News From The Nest

I'm Gaining On It!

I think I'm going to have to have this shawl blessed when I finish it.  It's so full of 4-letter words!  This has been painful challenging but I keep telling myself it's worth it.  I AM gaining on it!

Using the magnets as I posted in the PSA post, makes a wonderful difference.  This has just been a very challenging design.  There are some places where you can check yourself by the way the stitches line up in previous rows.  At other times, there are no such places.  Sometimes, I start looking at it and doubt myself and then tink out.  Then, I decide there's nothing wrong and knit the stitches back in. 

This has been a very difficult color to photograph.  It's so subtle with its shades of pink/lavender, cream, yellow, and green.  The yarn is Lorna's Laces - Helen's Lace in the Yellowstone colorway and is 50% Wool and 50% Silk.  It's light as a feather. 

I took the shawl outside this morning - it's very gray and overcast here today.  I hung it over one of the huge boxwood bushes that line the back sidewalk.  These bushes are simply great for holding my knitty stuff for pictures!!  That is, as long as the stuff isn't too heavy that it falls down into the bush.  I think these are the best photos I've taken of the shawl in that it shows the design and captured the color.  I still think the color appears a bit paler in the pictures than in real life.  I switched the cables on my Knit Picks Harmony needles last night to the longer one so I'm now able to stretch the shawl all the way out to its full width with no danger of the stitches falling off the ends of the needles - at least not yet. 

I started on Clue 4 last night and hope to get a major part of it done this weekend.  Then, it will be on to Clue 5 and the finish line!!!!  Just in time to start the Spring Shawl Surprise with BEADS!  Lord, help me!

Have you received your Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival catalog???  Are you going?????  I have never taken a class there and have only attended during the weekend before.  This year, I have taken three days vacation and plan on staying with Jane in Edgewater, MD.  My friend Sally is planning on joining us, also.  I can hardly wait!!!!  If you've never been -- it is a MUST go!  Huge, fibery, hundreds and hundreds of vendors, and tons of stuff going on all day every day.  There is free admission but it's not so free to exit!!! 

The festival is always held the first full weekend in May - this year May 3rd and 4th.  The show is open Saturday and Sunday but they offer one-day and three-day classes starting on Wednesday.  They also offer classes during the weekend.  I mailed my registration off this morning for the 3-day comprehensive spinning class with Judith MacKenzie McCuin this morning.  There's a class size limit of 15 and they choose by a lottery system from the hundreds (I'm sure) of applications they receive.  I hope I get in.  I'm ready to take a comprehensive spinning class and I hear Judith is fantastic.  I have her book, Teach Yourself Visually Handspinning, and need to sit down and spend more time with it.

Varmint Report - George continues to be quite the hunter!  He daily catches voles (YEAH, George!) with an occasional mole.  We won't talk about the birds - although he prefers voles (YEAH, George!).  The other night, I peeped through the window by the backdoor to check on the kitties before I went to bed.  There was George - right at the window in the kitty bed.  I could tell he was patting something but couldn't see what it was.  I didn't want to open the door - it was late, all three kitties would have raced inside, I would have had to haul out the treats to get them back outside, etc. 

Well, the next morning ---- there was George's playmate --- coiled up in the kitty bed --- dead --- thank goodness.  It was a snake!  A little bitty snake but little bitty snakes grow up to be BIG snakes so oooooooooh.  This one was probably a harmless snake (brown with a pink belly) but, to me, as I pull weeds in the garden and work around the stacks of terra cotta pots stacked up along the side of my studio, etc., no snake is a good snake.  My system doesn't know the difference.  When I see one, every hair on my body stands on end with goosebumps all up and down my arms.  My heart skips a beat and then proceeds like the percussion section at a Blue Man Group concert.  The extension agent once told us to check the shape of the snake's eyes.  Excuse me, you can check its eyes --- I'll be long gone!

Everytime I see a snake, I have a flashback to the summer a couple of years ago.  I had just finished doing some repotting at the porch of my studio when all of a sudden, there was a large and bumpy copperhead snake within feet of me.  Where had he come from??????  Had he been curled up in the very pots I had been using??????  Anyway, to make a long story short --- Andy killed it and the snake contained five eggs.  The thought that there would have soon been not just one copperhead snake, but SIX copperheads around my shop, still gives me the heebie-geebies. 

Leaving you with a sight of Spring and wishes for a wonderfully fibery snakefree weekend!

Public Service Announcement

This is a Public Service Announcement re: Lace Knitting! 

