Traveling Scarf Returns Home!

After traveling across the country and back for the past 6 months my traveling scarf has come home, with sections added by 12 different members of my Noro Knit & Crochet Traveling Scarf group #37 on Ravelry. It seems to have had a wonderful time! It spent some time in sunny California , and went to Surf City to train for a marathon with Lori, helped Lisa decorate for Christmas, visited with Liz's cat, Caesar, and also got to visit one of my special Internet friends, Nancy at the Jersey Shore. It's home now - ready to be blocked and finished off. Haven't decided yet whether or to to add any more to the end of it where it is still on the stitch holder.

It was hard to get a photo of the whole scarf - but hope you can see some of the sections (click for a larger view). It was all done with different Noro yarns, some knit and some crocheted.

I also finished my section on the last of the 12 scarves that I worked on and will be sending that out to California on Monday.

This was a fun way to try out new patterns and yarns on a small scale.

I've decided to enter a felted bag in a Fiber Arts Show that will take place in Winter Harbor from June 28-July 5 (with some encouragement from my friends!) This is the beginning of the bag I'm working on - it's the Labyrinth Carpet bag from Interweave Knits 2008 Holiday Issue. So far it looks like a mess! It's a series of hexagons that attach to each other by picking up stitches. It's a really intriguing pattern and I'm very anxious to see how it comes out. I'm trying to decide whether to add i-cord handles or leather handles like the pattern calls for. What do you think? This is what it is supposed to look like when it is done. Obviously I'm using different colors! Galway Wool in turquoise, brown and tan.

Paul Revere, Sox, Socks, Marathons, and Mom

What do they all have in common?

Today is Patriots' Day, which commemorates the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first battles of the American Revolutionary War. It's observed as a holiday in Massachusettes and Maine. In our school district, our spring vacation always falls during the week of Patriots' Day - so thank you Paul Revere! In MA, it's the day of the Boston Marathon, and when the Red Sox are in town, they play a morning game. Although Patriots' Day is now celebrated on a Monday, the real date is April 19, which was my mother's birthday. It's impossible to believe that she has been gone for 17 years and I still miss her.

So, this morning I'll be knitting socks, watching the sox and the Boston Marathon, and remembering my mom.

Nobody's Perfect

Except these three girls!

The kids at school put on a variety show to raise money for our new school. The state will only pay for the basics and we have to raise the money for all the extras. We do have a stage in the new school, but no curtains, lights, or sound system. We have some very talented kids in our school and a very talented music teacher who devotes a lot of extra time and energy to develop this talent. There were funny skits, dances, talented singers and musicians....but my favorite act was (could I have been bias?) this one. Oh, and by the way, the girl on the left happens to be my granddaughter. The quality of the video is not very good - but click on the arrow and you'll get the picture!

Catching Up

I'm still ahead in my 52 in 52 goal for 2009. Some recent additions and these two baby hats that I knit for a co-worker who is having twin boys. They are knit with Opal sock yarn. Love using sock yarn for baby items, since it can be machine washed and dried.

These dishcloths are for a dishcloth swap that I am in. The square is a 'ball band' cloth - so named because it is the pattern on the back of the band on Peaches & Cream cotton yarn. It's Navy, not black, like it looks in the photo. The other two are crochet patterns from coatsandclark.com.

So, wow! That counts as five projects! (My rules, remember?)

Set Another Place at the Easter Brunch Table

I thought I was really organized for a 10 o'clock Easter Brunch this year. Easter baskets all ready - a basket of Bath & Body products for Jordyn with a gift card to Aeropostle, a 6-can cooler for Jacob filled with fishing stuff and a gift card to Olympia Sports, and a High School Musical suitcase filled with goodies from Staples for Tori (she loves that kind of stuff!) and a Walmart Gift Card. The pink bag at the top was for DH filled with handmade soap, sea salt scrub, etc. and a gift card for a pedicure. The clues for the Egg hunt were printed out, put in the plastic eggs and hidden by 8 o'clock this morning. I made a breakfast casserole last night, ready to go in the oven with the ham, along with oven baked french toast. All I had to do was set the table cook the home fries, put out the fruit salad, muffins, juice, coffee, etc.

Then the phone rings.....It's DD - is it okay if Jordyn brings her boyfriend. Sure! Scramble around - add his name to her egg hunt, fix up a small Easter basket, add another plate and another chair - all set. Phone rings again.....Since Jordyn is bringing her boyfriend, Jacob wants to know if it's okay to bring his girlfriend - okay - add her name to his egg hunt - put together an Easter basket for her, add a leaf to the table, another chair, another plate. Phone rings again...

I answered - "Don't tell me Tori is bringing a boyfriend" (she's 9) - No, just asking if I needed anything. Of course I was really thrilled that they all came - and we had a great time. In the photo they are playing Wii. Below Diana and Tori go through her goodies.

And Whoo Hoo - look at my Easter Basket (well, mine and DH's). He's already taken some gardening stuff out - an upsidedown tomato planter, seeds, etc. Guess what's left for me?

And since they have all left - I can spend the rest of the day knitting!

I hope that your Easter was as wonderful as mine - spent with family and friends.

Opening Day at Fenway

One day late, but worth the wait!

BECKKKKKKKKKKETT!

A Prize? I didn't even know there was a contest!

In my last post I showed you my Mystery Yarn Ball from my swap pal, Robbbie, on my Whoduknit Group and the really cute mug cozy I made with the yarn and the pattern.

This was the yarn ball I sent to my pal, Bonnie. Now, technically everything was supposed to be wrapped inside the yarn (and I made the rules!) But since there were a few strands of yarn wrapped around the hat I decided it was legal (and like I said, I make the rules!). That's a pink Red Sox hat in case you can't tell - and NO, she is NOT a Yankee fan! She is actually a Red Sox Fan. After she knit the drawstring bag from the mystery pattern I sent, using the purple yarn, these goodies fell out, including a small ball of lace yarn, which she used to knit the Cat's Paw scarf. Did I tell you she loves cats? That was pretty much the theme of the yarn ball. I had so much fun putting this mystery yarn ball together for her!

So, anyway - here is the finished lace scarf (I cut off your head Bonnie, only because I didn't have permission from you to post your photo!) And today - look what I received in the mail from Bonnie! A prize for putting the best Mystery Yarn Ball together. Now like I said, I make the rules - and I didn't even know there was a prize for the best mystery ball! LOL

There are two balls of Regia Galaxy sock yarn - great colors since I wear a lot of brown. And a beautiful skein of what looks like hand-dyed yarn in absolutely gorgeous colors! And, can you see the adorable little lamb? Thank you Bonnie! And thanks again Robbie. This was a great swap!

April Showers

The weather map for the next 8 days has rain coming down! I guess we should be happy it is not white. I've got a couple more FOs to add to my 52 in 52 list. This coffee cup cozy was knit with the pattern and yarn in my Whoduknit Mystery Yarn Ball swap package. It's a great cable pattern, one I've never done before.

the yarn is Paton's Decor. I had enough left over to knit another baby hat, and I think maybe even enough for a pair of booties to go with it.

These are the goodies that fell out of the yarn as I knit.

This swap is always a favorite of mine!