Anyone want a chance at some Malibrigo yarn?

If you want a chance at some Malibrigo Yarn, go here...... all you have to do is leave a comment but I get an extra entry if you mention that I sent you. :-)

(picture borrowed from http://ponyknit.blogspot.com)

Contest Alert

Head on over to KnitNana for a contest to win an Interchangeables Set fabric case. She has the Options Harmony needles and wanted something prettier and more functional to keep them in. Help her decide how to finish the closure and possibly win one. If you add the contest to your blog you get two chances to win.

While you're there, please go to her sidebar and check out her NanaSadieRose site. She makes great bags. I've bought several for friends and have finally found the perfect fabric for one for myself which is on order. :-)

Behind the Scenes

I found this on Saving Nine (By Saving Some Time)'s blog and I thought it was worth doing.

1. Why did you start your blog?
I started it to show my out of town family and friends my knitting.

2. How did you come up with your blog name?
Due to my lack of imagination...... Ariel's knitting

3. Do your friends and family know about your blog? What do they think of it?
I have a couple of non-knitting friends who read it and my sister. My hubby and my mom know about it but I don't think they ever read it.

4. How do you write posts?
Usually on my laptop at home. Sometimes at work.

5. Have you ever had a troll or had to delete unkind comments?
I've never had any unkind comments (thankfully) but I did find a very very long-winded something once. I deleted it. Is that a troll?

6. Do you check your stats? Do you care how many people read your blog? If you do care, how do you increase traffic?
I tried it once but since it didn't tell me who was reading I deleted it. I'd like to know how people found my blog and I would love to know who reads it and doesn't leave comments.

7. What kind of blogs/posts interest you?
Almost all of the blogs I read are knitting blogs. I love seeing what people are knitting and they inspire me to try new things. I do read a veggie recipe blog that has recipes for veggies from A to Z, and my cousin has an advice column blog that I keep an eye on.

8. What do you like and dislike about blogging?
I don't think that there's anything I dislike about blogging. What do I like about blogging...... everything. I love finding new knitting blogs. It's like an extended family. I love when someone leaves comments and then when someone I've never heard of leaves a comment I go check out their blog too. There's so much opportunity to find something new to do or just say "WOW, I want to do that someday."

I really enjoy seeing other parts of the world through other peoples eyes. I was never very good at geography but blogging helps me learn where everything is. I see a blog from someone in another part of the county (or world) and I look it up to see where it is.


If you decide to do this on your blog, please let me know so I can take a look.

CPH Update

Color weirdness - I'm only blocking it for ease of sewing the edges. The edges are wet but not the rest of it. I guess the camera picked up something. It doesn't look that odd in person. :-)

Pincushion Cupcake

I found this on my friends Ravelry queue and loved it. It's going to be a birthday gift for a friend who collects pincushions. A cupcake that's a pincushion, what more could anyone want for a gift.......... other than a real cupcake. :-)

Bob

I needed a bit of a break from the sweater and wanted something fun to knit. Anna's toys always make me smile. This is "Bob." Her description is:

This is Bob. Bob’s shape was inspired by the plastic thing that floats in your toilet tank. He’s not an elephant, or an anteater. He’s just Bob!

So here's my version of Bob. My son Kevin grabbed him and said he's going with him tomorrow to live at his desk at work. How proud can a mom be. :-)

Edited to add: picture at top is Bob listening to music while Kevin's working.

Central Park Hoodie

Two of my friends are knitting along with me and it sure is easier than doing it alone. :-)

Chemo Caps

Two for my aunt and one for a friends friend. All are going through chemo and have lost their hair.

The red one is this pattern and I used Wool Ease. The two variegated ones are from a modified pattern from my friend MaryJane, the reddish one is Simply Soft Shadows and the pink one is Bernat Satin Sport.

Elefante

This will go with the baby blanket below. It's made with the same yarn. I found the pattern here.

Blocked and pressed....... it's finished............ YAY!!!

Hemlock Ring Blanket

This is for a surprise Grandma shower gift for a good friend. I hope when it's done blocking it looks just as good as it does with all the pins in it.

Southern California in the Winter

From my backyard and from the freeway.

And yet two more contests :-)

Please take a look here at Tami's blog. She's celebrating her 100th post. Let her know I sent you and I get an extra entry.

And Vicky is looking for patterns - What can you do with 1 - 285 yards of yarn.

Third Contest's a Charm

Go visit Miss Me and wish her a Happy Blogiversary and enter her contest. She doesn't know what she's giving away yet but it'll be something good, I have no doubt. :-)

AND - - - I get an extra entry if you tell her that I sent you.

Two contests..........

Want to win an MP3 Player?

Best Buy is giving away an MP3 player at 5minutes for Mom. Check it out.