As most of you are aware, I'm currently knitting the Mystery Shawl 7 from Renee at Goddess Knits.  This is the third shawl of hers I've done.  Her designs are just beautiful!  Each one has cost $5.00 and has been divided into 5 clues.  Each clue is uploaded to the Yahoo site on five consecutive Saturdays. 

In my opinion, MS 7 is the most difficult one I've worked on so far.  It's not the stitches involved -- it's that there are no pattern repeats so no good place to place stitch markers.  I'm finding it hard to keep track of where I am along the row.  I'm on Row 116 now and have over 200 stitches on the needles -- in laceweight.

I use the magnet board from Knit Picks to hold my chart.  Usually, I use the long magnet under the row  of the chart I'm working on.  But, last night after losing my place again and again, I started fiddling with the magnets.  This is what I came up with.   

I place the longest magnets horizontally above the row I'm working on.  Then, I take one of the short magnets and place it vertically on the board.  I move this short magnet from right to left as I knit across the row.  For example, I do just a few stitches and then slide the magnet over - do a few more and slide the magnet.  This is making it MUCH easier to keep track of where I am and where I'm going. 

I have had another web site for my rug hooking business for years.  A couple of years ago, I decided due to time constraints, something had to go.  I made the tough decision to stop the rug hooking retail business.  I had a huge web site and a 20-page catalog full of books, accessories, and supplies for sale.  I've now sold most of the rug hooking inventory and am trying to turn the studio into a place where I can easily access my hobbies and invite people in to sit and knit or just visit.  My studio is a two-story building at the back of our property with a kitchen where I used to dye wool but now make soap.  I envision a cozy sitting area downstairs while upstairs there's a table and chairs perfect for a group class. 

The problem -- my web site was sooo out of date and I wasn't able to fix it -- don't know computer language -- really wish I did.  I called the webmaster at our online service and sent her new info.  We kept the Magic Carpet Gallery of the beautiful hooked rugs for everyone to enjoy but updated all the rest of the content to reflect my current interests. 

Another problem -- I'd kind of like to sell my soap and lotion but once again, I don't know computer language and can't update my web site.  I'm thinking about adding a shop page to this blog.  That way, I can update it - add new items - adjust quantities, etc. on a daily basis if needed.   This also means I'd have to learn how to do PayPal.  Groan!  I need another ME!!!!! 

Check out The Robin's Nest web site and let me know what you think.   

Don't Knit Lace At Starbucks

Andy was off from work today and made this.  It's a stand for his anvil.  The fellow at Blacksmiths Depot in Candler, NC gave Andy the plans for this stand when he bought his anvil.  The stand consists of layers of wood bolted together.  He'll use silicone caulk around the base of the anvil which will deaden the ring.    

After work, I headed west to Danville for knit night.  As I approached, I wondered if they were being beamed up!  The sky was one of the weirdest, if not THE wierdest, skies I've ever seen.  Behind me, to the east, was bright clear sky and ahead of me to west was this.  When I arrived at Starbucks, I told the group I was glad to see them all there -- that I had wondered given the look of the sky.  They said they had snow flurries twice during the day.   

Brenda brought the wine cosy I told you about so I could take a picture.  The pattern for it is included in the same leaflet (Plymouth Design Studio #P537 - Galway Worsted Felted Bottle Cosy & Bowls) as the pattern for my little bowls.  If I remember correctly, she used Cascade wool to knit it.  It really felted well.  I love the felted edge the I-cord bind off makes - rounded and firm.  A nice sturdy edge.  Very finished looking.  I think I need to take a break from those small bowls and make one of these!  Definitely CUTE!   

After fourteen bunnies, it was back to lace shawl knitting for me tonight.  I worked across the purl row and then got halfway across the pattern row and was 5 stitches short.  5 stitches!  How in the world did that happen???  I counted and recounted and counted again!  The design looks fine but the count is not working out.  Now that I'm home and as soon as I finish this post, I am going to lay everything out and try again.  So, no more knitting lace at Starbucks!  With over 200 stitches on the needle, it's just toooooo painful!

Hoppy Easter Weekend!

Saturday, I finished knitting Bunnies #11 and #12.  These went to Kathryn and Grace - the girls who feed and take care of my kitties when/if I go on vacation.   It was a pretty Spring day here today.  Blue sky, cool temp, and sunshine.  They were tickled with them and added them to their already decorated Easter table.  The bunnies were right at home!

