Where else do you get family like this???

I can't say it any better than this.....
http://angermanagementgirls.blogspot.com/

I'm still feeling the excitement! Everywhere I go, I'm wearing a Steeler fleece scarf that a blogless friend of mine brought over for me for the game. And everywhere I go people are congratulating me on my team's win. I just wish I could be there to feel the pulse and excitement first hand. I guess this is as close as I'm going to get.

I'm part of the Steeler Nation. Are you?

Where else do you get family like this???

I can't say it any better than this.....
http://angermanagementgirls.blogspot.com/

I'm still feeling the excitement! Everywhere I go, I'm wearing a Steeler fleece scarf that a blogless friend of mine brought over for me for the game. And everywhere I go people are congratulating me on my team's win. I just wish I could be there to feel the pulse and excitement first hand. I guess this is as close as I'm going to get.

I'm part of the Steeler Nation. Are you?

Steelers

6

Streaking in the snowy streets

It's a snow day! Can you hear the cheers and cries of students across the DC Metro area? They sent us home early yesterday when the snow appeared to not be letting up. Funny thing was, the decision to go home early had to be made by 10:00 and by the time the buses came to pick up all the kiddos and we cleared the school at 1:00 the snow had stopped. I left around 1:30 and had absolutely no problem with the roads coming home. So I took the 'found' time to run a few errands before coming home. Although the roads were good to go, I can't say the same for the parking lots I visited. Any who, this morning we awoke to that three letter word that puts fear in every one's heart around here... ice. And while I know that ice is a dangerous thing, I also have to say the people around here just don't know how to drive in weather. Even if it just rains just a bit, people freak out. It's no wonder they're reporting so many accidents on the news this morning. Just look at the cars they caught on tape going down the streets. These people didn't even bother to clean off their car of the snow the fell yesterday. They can only see out 1/3 of their windows. Hello people! There's a reason why your windshield is as big as it is! Don't even get me started about those people who drive with their wipers on and don't turn on their headlights. I've heard people say, well I don't need my headlights on, I can see perfectly fine. But that's not the point. The point is, if the weather is such that drivers need to put on their wipers then other drivers need you to put on your headlights so that they can see you!

OK, enough of my ranting. The real purpose of posting today, on this beautiful found day off of work, is to steal an idea I saw this morning on Stacey's blog. She stole it from another blog and so on and so forth. You all know how that goes. So ignore the date listed and come on out and play with me today. Keep me company as I catch up on the laundry and knit a little on this snow day at home. Leave me a comment to let me know who's out there.

Winter knits for me

During a field trip visit to a LYS that isn't quite as local as I'd like it to be (must cross DC to get there) Ruth came across a great hat that was prefect for those cold mornings trucking to work. The hat allows you to actually keep your hair styled from your morning routine and not arrive at work with either mushed down hat head hair or freaky spiked out static head hair. One itty bitty problem. The yarn used in the model pattern is no longer available. Simple solution. Know the owner of the LYS and ask her to sell you the actual hat and give you the write up for the pattern. (I don't know all the details here, but it sounded as if it was a free pattern but I couldn't really tell you where it originated from). All the gals loved the hat so we took on making several of them and now almost all of us have them in various colors. We look kind of like those hat women who meet for lunch in a strange sort of way. We all have the same hat in various yarns and colors. But we're happy so who cares. In a feeble attempt to take my own photo of myself wearing my hat, I give you this pathetic photo. You'll just have to trust me that it looks a lot better than that in real life. I'm in love with the colorway. It's Cascade 220 color 9451. I must get my hands on some more and knit up some fingerless mitts and/or a cowl to go with the hat.

Speaking of fingerless mitts, I was thinking of doing a pair for a friend of mine and couldn't decide on a pattern for the yarn I wanted to use for her. But in my Rav search, I came across a pattern I had queued and decided I could throw together a quick pair for myself in the meantime. I adore the way they came out!

I had some left over Wool Bamboo, just enough for these little beauties. The pattern is called Cafe Au Late, but I'm calling mine Hot Choc-o-late for the darker brown colorway I used. I love the feel of the bamboo blended with the wool.

Here We Go (some more)

just a little more for all yunz Stiller fans aught dhere....

Here We Go...

Steelers....
Here we go....

Pittsburgh's goin' to the Superbowl!!!!

