they saw me knitting. I am not even embarrassed they remember my name because I was knitting. I am not even concerned about either. What would have been REALLY bad (and I do mean REALLY bad) was if I had truly FLUNKED the exam after knitting through all the lectures. That would have made it back to work before I would have made it back to my friends car in the garage.

SCHEW - big sigh of relief.... Fight or flight had left - I was ready to pass out when I learned I had passed. The ride home, dinner, the few moments of lucidity I had prior to passing out on the couch from mere exhaustion - were all a blur. I was so stressed about that test that I literally shut down afterwards.

Maybe I needed some therapeutic knitting..... I was too tired.

Now - lets look at the sock.... someone please please PLEASE tell me how this happened. Same pattern... I have no idea how the first sock (on the Left) is being knitted on the inside out and how the second sock (on the Right) is being knitted with the outside out. I honestly have no clue..... Anyone???????? maybe it was a terrorist act????? Oh I need sleep now.... I have to be up for work by 0600...... No knitting for me......

YARN IDIOT I am

I AM A YARN IDIOT!!!!!!!!

(Yes I know I am suppose to be STUDYING) but I did a lil surfing on my bloglines and came across this!!!)

I LOVE PEOPLE who can look at yarn, know what it is made of, what it will do when washed, what it will do when knitted and HOW TO SUBSTITUTE!!!!!!

I am a complete IDIOT at this...... Now if yarn were a toxic substance.....

I know with time I may pick up a few tidbits here and there... but I think I will find myself a Yarn Idiot for life....

Any ideas???? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller??????

Big Sis Sock and Lil Sis Sock

Amonias, Nitrites, Sulfides and Azides oh mi.........

What does that have to do with knitting? When was the last time you came across these substances in knitting? Do you have to be worried about these with knitting.... Oh heck no..... This has absolutely nothing to do with knitting unless you are a completely obsessed knitting Freak/Geek like me......

While learning about "TOXIC SUBSTANCES" today (which - I must admit - I LOVED the class - and have eight more hours to attend tomorrow) I actually made progress on THE SOCKS!

I am not sure why I didn't think of knitting them both together earlier. In all honesty I think I needed to have the one sock beyond the heel to prove to myself I could do it. By doing two at the same time - I probably would have delayed the heel and built up the anxiety within me.......

I was a lil bummed - I returned too late (and too tired as well) to attend open knit night at "Sister Art Studio." I was really looking forward to spending time with my lil knitter - Nat - and other fellow yarn obsessed women just plain KNITTING.




The story of how I got there is hillarious - and shows you how....

a. I am obsessed with knitting.....

b. How "car-phobic" I am (meaning after 10 years of commuting what a phobia I have at getting behind the wheel and DRIVING!)

I am not sure WHICH comes first though....... or what takes precedence..... I am not sure which would be more socially acceptable to admit to either.....

So - the conference is about 15 Miles from where I live. I could take public transportation (as in the Glorious El) or I could drive. Which did I chose.... (See a and b above if you need a hint).

OKAY - I hopped in a cab, gave the guy the directions, pulled out the knitting and preceded to sit back, relax, and knit furiously. Occasionally the guy would turn around and look at me (Chicago AM traffic bumper to bumper) and ask and occasoinal....

You like I take you to get coffee on the way?

You like I take you to get some breakfast - you hungry?

You like I take you to get some snacks for the day? (somehow, inbetween P1, K1, P3, K1 he finagled out of me that I was going to a conference on 'medical stuff' course it was at the medical school I was going to.....)

Then finally he asked the all important question I KNOW he was wanting to ask as soon as this freak lunatic geek hopped in his cab.... "What are you knitting." Hey bonus points for him - he realized the four lil skewers were knitting needles....... Politely responding "socks and pulling out the sister sock - he chuckled loudly and said "many things happen in cabs - no one has knitting socks yet.... you are my first...." I didn't inquire as to WHAT other things had happened in his cab... I just didn't want to know at the hour of the morning......

I am now up late.... at the unGodly hour of 0200 - studying (ha ha - do I look like I am studying.... I mean sure - the socks are SITTING on my tome that I should be pouring over learning all about toxidromes, toxickinetics and toxicdynamics..... but do I really look like I am studying..... If I had more energy my house would be spotless.... remember in college - finals week.... everything BUT studying was done - then you finally sat down to study... this is how I feel..... and look at those adorable socks.... JUST BEGGING to be worked on...... I WILL RESIST I WILL RESIST - I have eight hours of class tomorrow to knit thru.......) I made progress today - the baby sis sock was only four rows done when I hopped in the unsuspecting cabbies car.....

I walked out to get a pen (studying without a highlighter - man it's been a while hasn't it....) and look at what I found.....
I didn't JUST find her. I knew she was there. She wanted to camp out tonight. She is going through a phase. Last night and the night before she did the same. Tonight we actually just left her there. Perhaps it was the question she posed this morning

"Mom why - when I fall asleep in my 'camp' I set up - I wake up in my bed? How does that happen????"