I dyed eggs last night.  I love dyeing eggs and just do them plain in bright bold colors.  No stickers or wax resist - just plain bold bright colors.  This morning, however, I had to un-dye them.  I broke one open and they were not quite done - more poached then hard boiled.  I cooked them forever while I worked on bunnies but it must not have been long enough.  Now, the eggs are done but boring - no bright bold colors.  Bummer!

Today, Brian came from Richmond and we headed for Danville for Easter lunch with Mom and Dad.  Mom always adds that festive touch with holiday decorations - no matter what the occasion.  She LOVES her flowers!!!  There were jonquils, pansies, and camellias everywhere.  So pretty!

Lily was awfully glad to see Brian!  Of course, Lily is happy to see anyone!!  Spoiled rotten and never meets a stranger. Here is a picture of her sitting up.  She does this if you look at her hard!  She also dances on her hind legs and twirls in circles in both directions.  A sweet pup!

Lunch was yummy!  Ham, broccoli-cheese-rice casserole, cor n pudding, sweet potato pudding, deviled  eggs, olives, cranberry sauce, and rolls.  For dessert -- three-layer coconut cake decorated with Jelly Beans and vanilla ice cream!

I spent my time there trying to order wedding pictures for Mom and Dad online from Brian and Eryn's October 2007 wedding.  The site was HORRIBLE!  Definitely not efficient.  I finally got the order to "stick" and it was time to go home so Brian could get on the road back to Richmond. 

Before we left, I had to snap a picture of Brian with Mom and Daddy.  It was great having him home - even if only for the afternoon.

Once back at the house, we packed Brian's car with a couple of wedding presents and other stuff. 

I had good intentions of taking the preemie caps collected at the January KNITTIN' at the LAKE 2008 to VA Baptist Hospital in Lynchburg, VA.  I just never made it there.  Since January, knitters from the Danville group have added more caps and Kathryn (10 years old) has also added a couple more.  Today, Brian said that Eryn is changing units at work.  She has gone back to school and is switching to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at MCV (Medical College of VA) where they will work with her schedule better.  I called Eryn and offered her the hats.  She said to send them with Brian and she will take them to work.  So, I sent her 55 caps and 4 caps and bootie sets for the (NICU neonatal intensive care unit) at MCV. 

I gave him the Easter box (yes, box - couldn't find a basket) loaded with goodies for him and Eryn.  I couldn't for the life of me find a basket that I liked so I had Andy bring a box home from work.  I cut the sides to make them lower and then cut them in a picket fence fashion.  Then, I stuffed it full!  Fishing lures and other goodies for Brian and highlighters, Post-Its, and other school stuff for Eryn.  Then, supervising the whole shebang was Bunny #13.

As I was catching up on blog reading tonight, I ran across two contests you all might be interested in.  I love clicking on links while reading blogs.  I always find blogs that I've never seen before.  These two were new to me. 

The first contest is on If Ponies Could Knit.  She's giving away a hank of Malabrigo Worsted weight in Vermillion.  It's a beautiful shade of red!  Go, leave a comment on her blog and you'll be entered.  Please let her know that you heard about her contest here.

In the second contest, Happy Handwork is giving away TWO hanks of Malabrigo worsted weight in Velvet Grapes colorway (yuuummmm!) and other Spring goodies.  All you have to do is leave her a comment telling what your favorite Spring flower is.  Again, be sure you tell her that you heard about her contest here!!

Just gotta share a couple more sites.  I LOVE Peeps!  I come by this naturally as my father loves them, too.  I was watching CBS Sunday Morning Show and they had a feature on Peeps.  Check out these sites - Peeps Show (please DON'T leave off the "s" on Peeps!), the official Peeps site, The Washington Post's Peeps Diorama Contest 2007 , The Washington Post's peeps Diorama Contest 2008 , another site, and yet another site.  Have fun and enjoy da Peeps!

Nuttin' But Bunnies Here!

I'm knitting my 12th bunny!!  In the picture on the left is bunny body #11 and bunny body #12 still on the needles.  You can't tell by this picture, but the bunny body on the right is just a HARE off-white!  It's the same yarn - Yarn Bee's Cameo - that I used for the white ones but in Ivory Jade colorway. 

I did try two other yarns - Yarn Bee's Pitter Patter in Angel Solid and Red Heart's TLC Amore in white - but I didn't like them near as much.  They gave texture but no fuzz and I really like the fuzz. 

If you leave out the stuffing in the head, the ribbon around the neck, and, of course, the Cadbury Egg, these make the cutest finger puppets!! 