**************************************

And check out this one. All you have to do it knit a chemo cap:
http://www.freewebs.com/peach-blossom-knits/charityknitchallenge.htm

Brielle's cap

This is a chemo cap for a friend's friends daughter. Their 9 yr old little girl has had the tumor removed and after her first chemo treatment she started losing her hair. I'll get this cap to her mom tomorrow so she'll have something if she needs it.

Baby Sweater

This is for my son's x-boss's new baby who also happens to be the grandbaby of a good friend of mine.

Valentine's Day knitting

These are for a friend for Valentine's Day. Hopefully she doesn't read my blog. The purple and pink heart pattern comes from here and the the red one came from here.

Happy Birthday To Me!!!!

WwW.SparkleTags.Com

Cat beds in action

Look, it's me!!

My friend Mona made this for me. My hair, my favorite color, knitting in my hand. IT'S ME!!!

Thanks Mona :-)

Cat Bed #2

Apparently both cats wanted to be in the cat bed so their parents asked me to make another.........

Slippers

The lady I made the slippers for (see picture below) has started a Yahoo Group. If you're interested in joining, the description is right here...........

Oklahoma has some very cold winter months and the dear residents at the rest homes and mental care facility feet get so cold when temps hit in the 30's and below. This group is for those dear people, many who have no one who cares about them.

We will make slippers using the pattern called Maggie's slippers. Any size or color. They will be distributed to rest homes and care facilities here and in surrounding areas.

You will feel such a blessing knowing that you've helped bring a smile to someone's face plus keeping their feet warm.
Elderly people tend to have poor circulation and have cold hands and feet.

Cozy Toes

A friend of mine knits slippers for a rest home. She said she was neglectful last year and is trying to make a bunch in a hurry this week. I thought I'd help her out a bit. These were so easy. Hope the recipients in Oklahoma like them. :-)

Dona's Scarf

My friend is going to Minnesota in January to visit her family. We don't generally have much need for scarves here but she asked me to make her one for her trip. I did basketweave on the ends and seed stitch for the body of it. Why does Simply Soft Plum Wine photograph purple?

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

I had the urge to knit a Santa Hat. I have no idea why but I wanted to make one. Here it is in all it's glory on both of my kids. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

His and her chemo caps

A relative of a friend has lung cancer which has moved to her brain and lymph nodes. She's going through chemo and has lost her hair. Her wonderful hubby has shaved his head too and they're trying to wear matching chemo caps. I hope they like them.

What a difference between natural light vs indoor lighting. :-)

Shawl for Deb

This is a Christmas gift for a friend. I could finally put the picture on the blog, she opened it today. :-) I found the pattern here.

The cat bed has a home

I gave some friends the cat bed hoping that maybe their cats would like it better than mine. Apparently they both do. YAY!!!!

It sure looked bigger without a kitty in it. LOL

Every pear tree should have a scarf

This is for my friend Marlene. She supplies the yarn and how she wants her scarf and I knit it up. It's the first scarf I've done lengthwise and it was a nice change.

I thought the pear tree looked a little chilled so I let it wear the scarf for awhile. :-)

And the winner is..............

Susan's the winner on my Pay It Forward. I wish I could've chosen between the four that commented - Sarah & Alyssa, I do appreciate the comments.

Sallee & Susan - I'm senile and didn't remember to pick a winner until just now. I put your names on a piece of paper and shook them up in my hands. My son picked the winning name.

Susan - something will arrive on your doorstep between now and November 30 of 2008.

Thanks to everyone for the comments and I hope that you get lots of comments on your blogs!!!!!

ODE TO MY WIFE THE KNITTER

ODE TO MY WIFE THE KNITTER

Author Unknown

She learned to knit on Monday
Her stitches were very fine.
She forgot to thaw out dinner,
so we went out to dine.

She knitted socks on Tuesday.
She says they are a must.
They really were quite lovely,
But she forgot to dust.

On Wednesday, it was an afghan
She says jacquard is fun.
What colors!! What textures!!
But the laundry wasn't done.

Her Knit-weave was on Thursday,
Green, yellow, blue and red.
I guess she really was engrossed,
She never made the bed.

It was wall hangings on Friday
In colors she adores.
It never bothered her at all
The crumbs on all the floors.

I found a maid on Saturday
My week is now complete.
My wife can knit the hours away,
The house will still be neat.

Well......it's already Sunday
And I'm about to throw a fit.
I've cursed, I've raved, I've ranted
The MAID has learned to KNIT!!!

Pay It Forward

I've always wanted to do this and Thanksgiving seems like a good time for it.

