The Scottish Lamb

Duck Tape Fix All

So I love to knit socks for my grandfather because he loves them.  He even requested a pair of socks to be put aside for his burial.  He believes in being prepared.  lol.  I knit those with fine charcoal alpaca.  There's no better way to get a knitter to knit for you again than to love her gifts and wear them so much that you wear them out.  I was talking to my Gram the other day and she informed me that my grandfather is in dire need of new socks.  He has taken to duck-taping all of the socks I knit for him so they won't wear out any more! lol.  I swear he's a completely sane, very intelligent even, man.  Okay, okay Gramps.  I got the hint.  More socks soon.

For the second year in a row I bought "Odessa's" fleece from Whitefish Bay Farm.   I'll post a picture on the first sunny day when I can take it outside and spread it out.  You can see the variation in this swatch.  I'm telling you... it's the most stunning, soft, clean fleece.  It goes from silver grey on one end to a charcoal grey on the other.  CLEAN!  Ahhh... heaven. I got the idea for this swatch from one of the spinner's I met at the Spinning Retreat in Scotland last Summer, Freyalynn Close-Hainsworth.  Her gorgeous Misty Mountains Shawl was in the Fall 2003 issue of Spin Off and was the winner of the 2002 Majacraft International Competition of Fiber Innovation.  She used Vivian Hoxbro's Domino Knitting for the knitting of the diamonds in the shawl.  The beauty of it though is the way she carded and spun the wool.  She kept the dark and light locks separated and the result was diamonds that blended like this little rectangle I did with Odessa's fleece.  She even knit beads into it.  Gorgeous shawl.  I still want a pair of Viking Combs after watching her use them in Scotland.

I was so excited about Daniel's appointment that I forgot to tell you guys my bit of good luck the other day!  They had a Volunteer Recognition luncheon on Tuesday for our community.  I didn't attend because I was... well... volunteering.  I was packing movies up to send downrange.  They had a drawing of all the community volunteers and I won the Grand Prize!!!  I won a weekend trip to the Edelweiss Resort in Garmisch!  That's the place we just took Jeremy! lol.  You'll probably be hearing a lot about it over the summer from me.   Dan has two conferences (which the boys and I will *so* crash!) down there and we'll be taking family down there in July.  Now we have this weekend trip too.  It's my favorite place in Germany so I'm a little excited.

I also got to meet the couple, Bernie and Kathy, that founded "Operation: Take A Soldier to the Movies"!  They are here visiting their son who came back from Iraq.  They'd gone to Rome last week and, knowing I was Catholic as well, brought a gift as well as a rosary that Kathy made for me.  Really nice people.  But then, I already knew that.  It was good to get to actually meet them in person though.  The Operation is going well.  My friend, Mariana, and Dan helped me pack up another 250 popcorn boxes to ship downrange.  I need to get my volunteer force organized as we are planning a big push for Memorial Day and Independence Day.

Gomer Pyle Said it Best....

Guess what this is:

In the words of Gomer Pyle,

"Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!"

It's my new favorite knitted baby gift.   Elizabeth Zimmermann's Baby Surprise  Jacket.  Way too much fun to knit.  I had just enough of some of my hand-spun, hand-dyed yarn to knit it with too.  I have to find the perfect buttons and stitch it up for a new baby boy.   You can find it in The Opinionated Knitter and Knitter's #56 (Fall '99).

I had such a good time knitting it (great mindless TV knitting), that I've already cast on another in cotton for the baby my brother and SIL are adopting.   They live in Arizona, so I think wool would be a bit unwelcome, don't you?

 

Am I the last to know about KnitCast?  Way cool!  It's like a talking blog!  The lastest interview is with Lily Chin.  Very interesting.  Check it out!

We had a terrific doctor's visit today!  What a relief!  He knew his stuff and was great.   Turns out Daniel's medical record had been mismarked on his height chart.   Thank God.  He is exactly dead center of where he should be right now.  The doctor even computed in mine and Dan's height.  His weight is low, but that's something we can work with.  I was bone skinny until I had kids and both of my older boys are thin, so part of that is genes.  We purposely didn't have him take his Concerta this morning so the doctor could see him in all his glory.  I don't think Dan and I have ever seen him quite this...er.... um... animated. lol.  We're so glad he can stay on the Concerta and it's not stunting his growth because we've had such success with it since he started on it a year and a half ago.  In fact, until we saw him without it today we hadn't realized just what a difference it does make.  We have an appointment with the Nutritionist now to see if we can fatten the boy up enough that his slim-sized jeans don't make him look like a plumber (no offense to the plumbers out there, but the world does not want to see my son's caboose).  So, we'll call the doctor next week to give him an update and take another height and weight screening in three months to see how we're doing.   Thanks again for all the support.  Katy told me about a list on Yahoo so I signed up for it today.  Hoping to learn about all things Asperger's in the Watertown area of New York before we get there next year.