Here are Bunnies #4 through #10.  If you look closely (from left to right), you can see that Bunnies #1 and #4 are the ones from the different yarns.  Bunny #2 from the left is knit from the yarn from the Cameo - Ivory Jade colorway.  See it is just a HARE off-white!!!

The bunnies in the line-up you see here are traveling via priority mail to Richmond this weekend.  I made one for each staff member at my branch office.  Mom and Taylor's girlfriend each received one last weekend and there's one traveling to an undisclosed location (don't want to spoil the surprise!).  The bunnies in the making in the photo above are for the two little girls who feed my kitty cats when I'm out of town.    

Gosh, I hope this is the last "impossible to resist" pattern for a bit.  These are just so cute, I think EVERYONE must have one. 

You know, without the ears these are looking a lot like snowmen to me............................

Monday Night Knitting

Well, we continue to have a consistent group at Starbucks for Monday night knitting (used generically to include crochet!).  There were 12 of us!!   It's really become a "drop everything, it's knit night" event for us regulars. 

Here are Laura, Wendy, and Brenda.   Laura was working on this LOUD sock with the cool heel.  Wendy was knitting on her sweater and Brenda was working on something new.  I didn't get pictures of the two felted bags she had finished.  They were soo cute!  Also, she knit and felted the wine cosy from the bowl pattern I've been using.  It turned out very nicely.  I'm going to see if she will bring it again next week so I can get a picture for you.

Next, we have Alison and Timmie.  Alison shows off her lacy mitt.  Alison is the youngest member of our little group and has also learned to spin.  She made a neck warmer with her first handspun and it turned out really well.  Timmie is working on a sock.  She is a new spinster, too, and is hooked!  She has a Lendrum and has just gotten the plying flyer so she's really excited.

Here are Diane, Kelly, and Deb.  Diane was working on a sock, Kelly on a shrug, and Deb on a crochet shell. 

It's been such fun to see everyone's projects.  Kelly wore her knitted skirt last week and I had forgotten my camera!  Hope she wears it again so I can get a photo.

Vickie and her daughter, Lauren, joined us.  Vickie is moving along on her cardigan sweater.  She was just about done with this sleeve.  What a detailed design! 

Last time they were with us, Lauren was working on this fabulous sweater from Vogue Knitting.  She was wearing it tonight and it was gorgeous!  What a pretty sweater on a beautiful girl!

What did I work on???  Bunnies!  I had two bunny bodies to show for my time.  I'm knitting more tonight.  I have a long list of people I want to give them to and they're not multiplying fast enough.  They're going to be Spring bunnies and not Easter bunnies.   

Christmas Dinner In March

Yes, we had Christmas dinner yesterday.  My father's brother, his wife, their son, his wife and two little boys came up from Taylorsville, NC.  It has taken almost three months for us to find a weekend that suited everyone. 

It was so good to see Taylor, Rachael, and Gracie pup yesterday!  Gracie hasn't grown any longer but I do think she's a tiny bit higher off the ground.  She's still VERY attached to Taylor.  If he goes out of her sight, she runs to find him.  If she can't get to him, she cries and cries.  She is such a sweetie. 

I wish Brian could have joined us - he hasn't met Rachael yet.  Also, I love having both boys here at the same time - they enjoy each other so much and are so funny together.  Brian had to judge a science fair in Richmond but he plans to come home next Sunday for Easter lunch.  Yes, we're fast forwarding to Easter dinner next Sunday. 

The 19th is Taylor's birthday and Mom made her chocolate sheet cake for him.  He passed on the cake and ice cream but did have a third or was it fifth or sixth?? serving of rice.  She stuck a candle in it and he made his birthday wish!  Both boys LOVE this rice ---- rice, a can of beef consumme, and a stick of butter.  Do you feel your arteries constricting??? 

Hershey's Syrup Cake (this is THE best chocolate sheet cake I've ever tasted -- even better when you double the frosting!!!!)

1/2 c. Margarine, 1 c. sugar, 4 eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 c. all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, pinch of salt, 1 (16-oz.) can Hershey's syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour an oblong (sheet cake) pan.  Set aside.  In small mixing bowl, cream margarine and sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Add vanilla.  Combine flour, baking powder and salt and add to mixture, alternating with the chocolate syrup.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Prepare frosting.

Frosting:   1/2 c. margarine, 1 c. sugar, 1/2 (5 oz.) can evaporated milk, 1/2 chocolate bits

Melt margarine.  Add sugar and milk.  Boil about 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add chocolate bits and stir until melted.  Beat until the frosting is spreading consistency.