Here are the rules:

I will send a gift to a random person (my son will pull the name) who leaves a comment on my blog between now and November 30 requesting to join this PAY IT FORWARD exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

I don't know what the gift will be yet, I only know it will be something I'd like to receive. Whoever the winner is, I will hopefully find clues in their blog as to what they'd love. :-)

All I ask is that is you commit to the idea wholeheartedly and pay it forward on your own blog!

Cat Bed

My cat sleeps on a knitted blanket on the couch almost all the time. I found a pattern for a pet bed in "Knit Simple" (Snug Harbor by Rae French) and thought she'd love it. I finished it last week and put it on the couch instead of her blankie. She didn't like it at all and so we put the blankie back and the cat bed next to it. She still won't go near it. I'm giving it to a friend who has two kitties. Maybe they'll like it.

Contest Alert times 2

Anne is hosting a contest. She's asking for us to share three of our favorite patterns. The fun thing about this contest is seeing all the patterns everyone else loves. Maybe I'll find my next favorite. :-)

Jane is having a contest in honor of 300 posts. Go on over and leave her a comment about one weird thing about you. I'm sure we all have out, ummm....... weirdnessess. Please tell her I sent you.

If I can knit for Kansas I can certainly knit for California

All those fires blazing around us. I know of many that were evacuated but everyone was eventually able to return to their homes. There are so many who had no home to go back to..... I can't even begin to imagine.

I found this blog today and tonight after work I'll start knitting.

http://sandiegowildfireblankets.blogspot.com/

And yet another contest :-)

Contest Contest Contest

Go here.......... http://tangledupinknots.blogspot.com/

The rules are easy. Thanks hopalong682003 for sending me over there. :-)

How to play the 100 things contest game:

First, pick a number 1-100.
Write it down.
Next, read through the 100 things post (or just scroll down to the number you picked, I'll never know.)
Leave me a comment with a similar fact about yourself.
No changing your number.
One comment = one entry.
Post about this contest on your blog and get one additional entry (make sure I know you posted).
Let me know someone sent you and you both get an additional entry.

Baby blankie for Jacob

This really is a fun pattern to knit. Hope Maria likes it.

Round blankie for Maria's baby

My friend Maria loved the last round blankie I made and requested it for her baby due in January. She picked the colors to match the colors of the nursery. I'm hoping to finish it this weekend. This picture was taken a couple of weeks ago. I have 4 more inches to go.

Fall into Autumn gift received and Final Question

WOW!!! I can't come up with a better word than that. WOW!!!

I have been spoiled by Kathy way beyond any of my expectations. She is probably the best spoiler in this whole exchange. She wrapped everything individually in yellow tissue paper with candy corn ribbon around each item. There were fall leaves scattered inside. It was so pretty and the huge box was packed full.

She sent two perfect-for-fall dishcloths (she has a picture on her blog), the mug is so cute and there was spiced apple cider packets in it. There is a glass pumpkin with fall leaf candies in it, a beautiful round tin with 5 maple leaf cookie cutters, lemon peranium (smells so good) soap, a huge magnet with knitting needles and a ball of yarn, Lindt pumpkin truffle candy that my DH has fallen in love with, a set of wooden needles, pumpkin scented votives, an adorable turkey votive holder, two beautiful fall dishtowels, a dishcloth pattern book, a dip and spread set shaped like a leaf. There is also a card with scarf pattern. AND - it keeps coming, my favorite color dishcloth yarn and some blue cotton chenille yarn that I'm excited to try. I've never tried cotton chenille but I've heard it makes wonderfully soft face clothes. This is going to sound silly but the last thing in there that I almost didn't see was a package of Chowards Violet Mints. I LOVE those things and probably haven't seen them in well over 10 years. They were such a tremendous surprise.

Kathy, you are the absolute best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The question for this week is:

How was your experience in the exchange? Did you enjoy the folks you met? Did you just love the cloth and goodies you received? Please share any thoughts, criticism, and things you loved!

I think the above post says it all. It was a terrific swap and I can't say enough about Kathy. Thanks Anne and Sharon, it's been wonderful.

Baby sweater #2 for Patty

This is for Patty's twin #2 (or twin #1 - whichever). I used the same pattern as the last one but this time used leftover Wool Ease that I had. It was so nice to be able to use up part of my stash instead of going out and buying something new.

That's four baby gifts down, two more to go...............

Fall into Autumn Topic of the Week

I missed last weeks topic. I was too lazy to take out all the needles and paraphernalia and take a picture. That means this is entry #4 into the drawing for me.

On to this weeks topic:
Are you the type that likes to go to participate in all the fall festivities like apple picking, pumpkins, decorating for the fall, hay rides, baking fall goodies, etc. or do you just sit and count the days till Thanksgiving/Christmas/Hanukkah?