Humpty Dumpty

I couldn't resist the Humpty Dumpty in the new Spin Off.   When I was a little girl I had a big Humpty that I slept with.  In my mind he was big but I was about four then so who knows.  I was living with my Gram in New Hampshire at the time and I remember Humpty being an issue with my Aunts because he took up too much bed space.  It was usually my Aunt Ruthann that let me sleep with her.  Don't know if it was because she was so kind about it or if it was because she was the youngest of the girls (she's only six years older than me).   Probably a little of both.  At the time my Grandfather was the Fish & Game Warden in Center Ossipee.  The house was at the top of the hill and at the bottom were the large tanks for the fish that he used to restock the lakes and ponds.  I think my Humpty was drained out of one of those tanks many years later.

My new Humpty looks a little more like a huge Smiley face with arms and legs but I like the little bow tie he's sporting.

I want to thank everyone for all the kind and supportive emails after my last post.  It never ceases to amaze me how great and supportive the knit blogging community is.  We have a doctor's appointment for Daniel on Wednesday.  Here's hoping this doctor has working knowledge about Asperger's Syndrome.  Daniel's been on Concerta for the past two years but he stopped growing so he needs to come off of it.  He has to have something that helps him focus in school.  I spent the weekend on the computer researching other options.  If anyone has a child on Strattera, please drop me an email and let me know how it's working out. 

Grrrrr

When... oh... when will I learn?!  Gauge, gauge, gauge.  I've knit with Elann's Highland Wool quite a bit, and I love the stuff, but for some reason I'm not getting gauge with this color (Forest Glade Heather).  Actually, I'm liking the gauge I'm getting which is 21 sts to the inch.  I've always gotten 19 or 20 before with other colors.  At any rate, I'm going to have to rip and pull it out because 40" is just not going to cut it for my man.  But take a look at that ribbing, eh???  I made the right choice in knitting with the same needle size and same number of sts for the ribbing as I am in the body.  I can't imagine adding 43 sts to that!  So... onward.

I will be anxiously waiting for my order to arrive from Elann next week (hopefully).  Yesterday's deal was too tempting for me to resist.  They offered up 1/2 pound bags of color coordinated samples for $24.  I bought a bag of the naturals/whites and a bag of the browns/beige's or was it tans... dunno, but the plan is to use it to make a knock-off Ab Fab throw.  My living room colors are sagey browns and tans so it'll be perfect.   I can not wait to see my goodies!!

I heard from Jeremy yesterday.  He got back to his post outside of Mosul only to be put back on a helicopter.  He's moving to the center of the city now.  The vet and Army wife parts of me are telling me it'll be okay.  He'll be fine.   The mother in me is telling me I should have locked him up in a room and kept him while I had him.  I'm really struggling with this. 

On top of that we had a parent/teacher conference at the school yesterday for Daniel.  We've noticed him having a harder time of it the past couple of months and he has an appointment up in Würzburg next Wednesday.   Unfortunately, we don't know if the new doctor has any experience with Asperger's Syndrome.  He can't continue on the Concerta because he's stopped growing. He's already anorexic skinny, but now he's not growing in height either.  There's also been a lot of problems with bullying at the school.  Daniel is a magnet for this already and he's starting to realize he's different and he's being left out of things.  He's rebelling and I'm really starting to worry.  We have some excellent social stories workbooks for him.  I had him do a chapter on friends yesterday just to see where he is.  It's not like you can just sit him down and talk to him about it because he won't share his feelings.  These workbooks are perfect because he writes much more easily than he can speak.  At any rate, the results broke my heart.  Before where he was completely unaware of being singled out, now he's totally aware of it and it's hard for him.  He turns 11 in July, so I know part of it is just normal pre-teen stuff, but the Asperger's puts a whole other twist on it.  I'm really anxious to get to NY.  We've been told that the support there is outstanding and there's a lot of knowledge in the area we'll be.  Thank God because we've always been pretty much alone and I'm so tired of trying to make people understand.  With something like Down's Syndrome, people know by sight something is wrong. With Autism kids look "normal" and people just don't get it.  Hell, sometimes Dan and I don't get it and it takes us a while to catch on to something going on in Daniel's mind.   

Anyway, sorry about the venting.  I think I need to go knit....  See you on Monday.

I Plead My Case

First a warning... Family and non-knitting friends:  This is one of those "all knitting" posts.  Just warning you before your eyes glaze over.

Okay.  Here's the thing with the new project.  You know... the Sirdar 8313 with the hunky guy I showed you yesterday?  Yea, well... I still haven't figured out why they start out the 3x3 ribbing on 157 sts and reduce down to 114 on the last row.  I'm an Elizabeth Zimmerman girl.  I fully believe in her percentage system.  I'm no math wizard, but somethings definitely not right in the here.  They are using 3 1/4 mm needle on the ribbing and then going up to a 4mm, but it just seems screwy to me.

I give you Exhibit A:

Ladies and Gentlemen of Knit Blog Land, here is a close up of said ribbing.  See how it menacingly bulges out ever so slightly.  Yes... it thinks it's tricky, but my keen knitting eye caught on to it's little ploy.

Okay... if that doesn't convince you, then Exhibit B surely will:

There it is!  The bulge in the sleeve ribbing when it tries the same tactics!  Ha! 