Weekend Update

While I was home for the holidays Mom requested a scarf. Nothing too fancy. Actually Mom isn't normally one to wear a scarf. But for a little while now she's had a little issue with a nerve thing in the side of her face that seems to act up with the cold weather. It causes her some pain and since Mom isn't one to stay inside where it's warm (she's always on the go) she's taken to wearing a scarf my aunt made for her when she first learned how to knit. Can we all say novelty yarn? Yeah, you know what I'm talkin' about. It's a combination between fur and bally things. Strangest yarn I've ever seen. So while we were out and about making our shopping rounds we visited a new LYS in her area. Mom is taking a liking to visiting 'real' yarn shops and will gladly sit for however long it takes for me to fondle skein after skein and weigh my buying options. This particular shop, Knit Wits, had a whole wall of Cascade 220 in which Mom planted herself in a chair in front of. Without having a particular project in mind when I walked in, I figured it wouldn't do any harm to stalk up on some good solid Cascade wool. The stitch definition is clean, neat, and makes for quite a nice piece of work. Mom casually mentioned that the grey two-toned one would match her winter coat nicely. I took that as a hint that she wanted a new scarf. Could I blame her? Upon returning home we looked for hours on Ravelry for a great pattern for her. Something simple, but wide and long enough for what she needed. We found a few options that she liked but I wasn't completely satisfied. When I got home (back to VA) I looked again and came across the Scrunchable Scarf pattern, noticing that several people had knit it up in Cascade and it looked fab. To give it a little more heft and hopefully add to the length I combined the one skein of Cascade I had with a skein of Patons in solid grey that I had laying around. This way I could use size 11 needles as well. The weather yesterday turned out to be pretty crappy and my plans got canceled so I figured that was cue to cast on. I was surprised at how quickly it knit up. I was done around dinner (and that was with a pretty long nap at mid day - rainy days will do that to ya). I'm loving the clean look of the stitches.
And I think Mom will enjoy how soft and squishy it is. Tomorrow I'll put this puppy in the mail and off to PA it will go to great it's new owner where I'm sure it will be loved and appreciated and wore often. Another FO was finished today but it's wet and not ready for photos. Another day then...

Drowning

That what I said.... drowning.

Before the holidays I was drowning in the love and hugs and giggles of the Little Man. He and My SIL came down for a few days before we headed north together. And what a fun few days it was! I just can't get enough of that Little Man! I could just drown myself in his exploration of words and imagination.

Then there was the heading north for the holidays and all the drowning in family togetherness. So good for the soul... at least this one. I spent almost two weeks up there and soaked up every minute I could. Several gifts were given that made sure that I would be drowning in good reading material for the holidays and then some.

Since returning home, I've been drowned in finishing up some knits that didn't exactly make the Christmas deadline. There are still two to go, but hey, I never claimed to be perfect. Here's some quick shots of FOs that have successfully been gifted.

Another pair of one of my new favorite 'put it on your feet' patterns. This pair was gifted to the new roommate.

This pair was finished a while ago minus the snowflakes. I had planned on adding the one from the original pattern where you stitch over the knit to make it look like it was knit into the pattern. That wasn't working out so well for me. So Mom suggested this version. These went to my auntalong with this pair as well. I wasn't really happy with the way these came out at first. I was a bit frustrated (probably more due to trying to work too quickly to get them finished under the wire rather than difficulty with the actual pattern). So I included the snowflake slippers just in case. She seemed to like them just fine.

Then, a little late, but hey at least not never, these two beauties were finished. They're both done in a fabulous alpaca from a local VA farm. I really need to get my hands on some more of that stuff! They were the most heavenly pieces I've ever worked on. I could have drowned in a bathtub of this stuff. Oh my the ecstasy that would be!!! And these are heading off in the mail to Mom's dear friend who I ran out of time to knit for. They were a special request. Good thing I'm in love with this cloth pattern. So easy and quick and the texture should make for some good cloth usage. That leaves me with drowning in trying to catch up with reading blog posts, getting Christmas decorations put away, and actually working on a three more gift knits that are just a tad late.

That's not to mention drowning in all the rain we've been having around here lately. Luckily I have my knit blanket and a good cup of tea to keep me warm.

Special Delivery

The Little Man is coming to visit tomorrow!!!! Can you believe it??? He's actually coming to see and stay with his Aunt Wendy for a few days!!!! And then we'll head up north together for the holidays. Forgive me if you continue to not hear much from me around here during the holidays. I'll be a little occupied. hee hee!


However, if you are the type for prayer or even just meaningful thoughts, I would appreciate any and all that you can send in the direction of Bethlehem, PA. My old college roomie just had her second child a week ago. Problem is, he's 2 months early and only 2 lbs 13 oz. He's got a hole in his heart and things have been quite scary all week. This is going to be a trying time for their family through the holidays.