The reason for the name change

Here is the blanket that I showed everyone last week. The day after this post I decided that the blanket wasn't really going the way that I wanted it to. The ivory colored parts were raised, a little like a bubble. Besides that, the back was an absolute mess. So I ripped it out, as I have a tendency to do (several times) before I actually settle on a project. So, back to the drawing board on this one.

Then, I saw a mitered square blanket over at januaryone and I decided that maybe this would be a good idea. So, I made the squares a little smaller, and started with the Peaches and Cream Yarn that I had bought for the first blanket. Soon, I figured out that a blanket that was all ivory and white squares would not be nearly as exciting as it could be if I added pink to it. So, off to the local store to pick up some more cotton yarn in various shades of pink. The squares above are the product of this idea. There are seven of them, and while I love them, I was struck by an idea. This is my mom's, bosses daughter. She might think it's a little strange to get a hand knit baby blanket from someone she hardly knows. Nice but a little weird. So, while I love these, I think I'm going to save them.

Thus, this little, pink, ribbed circle and the new name for the blog. I realized this morning that I do this with just about every project that I knit. I begin either that project, or something similar and then rip it out several times before I finally decide that I've got it right, or am knitting just the right thing. So, the more appropriate title for the blog. Hope you find my adventures in frogging back projects can amuse everyone as much as they do my fiance!

Just wondering, does anyone else do this?

Also, the middle school knitting club got a wonderful, amazing donation of yarn and needles from eleven stitches. It was so great - she even sent along 2 balls of bamboo yarn which the 7th and 8th graders were endlessly fascinated with. Thank you so very much!!!

Spring has finally hit Michigan and has brought not only higher temps but also the loudest crickets I've ever heard. It's such a great sound! Becky (my dog) just stands on my back porch (if you can call the 5 x 5 cement slab a porch) staring out into the darkness trying to figure out what is making the racket!

She's Coming to Michigan!

The she would be the fabulous Stephanie Pearl-McPhee a.k.a The Yarn Harlot! She's going to be in Ann Arbor, and I'm going to be close enough to Ann Arbor to make it over there. And even better, Adam's flight doesn't land until later that evening, so I can make it with out leaving him with my parents for an extended amount of time!

I'm developing a plan even as I type - Ikea in the morning, Yarn Harlot in the afternoon, pick up the fiance in the evening! I'll be great!

Hopefully there will be another post tonight, but we'll have to see. If I do, you'll understand the new title. I think it's much more fitting.

It's been beyond nuts for the past two weeks - band festival, solo and ensemble festival, getting the worst cold I've ever had and playing at church. Just have to make it through 2 days of parent teacher conferences plus one day of school and then it's time for Spring Break!!!

Long time, no see!

Wow, it's been busy this week! My band went to our state competition this weekend, and received top honors! They were really amazing, I was so very proud. And what made me even happier was to have my mentor come up, give me a hug, and tell me that couldn't be prouder of me. The school I teach in can be a tough place, and to show the students that they can be some of the top musicians in the state is just great! I'm so happy!




In knitting news, I've reached the arm hole shaping in the deep v sweater - not that you can really tell in the picture. I've made a few little mistakes, but nothing that I couldn't solve easily. Overall, I'm happy so far, but I think next time, I will convert the pattern so that I can knit it on circulars. I just can't wait to get it done so I can wear it!


















Also, I've lifted my self imposed ban on starting new projects to begin this lovely basket-weave baby blanket. It's just in simple Peaches and Cream cotton, but for Michigan summers it will work nicely. My mom's boss's daughter just had a baby, so my mom asked me to make something. I'm going to see if I can actually finish a baby blanket that I start. (I have this bad habit of starting projects and never finishing them).

Speaking of never finishing things, I found the socks that I started last year. I'm realizing that I'm a much better knitter this year than last, and found a major mistake in the heel of the first sock. Well, I've fixed it in the second, but now the socks won't match. Oh well...

One last note on my middle school knitting club - it's going so well! I've got 10 students knitting so far (5 of them are boys!) and somewhere between 7 and 10 more waiting to join. We try to add one more each day so that each kid can get a really good start. The kids are even starting to help each other at it. One took her project home this weekend to see how much more she could get done. It's so great! It's only about 15 minutes every day at lunch, but they are so pumped to come down to my room and learn to knit! For me, it's such a great pick me up in the middle of the day. And a huge thank you to eleven stitched for offering to donate to the knitting group - it will come in so hand!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

P.S. I get married 5 months from yesterday!!!

Yahoo!!

This may not look like much, however it is the beginning of my middle school lunch time knitting club! Today I went to the Ben Franklin near the school and just asked the owner if they would be willing to donate anything and she gave me 3 balls of cotton yarn. Then the lady standing at the counter said that she had all sorts of needles that she didn't use any more and that she'd be willing to give some of them to me!!!

So I went to this great lady's house (where I saw two of the most amazing quilts - one with 48 pieces in each square and another that was made out of neck ties) and she dug out 8 needles to donate to us! Only 5 more pairs to go!!

The kids are all asking when we start, they seem pretty jazzed about the idea. I hope at least half stick with it. I can't wait!!

They're finished!

Here they are! I finished them Sunday afternoon and they fit perfectly! I was so excited! And I have to say that I think he liked them too - he was wearing them inside while he worked on crossword puzzles, and it was not cold inside that house. Outside is another story...

It's freezing! The current wind chill is 0. Without the wind chill it's something like 22. It's so cold outside! Last week snow was melting, and this week it's piling up again! We're supposed to get another 6-8 inches tomorrow night!! I'm kind of excited about it though, it just means that I have more potential snowshoeing ahead of me!

Oh, and one other note, my middle school lunch time knitting club might just be getting off the ground! I just have to figure out how to get 12 pairs of needles that are between US7-9 so that they will work for lots of projects - like the first one I've got planned, a dish cloth in fun colors! The secretary in the front office had the great idea of making them and selling them to raise more money for the club. But first, I have to get the needles to actually start the group! Any ideas?

Almost Done!

Almost done! Fingers are there, thumb has been made (with all sorts of mistakes...) and now I'm on to the mitten part - the ribbing is finished and I'm almost done!!!! I can't wait until I can give them to Adam and prove that yes, I can finish something I start in a reasonable amount of time. I'm just not looking forward to taking care of all of the loose ends... at least I'll be able to cover up a few of my mistakes then!

Next time I pick a pattern for gloves I have to remember to check that both the right and left hands are explained. I got through making the right one, but with a bit of guessing and they're not quite the same. When i told Adam they had a few mistakes his response was "that's ok, it'll remind me that they were made for me and not just bought at a store." Could a knitter ask for a better guy?!?

This is out my door wall on Thursday. You can't really tell, but in the center of the greenish blob (which is actually a bunch of trees) there's a kind of red blob. The red blob is the most beautiful cardinal. It flew in as I was on the phone with Adam, and as I was whispering to him about it he commented that I sounded like "girl versus backyard" since we've recently become a little obsessed with the Discovery channel show Man Vs. Wild.

Anyway, have a great weekend!