So, being the renegade that I am (BAhahaha), *I'm* going to use the same needle through out the sweater and cast on the lower number of body sts.  Actually, I already did this and it's looking good so far.  I'll post a picture tomorrow when I've gotten a little further.  I figure if it doesn't work out it's not the end of the world.  A snip of a thread and I can take the ribbing out and re-knit it downwards.  Oh... did I mention... I'm also not knitting it flat.  I'm knitting it in the round.  Ahhhh... it feels so good to be free.  Thank you Elizabeth Zimmerman!

Speaking of... "The Opinionated Knitter" arrived a few days ago.  LOVE it.  Meg and family did a terrific job.  I love all the stories about E.Z. and and the pictures of her handwritten notes.

My favorite picture is one of Meg's son, Cully, dressed head to toe in clothing Meg knit for him.  The picture alone is adorable but the caption "Life would be so much easier if only mother would stop knitting."  Really cute.

I have all of EZ's books and videos and most of the old Wool Gatherings or Spun Outs, but I found myself oohing and aahing over each project in the book and remembering, "Oh yea... I was going to make that one too!"  I want to make almost everything in the book.  I haven't been this pleased with a knitting book since... well.... "Knitter's Almanac". Go figure.  If you've never purchased this little gem, it's the best $7 you'll ever spend.  I've read it cover to cover so many times mine is falling apart.  I hope one day to pass it on to a granddaughter filled with all of my notes and spills and folded corners.

You Must Have been a beautiful cable...

Ha!  And you all thought I wasn't getting any knitting done just because I wasn't blogging!  Oh, ye of little faith!  We had plenty of car time with Jeremy here so I was able to finish the Must Have before we went down to the Alps so I could get some cool pics.  Don't mind the 'do.  Just look at the sweater and mountains.  My hairdresser is moving (story of my life) and you have no idea what it's like to find a good hairdresser in Germany that speaks English well enough that you feel totally safe with your hair in their hands.  But I digress...

Wanna see something funny?  Just "met" another Army-wife-knit-blogger here in Germany today and she went down to the Edelwiess a few weeks ago.  I had to laugh when I saw that Allena took a picture from almost the same exact spot right out in front of the hotel! lol.  Check it out: Star Knits

It really is a small world.  Now I gotta find out where she found that Phildar store!! C'mon, Allena, fess up!!

The color in the picture of the front is accurate.  The one of the back is all washed out but it's a good close-up.

So, my first real cable sweater is finished and it didn't take me two years to do.  I've done simple cables before but nothing like this.  Well... I did the Cables 101 Vest a few years back, but that was easy compared to the Must Have.  Dan's been asking for a cabled sweater for years and now I have no excuse.  Dangnargit.  Just shot myself in the foot. 

Haven't really decided on the next project yet.  I think I've become a one project girl.  I seem to get more done that way.  I need to do a few baby gifts and the next adult sweater is Dan's.  I think it's going to be this one.  It's Sirdar 8313 that I picked up at John Lewis in Glasgow.  God, I loved going through all those pattern books.  I love Sirdar and Patons patterns and they were in abundance there.  Very manly man sweater.  Actually.... now that I look at it, lol, it kind of reminds me of an Army uniform sweater.  LOL.  Greeeaaat. 

It calls for DK and I'm using Elann Highland Wool (of course) in about the same color, so I'll have to do some tweaking.  No biggie.  Weird pattern though.  It starts out with about 50 more stitches that you reduce at the end of the 3x3 ribbing.  I don't think I've ever seen that before so I'm a little nervous.  Sound weird to anyone else? 

Catch 'em up time

What a whirlwind of a past two weeks it's been.  Jeremy arrived on the morning of April 1st and we took him back to the airport for his trip back to Iraq yesterday.  Sad trip as it was on top of the fact I'd caught a stomach bug on our way back from Garmisch so I was down for the count our last evening together.   The two weeks went way to quickly but it was a nice break for him.  The best part was the last few days we spent down in Garmisch at the Edelweiss Lodge Resort.  It's an Armed Forces resort that they just opened in October and it was wonderful.  Jeremy spent one day up on the mountain (Zugspitz) snowboarding.  He went up the second day but was so sore we had to go get him after and hour and a half. lol.  We had rooms that connected on an inner corner so our balcony's connected.

Here's a great photo of Daniel, Joe and Jeremy together in Rothenberg.  It's a great little tourist town about 20 minutes from us.

I have a few thank you's to pass out.  Thanks so much to Chris from ChrisKnits for the package of goodies to go into a Take a Soldier to the Movies box and for the little goodies for me as well!!  Thanks so much Chris!!  The guys mostly ask for action and comedy, so this was a perfect choice!

A thank you also goes out to my Secret Pal for this package of delights:

Love the note cards and yarn!  Joseph grabbed the lamb PEZ dispenser and asked if it was for him.  NOT!  lol.  Okay... I'll share.  The notebook is perfect size for my knitting basket and the little trinket box will be nice here on my desk for knit markers and darning needles.

I have a ton of stuff to catch up on and I'm still dealing with that virus a bit so I'll fill you in on the rest tomorrow.  Big surprise.  Guess what I finished!!