I've been knitting up a storm on the Mystery Shawl 7.  I'm almost halfway through Clue 3 and Clue 5 came out today.  I need to hurry!!!  It's so pale in color that it's hard to get a good picture.  I need to photograph it on top of something dark in color -- would probably show up better. 

Have a Funday Monday, everyone!

Bunny Found A Friend

Well, the little bunny now has a friend!  I knit a chick from the chick pattern.  Only thing -- my chick looks a whole like a duck.  What do you think??  Doesn't matter - I like little baby ducks  and they're Eastery, too.  Right??

The little "chick" is cute but I like the bunny better. 

The Cadbury egg fits sideways in the "chick" and vertically in the bunny.

I love holidays!  I really enjoy fixing stuff for holidays.  For example, the boys are no longer at home but I still dye eggs at Easter.  I enjoy the "happy" that special holiday items add to ordinary days. 

Did I mention that we are having Christmas dinner in Danville today?  My father has one sibling - a brother.  My uncle and his wife, their son and his wife and two little boys are coming up from Taylorsville, NC.  Why Christmas dinner in March??  We've had a hard time finding a weekend that suits everyone.  Taylor, his girlfriend, Rachael, and Gracie pup will be there from Charlotte, too.  Andy begged off in favor of a blacksmith meeting.

I fixed the Easter basket to the right for Taylor and Rachael. It contains good stuff!  M&M's, Reese's Pieces, Pepperidge Farm Goldfish, Jelly Beans, two Rice Krispie bars covered in chocolate, Lindor Truffles, Starburst, and a bottle of Bourbon Q (Roasted Garlic & Chipotle Kentucky Bourbon Barbecue Sauce) for Chef Taylor.  I added the little bunny and "chick" specially for Rachael.  I think she'll like them. 

Next weekend, we'll zip ahead and have Easter lunch.  Brian will be here from Richmond.  I'll get to fix another Easter basket for him and Eryn. 

I bet Taylor will also be looking for his birthday goodies today.  He will be 24 years old on the 19th of March.  I don't know where the years have gone!  He was 4 years old when we adopted the boys from South Korea.  That was TWENTY years ago!  GEEZ!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!!  I may post again today -- hopefully, I'll get some good photos of Taylor, Rachael, and Gracie pup.

Here Comes Peter Cottontail

Well, I mentioned in a previous post that the little felted bowls are worse than rabbits - they are multiplying in number.  Well, the bowls and the rabbits may be neck and neck.  I may soon have a rabbit for every bowl!

These are quick to make and just too tooooo cute! 

Tuesday, I went to Hobby Lobby in Danville and picked up all the fixin's for the bunnies -- Cameo yarn by Yarn Bee in Quartz Crystal colorway, tiny pink pom-poms for their noses, wiggly eyes, and white pom-poms for their tails.  I first picked up a skein of regular white worsted weight yarn but then spotted the fuzzy Cameo yarn.  I figured my bunnies would be Angora Easter bunnies so bought the fuzzy yarn.  It's perfect and sooo soft.

And, since the bunnies are slipped over a Cadbury Egg, I had to pick up several boxes of those.

Click HERE to go to the pattern for the bunnies.  The pattern also includes little chicks that also slip over a Cadbury Egg.  I bought Luscious (also fuzzy) in Lemondrop colorway to make those but can't stop making the bunnies to make a chick.  Maybe this weekend.  HERE is the link to the chick pattern.

Wednesday, I traveled through Hillsborough, NC and had just enough time between appointments to stop in at Hillsborough Yarn Shop.  It was nice to see Anne again.  She's been open just over a year and she said business is good.  How wonderful to see a knitting shop doing well these days.  She offers classes and is even open on Sunday afternoons for knitters to gather to shop or just sit and knit.  Plus, what a wonderful town Hillsborough is to visit! 

Being founded in 1754, Hillsborough (another link) is loaded with cool stuff to see.  Old homes, churches, cemetery, etc.  The main street (Churton Street) is lined with wonderful shops - Matthew's Chocolates (cute video on this blog), Hillsborough Wine Co. (free wine tastings on Saturday afternoons), Fetch, etc. and restaurants - Tupelo's, Bandido's, The Flying Fish, The Wooden Nickel etc.  I could have spent the whole day along the main street.  I want to plan a Saturday soon to go back and do just that!

Now, go get yourself some bunny fixin's!

Spring Has Sprung

Spring

Has

Sprung!

To all of you ---

Happy Springtime!

From Robin!