So tonight she gets her wish.... to stay in her "CAMP!" I had to snap a photo... she looks so darn cute. I remember doing this as a kid. And I also remember waking up wondering HOW in the WORLD did I get to my bed???? Can really mess with a person's mind... I mean look how I turned out..... maybe that is why she is left there tonight... hate to have her turn out like me..... Obsessed about knitting.... learning about toxic substances.... only taking taxis.... up at all hours... Okay - I'll stop obsessing.....

BACK TO STUDYING!!!!!

KNIT IN PUBLIC DAY!!!!!!

I can't wait for this.......

Knit in public day!!!!!

Okay maybe that is a bit dramatic but how fun is that??????

Look at this cool knitting site I found today!!!!!!

Zephyr Style

Gotta go there.... I like the stitch markers and there are a couple of cute patterns there I am interested in...... I might have to break my vow to never making a sweater.... should finish the clapotis first right...........

And the second one begins!!!!!

It has begun.... the second sock.

I am almost to where I need to decrease to finish the toe on my first sock. I stopped and started the second sock so that I could match them up to the point of the toes. (Why I didn't do this earlier I will never know - because it's not like I didn't have the second pair of #3 needles.... hello.)

So here is the lil sock in it's infancy..........

It will be slow going because I have a Bioterroist/hazmat blah blah blah class at the end of this week and several things I need to get done before hand.

see me..... multitasking.... that is me..... knitting, working on the computer AND studying for my class......
I have the class Thurday and Friday - and I am soooooooooooo not looking forward to it..... HOPEFULLY I will be able to knit through it. I am assured that if I attend class and review the notes they give us I will do fine on the exam. EXAM.... the very words WORRY me.....

A BEAUTIFUL DAY

The weather had finally CHANGED to a brighter more personable spring presentation.

It was BEAUTIFUL out!!!!! I was going to take my sock to the park and let the girls play but I ended up playing myself. Tomorrow.... however - tomorrow I may just have pictures to post of me knitting in the park (without my mittens too)!!!!!!!

The Chicago's Meet Up knitters was suppose to have a potluck this weekend at the park... but it got postponed because the weather was suppose to be less than desirable.......

Now I am curled up in bed reading a fascinating book, sipping a wonderful glass of pinot that my hubby got at whole foods earlier this evening. We (as in the girls and I) took the hubby out for his Birthday Dinner. I must say - I am NOT a meat eater. Give me fish, give me veggies, give me TOFU!!!! but meat... eh no. I took him to this GREAT Steak place by our house. AWESOME steak so they say. I really can't. I can vividly tell you about my first, second and subsequent awesome shrimp, crab, lobster and other fine seafood meals.... but I can not tell you anything about this steak it just was. He - though - enjoyed himself. I am now nursing a stomach that is not sure what to do with this hunk of meat in it's belly..... the wine is kinda mellowing me out..... but I am afraid it will be a night of tossing an turning..... I wish I was turning some needles... but I learned early on no drinking and knitting.... and this book has me FASCINATED.....

Tomorrow I hope to have some pictures of the wonderful knitting I was able to do. How's that for optimistic?????

Latest knitting feats

My latest knitting escapades. I was in a Bio Terroism class yesterday and actually got some knitting done during the class lectures. I was very excited and for once I was very focused through-out the lectures.


Here is my sock... my lovely sock....

I TURNED the heel!!!!!! I was so excited when I had the right number of stitches at the end and it actually RESEMBLED a sock's heel.


I am learning to do cables. This is the belt pattern from Stitch and Bitch Nation - but it's not working up like the one in the book. Has anyone else done this pattern?
This yarn is a oopse yarn. I bought it because the lady at the store said it would look good with the other yarn that I bought for a shrug. I then didn't like it. I was going to give it away at a yarn swap (which I totally forgot about and didn't go) so there it sat in my yarn basket. I decided to pull it out when my cable class pulled out this pattern for the belt.
Okay back to work.... I need more time to work!!!!!

HAPPY MOTHER's DAY

Happy MoThEr's day to all you mom's!!!!!

I returned home from work this morning at 0330 to find THIS hanging in my dining room!!!!!

My hubby made these for me!!!!!!!!!! Can you believe it!!!! He took up a new hobby without telling me!!!!!


He made big ones and small ones..... I don't know what he was thinking hanging my good knitting needles up like that.... but I am willing to over look that. It was my mother's day gift....

For the complete story go here......

Happy knitting moms!!!!!!

The Sock - so addicting!!!!!!

THE SOCK!!!!!!!! So addicting!!!!!!


First of all - who knew that sock knitting could be so flippin addicting? I got this wonderful Cascade brand yarn at Sister Art Studio - a ball for Nat a Ball for Rowan and two for me. I had to start - the colors were so rich. Yes I still have my other sock that I frogged and put on to smaller size needles - but these colors are MINE!!!!!


