Raining in My Kitchen

We had a wild and woolly rain storm last night - the wind was howling worse than I have every heard it before. As I was getting ready to go to bed I heard something that sounded very unusual - was it raining in my kitchen? Sure enough, when I when in there water was pouring down through 4 different places in the ceiling. I got out all the pots and towels I could find, and when we looked out the front window we saw the problem - shingles littered the front lawn. This morning it didn't look so bad - seems to be isolated to just one part of the roof. Hope so, because it is raining again today. On the upside - the rain has cleared off all of the ice from the front walk and driveway and we can actually walk on it now.

I finished another shawl - not quite sure what I'm going to do with this one. It's knit with some hand dyed yarn I received in a swap - it's from Fat Bottom Girl politically incorrect fibers and yarns and is spun from silk and merino in a fingering weight. It's the "Foulard" scarf from Moorehouse Farms Merino knits. There is also a pattern for a case to put it in so you can carry it with you for those cool days when you just need a little something, or put it on your head on a windy day.

On the bookshelf - I'm finishing up my second Nelson DeMille novel - this one is Plum Island. His novels are full of fun historical facts and I can't wait to see how this one comes out. His hero is a chauvanistic pig - but does turn out to be a softy when it comes right down to it. Next, I have another Southern Sister's novel - Murder on a Girl's Night Out by Anne George which will be a quick, fun, light read. Also still listening to Jame's Patterson's Honeymoon. Sometimes it gets confusing listening to one book and reading another! But I can knit while I listen and can't usually do that while I'm reading.

So Proud!!!!!!!!!!!!

Getting ready (these are the scarves I talked about last week- Wild!)

Their theme this year was "All Eyes On Us" - And they were! Watch the Video! Victory Parade!
BANGOR, Maine – The Sumner cheerleading squad has been on the precipice of an Eastern Maine championship for the last two years, but could never get over the hump.

The Tigers from East Sullivan finally did Saturday, as they won the first Class C regional crown in program history at the Bangor Auditorium.

Coach Monica Chipman’s squad compiled 132.4 points to out-distance runner-up Houlton, which tallied 123.1

The top six squads will head to the state championships on Feb. 6 in Augusta, so that means Washington Academy of East Machias, Central of Corinth, defending regional champ Dexter and Orono will join the Tigers and Shiretowners.

Sumner’s difficult routine featured a little bit of everything, from dynamite tumbling from senior Jacob Backman — the lone senior on the squad — to three double-down twists, high basket tosses and clean backtucks.

The Tigers are made up of Ashley Andrews, Backman, Josie Barker, Brianna Bishko, Whitney Doughty, Sarah Frost, Emily Ingalls, Jordyn Knowles, Maria Lockhart, Kelsey Martin, Jalisa Patten, Brooke Raynor, Jordan Rivers, Haley Sandstrom, Ashtyn Thomas and Alexandria Tracy.

Tigers Rule!

You won't often see my sewing machine out on the dining room table, it's usually hidden away in my closet. It came out of retirement yesterday though to make scarves for my granddaughter's cheering team. They are the Sumner Tigers so we made Tiger Scarves. My DD cut 60"x7" strips of black and orange fleece and I sewed two black and one orange together down the middle. Then she cut fringe along the 60"sides. We made 22 of them - and the girls loved them! Here is one being modeled by little sister.

Of course they don't wear them when they are cheering - just something for fun to wear when they walk into the gym. They also have tiger bows in their hair and tiger bloomers.

Aren't they cute?

And flexible?

And....FIRST PLACE WINNERS!

They were awesome!

Knitting to keep warm!

There is a saying that cutting wood keeps you warm twice, once when you cut it and again when you burn it. I think we can say the same about knitting. Once while you are knitting and again when you are wearing the knit! I knit this neck warmer with some mystery yarn I found in my stash. I don't know what it is but the colors are great and it has a nice texture to it. I had just enough left over to make a headband - using every bit of the yarn, which also goes towards accomplishing my goal of using up my stash! The pattern for the neckwarm is the popular "Fidget" and the headband is just CO 15 and knit in the same pattern.

On my Whoduknit Group this month we are reading Murder Carries a Torch by Anne George. It is one of a "Southern Sister's" series and the first one I have read. This one involves snake handlers so for my project I am making a "Snake Scarf" which is actually a cable stitch scarf. This is also knit from stash yarn - a vintinge yarn given to me by a friend. It's a quick, easy pattern and I'll have enough yarn left to make a matching headband or even a hat.

Love the color of this yarn!

A new toy

Would you believe I've never had one of these before? I joined the Ravelry Survivor Group, and while my team didn't win, I did win a gift certificate for being 'Chatty Cathy' on the forum. I chose Knipicks and ordered the yarn winder.

Like my makeshift swift? It works!

Just need two hands to operate, which I have.

This yarn was a gift from my Whoduknit Holiday Swap Pal, Chris. It is, hand dyed Silver Merino and Cormo firestar, silk and Mohair, handspun. And the yarn was spun from a Romney sheep named J.S. It's the prettiest blue/green color - doesn't show up in the photo. I think I'm going to make a simple shawlette with it to show off the great yarn.

Sweaters for tissues

Don't feel ambitious enough to knit a whole people sized sweater? Here is a great way to use up all of those bits and pieces of self-patterning sock yarn that are just too pretty to throw away (I have a bag full). Knit up a bunch of these "Sweaters for purse sized tissue packets".

You could easily adapt them to use a heavier weight yarn and bigger needles - the faster to knit!

On the needles - the Simple Mistake Rib Vest from 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders. This is an IOU for my daughter. She picked out the pattern and the yarn (Galway Paint by Plymouth) before Christmas but I over-extended myself a little bit!


Also on the needles another "Fidget" (neck warmer)
I've knit a few of these but found I had given them all away and didn't have one for myself. The yarn is something unknown I found in my stash (no picture yet).

I'm reading Night Fall by Nelson Demille. It's a fictional story based on true events - the explosion of TWA Flight 800 off Long Island New York in July 1996. I haven't read a book by Nelson Demille before and I really like his style. Next on my bedside stack is our Whoduknit January book, Murder Carries a Torch by Anne George which looks like a much lighter read. And, while I knit, I'm listening James Patterson's Honeymoon.

Sister's Shawl

Lisa's Designs Dec. Contest
Originally uploaded by grammieknits

My first finished project of 2010 is a crochet shawl for the December contest (deadline extended to Jan. 8 due to the holidays) on Lisa's Designs on Ravelry. I like to alternate my knitting with crochet and this shawl was so quick and easy, I will be making more of these. There are so many ways to wear this. It's called the "Sister's Shawl" and I'd like to make one for each of my (2) sisters. This one is crocheted with Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in midnight blue. I used two skeins, 420 yards altogether and I think it is just about the right size.

You can only get the pattern by joining Lisa's Designs on Ravelry. They have a contest each month with a free pattern for members. After the contest is over, you can purchase the pattern.


The pin is perfect for the shawl. The lady who crafted it makes the most incredible pins from found objects and charms. This lighthouse pin is one of my favorites.

Finished a second 'sister's shawl' in Lionbrand Cotton-Ease Turquoise. This one still needs to be blocked.