I love apple picking and although I can go up to a place called Oak Glen here in CA, I just go in my back yard where I have a Gala and Fuji tree. YUMMMMMMMM. My 11 yo son loves decorating pumpkins and we'll probably get one next week for him. One of these years I should just grow him one, he'd have a great time with that. I don't think the bunnies would bother a pumpkin plant unless the leaves are especially yummy.

Baby sweater for Patty

This is for one of Patty's twins. I'll start on the next one as soon as I figure out which pattern. The pattern for this sweater can be found here.

Fall Into Autumn - Topic of the Week

Are there any recipes you especially enjoy having in the Fall? Any foods that are seasonal that you especially enjoy?

I love soup and definitely eat it more often when it starts to cool down. My favorite, Motza Ball Soup. I start with the regular box mix but add noodles, chicken, and whatever veggies I'm in the mood for at the moment. My least favorite soups are anything tomato or beef based. Bleck!!!

Susie's blankie #2

I finished this one the other day. It's definitely not one of my all time favorites and I told Susie that if she hates it I'd make her another one. :-)

Fall into Autumn - Topic of the Week

This gives me 3 entries into their contest. I'll do it for that reason alone. :-)

(Q) Autumn has now officially begun here in the States!! What is your favorite thing about Autumn/Fall? Why?

(A) My favorite part of Fall is the weather change. It's not much in California but it's better than two weeks ago when it was 112 degrees. We had rain this past week (very unusual for us) and I was able to wear a sweatshirt two days. YAY for Fall.

Fall Into Autumn - Topic of the Week

TOPIC OF THE WEEK

(Q) When you knit or crochet dishclothes, washclothes or face clothes, what do you use? What size needle or hook? Wood? what type? Metal? Plastic? A specific Brand? Why do you love that needle or hook so much? Is there one you are dying to try? Is there a particular yarn you love and use all the time for clothes? What is so special about it?

(A) I tend to use size 6 or 7 needles, usually metal, for dishcloths. I knit on the looser side so those sizes work better for me. Facecloths - I use thinner yarn and probably a size 5, again metal. Why metal? It's what I have the most of. I have a few wooden dpn sets and a couple of wooden straight needles but the bulk of what I have is metal. The needles I'd like to try are the KnitPicks Options and I'll be getting them as a Christmas gift. YAY!!! My favorite face cloth yarn is Knit Picks Crayon Pima Cotton. No favorite dishcloth yarn. :-)

A few apples from my tree. My DH drew on the conjoined (as my son called it) apple. :-)

Entering contests does pay off!!! I won this beautiful handmade bracelet from Jacque, it says Purl Girl on it. She also sent a copy of her self designed Nottingham pattern, wish I'd look as good in it as she does.

Jacque, thanks again so much for the prizes!!!












WIP - This is going to be a baby blanket for a friend. I was hoping to finish it this weekend but no such luck. I'll be crocheting something simple (best I can do for crochet) to finish it off.

Fall into Autumn - Topic of the Week

The ladies hosting the Fall Dishcloth Exchange think it's a good idea for us to write weekly in our blog. To get us to do that, they'll be posting a topic of the week for us to answer. This way, we post every week AND we get entered into a drawing if we post. Now that I think about it, I'd love to hear everyone else's answers too. Leave a comment please. :-)

This is this weeks topic:

(Q) Now that in some geographic locations the weather is starting to turn cooler, do you change the type of yarn(s) you knit/crochet with? If so, what do you now knit/crochet with instead and why? If not, why do you not switch and what do you knit/crochet with?

(A) I don't think I ever change the type of yarn I knit with but I don't like making afghans during the summer, so I save those for winter. I tend to run cold so I like when the afghan starts to cover up my lap and keeps me warm.

Mini Blankies for Patty

My friend Patty had twin boys very premature (28 weeks) last week. I wanted to make something small for them so they'd be cozy in the incubators. Here are the two mini-blankies. Both boys are doing well but are expected to be in the hospital until mid-October at least.

Dona cloth

Susan designed a Dona cloth for me. She even figured out how to get the pattern correct for me (a lefty). Thanks Susan!!!!

Knitters Virtual Vacation Swap

Lis was my secret swap partner for the KVVS. I just got her package and absolutely love what she sent. She took me on a little tour of Chicago.

First to keep the sun out my eyes she sent me a beautiful pink Chicago baseball cap. She sent the most perfect colors of Lorna's Laces Sportweight. I've never tried Lorna's Laces before and it feels so soft, I can't wait to use it. She sent a mini 2008 calendar - great for my purse, a really nice knitting canvas bag from her favorite LYS - it's the perfect size for me, a Time Out Chicago magazine as well as a CD with pictures and info about the town, a beautiful washcloth of what I think is the Chicago skyline, a really cute blank knitting greeting card for me to use, and last but not least Gevalia French Roast coffee.

Thanks Lis, you're the best!!!