I know these photos are a lil blurry - but I love this pattern too. At first I was a lil scared trying something other than ribbing on my first sock (I will finish it first I am sure - love this yarn).

It's from the SOCK book!



AWESOME book!

It is kind of like the Clapotis - once you get into the pattern you just start to FLY along!!!!!! I hope to turn the heel by the end of the weekend!

YOOHOO!!!!!

My knitting time has been downsized by my need to scrap and get some gifts and CARDS done!!!!! I am so behind and all I really want to do is knit because of the nice cold wet snuggly weather!!!!!

Knitters -v- Scrapbookers

While I was away this weekend the UPS man cameth with this great yarn!!!!!!




I can't WAIT to make something with it (like socks). It came from Interlacement yarns!

I LOVE their yarn!

I found something out this weekend that was very interesting. I went to a Scrapbooking Expo and got ALOT of scrapbooking done. Which was a good thing - because I have not in the Scrapbooking mojo for the past month or so. (I have been obsessed with knitting)
I sat there inbetween classes and on downtime knitting. I took my lil commuter bag with me and hooked it to my lime green (of course) bag. So here I am knitting and people are giving me the strangest looks. One lady finally approached me and asked a tad bit timid like (as if I was going to attack her with my knitting needles) "um, you realize this is a scrapbooking conference?" Well duh, slap me up side the head, and roll me over...... is that why I had tons of adhesive, pretty patterned paper sitcking out of my bag, ink all over my hands and a bag overflowing with mini albums?

I thought it might have just been me, but my daughter pulled out her knitting in the back of a class and someone asked her if she knew that it was a scrapbooking expo. (well, duh, I know the blonde roots run deep - but she is sitting in a class where we were making a mini album).



So - she put the knitting away, pulled out her drawing pad and pens and proceded to make up fashionable outfits.

I know that there is a rift between crochet and Knitting - but scrapbooking?

Who would have thunk?

Now, do I dare pull out a mini album when I am at Stitches Midwest?

Look what came in the mail today!!!!!

Look what came in the mail today!!!!!!




I am so excited - Fiber swatches from Web Yarn Store! This is the BOMB! (boy am I dating myself.)

The day started out crappy. I woke up with severe abdominal pain, sick to my stomach and ick. I had to cancel my knitting class this AM. (That is so not like me). I then had to drag my sorry buttee into work because I just can't bring myself to calling in. I get sick just thinking of the prospect of calling in. (LOL) So after twleve hours of work the first 6 feeling like ICK and the last 6 so hopped up on caffeine and increased abdominal pain - I return home to yarn swatches AND.... this.....



I so can not wait to read through this! I briefly looked through this and was in awe!!!!! My knitting addiction has further ben fed and enabled!!!!! Behind this rather southern looking cover is a beautiful book full of intriguing knitting designs!!!!! I am in heaven!!!!

Okay - I have to go pack so that I can go to The Scrapbook Expo tomorrow with my fam!

The FELTED bags!!!!!

HERE THEY ARE!!!!!!

Well two of my felted bags. The third is in the process! I wanted to felt these and see how they turned out before I finished and felted the third.


They are both made out of Cascade 220 but different colors and they both felted differently. The orange felted harder than the brown purse.



The brown purse is mine and the orange is Nat's. Rowan is getting a striped bag full of outrageous neon colors. Again - I wanted to see these felted and I am glad I did. I can make the strips a lil thicker on Rowan's now.

I thought the ICords were going to be BORING to knit but they went quick. The swatches to make the flowers on the brown bag - were BORING - so very BORING!!!!!

Nat is getting a big ole button on her bag.....

These were fun - can't wait to make more.

Tomorrow's knitting class we are learning to make CABLES! I am off to do my homework for the class - starting a swatch as a base! BORING!!! LOL!!!

Frogged Socks!!!!

WARNING!!!! This post is both sad and funny......


Enter at your own risk!!!!! Those of you that knit will understand!



So as you know I have attempted to knit socks. Stupid me - what was I thinking right? Well - no actually they are quite therapuetic (did I spell that right) to the ADHD in me.....


This is how far I have actually gotten!!! the corners were tight, the colors were starting to develop in the sock... all was well. I was even balancing the DPN in my sleep.... (okay not my sleep but while double tasking....)




Here are my socks now..... (or shall I say SOCK). Yup I had to frog it..... I dropped a stitch... attempted to pick it back up and the whole row unraveled.... then another... then another - till I impatiently ripped the whole thing out.....

NEVER FEAR - the sock will return..... I have started a new on (with the same yarn) on smaller DPN's..... It actually looks neater.... so the dropped stitch - was a Godsend actually!!!!!!

Tomorrow - my finally felted bags. I felted them in the wash.... NERVOUSLY before leaving or work. They are currently at home drying......

Nervous at work till I can see them!!!!