Watch Knit and Crochet Today Online

Watch Knit and Crochet Today Online: "

PBS has a show called “Knit and Crochet Today” where they do fun crochet and knit projects. Each episode is about a half hour long and is filled with tips and tricks from people in the crochet and knit industry. I was never able to catch it on my PBS station, but now I realize that it’s available to watch online for FREE. I’m so excited to start watching it! It feels like I’ve been missing out on a great show and now I have some catching up to do. Here is the link if you would like to catch up on the old episodes too: Watch Knit and Crochet Today Online

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Been a while

So I realized it has been a while since my last entry, sorry about that. Katherine came down with H1N1 and I was pretty occupied for the last week.
The big news is Katherine started a new school today!
From the time she started school at 5 years old until last week, she had gotten up at 5:30 am most mornings in order to commute with Larry to his school 20 miles away, and they didn't get home until 4:30 pm or later. What a long day for Katherine! It was necessary until recently because I was working various places out of town, so it was easiest for Larry to care for her by taking her with him.
However, this year we've noticed changes in Katherine that indicated she was not in the best situation for her health and wellbeing. She was tired all the time, and we ruled out medical problems, so we know she was not getting enough sleep. Also, she didn't fit in with the kids in the other school, and she knew it. Different ethnic background, different religious background for the majority of the students. In four years, she was invited to another girl's house once. ONCE! And I know it's not her personality at issue, because she gets along great with other people.
SO... when she came home a week ago and had had a struggle at school that involved a discussion with the principal and guidance counselor, Larry and I discussed it and decided to investigate what it would take to switch schools and how soon it could happen. Last Monday, Larry found out that since she is open enrolled and would simply be coming back to our home district, it was just a matter of doing it... then I called the principal here and he said she could start anytime.
Now, Katherine had been awarded a vocal solo in her school Christmas program, and was possibly going to play it on her new accordion as well, and she was very excited about this. HOWEVER, she was so eager to start the new school and get away from the problems discussed above, that she willingly, although hesitantly, gave up that solo in order to start the new school right away.
SO... as soon as she was recovered from H1N1, I took her up and got her registered at the new school, and this morning I dropped her off. When she got up at 7:00 this morning (!), she said, "I feel naughty getting up this late!" She was ready to go in 10 minutes, and I had to put the brakes on her so we wouldn't go too early :)
I am so happy for her!



~Remember, it is better to love than to be right!

Socks are done... on to... err... "bigger" things?

Well, I got about an inch and a half of ribbing done on my socks and decided I was done. I was eager to move on to my gloves with the Mini Mochi. It's so soft! Going back to finishing the socks felt like going from angora to coarse-spun raw wool. I still like the socks, don't get me wrong, I just don't know how much of the "cheap" stuff I am going to buy from now on.
You know what they say about "once you go black?" Well, once I went to the merino...

So far, I have started and frogged the gloves a couple times, not ever happy with the beginning of a project until it is just right (curse my perfectionism!), and now I'm moving right along on the cuff of the Left Glove. I never thought double pointed needles were for me, I would fumble them around, but somehow they are working for me now. Maybe I just needed the right yarn? Hmmm.....

Here's a preview of my progress:

Socks, Hats, and Gloves... I love fingering weight!

I have actually completed the socks to the ribbed cuff, just need to k1p1 round and round until I think they're long enough, or until I run out of yarn. I am guessing the former will come first. I am kind of looking forward to having left over sock yarn enough from several projects to make something kind of crazy. Since I tend to use the self-striping yarns, I wonder what kind of fair isle look I can achieve with them? And just how crazy will I be willing to go?

Sock/Fingering Weight yarns I have used so far:

Mini Mochi in Violets Rainbow

I am making "Sock It To Me" gloves with this, my first knitted glove pattern.








Lion Brand Sock-Ease in Cotton Candy:

 

I made the "Happy Valentines Day" Hat in tapestry crochet for my daughter with this.

and Yarn Bee's WalkAway in Toe Hold, which I used for my socks, "Two at Once, Toe Up, Magic Loop Socks" from KnitPicks.

I LOVE SOCK YARN!
The Mini Mochi is my first "luxury" yarn purchase, not from a box store, but from a LYS, that I purchased with my own money, for me. Yay!