Sidelined......

On the advice of my Physical Therapist, I was advised to stop knitting for a bit so my shoulder could respond to the therapy. I have complied due to the level of pain I am in, but man, it's hard.

I have a project right here beside me, lace actually, that I have flubbed up so badly, ripping the whole thing out is my only option. I had to inform the recipient that something was coming, but would be late due to a medical issue.

No needles in the hands means that I can cruise the kitchen, which is quite frankly, not good.

I am totally bummed out!!!!!!

Photo shoot.....

It was a beautiful day here in Maryland, with the temperatures reaching 72 degrees and Big Blue was begging for a photo shoot. My dear friend Lynne took these wonderful pictures. Enjoy...

Do you see the magic of the short rows. I love this sweater so much that I will most likely knit another.

This cozy shawl collar doubles as a hood and has styling options.   :-)

Love, love, love.....

The Day After....

I really dislike the saying, "Black Friday", it sounds so bleak. I also am annoyed that the retailers have all but blown by Thanksgiving with not so much as a glance. Oh the life of big retail.

I did work today and business was indeed brisk. I definately went home exhausted and unfortunately, in much pain. I did take a 1/2 a pain pill, so you won't get the as big a thrill as last time, haha, but it may be enough to make me comfortable.

Knitting is limbo at the moment....big bummer I tell you. I have gifts that I have to make and I can feel the panic starting.....!

We had Bryce's room painted today and it really looks beautiful. He came home and he was so happy and with the curtains I have ordered, it will really look sharp. If I can't knit, I can redecorate.

I just ordered some Christmas gifts online....I so love shopping online. No crappy people to deal with, no parking hassles and you can do it in your pajamas. You all know I love my pajamas!!!!

Okay, lots less pain. I am sure that cruising Ravelry and all that is not really good for this shoulder/neck/back .... You see that three body parts are now involved.... I think the other two got jealous and decided to mess with me.

I do have some new beauties to share with you, but hubby must have the camera because I can't find it anywhere. We can play catch up on Monday.

Happy knitting to those of you who can knit! :-)

Happy Thanksgiving to all...

I started the day off my by rewarding myself for all the cooking ahead, with a Signature Circular Needle with my name engraved on it....can't wait to get them. The engraving is new and frankly, how can you not.

My parents are in New York City enjoying the Macy's Day Parade!! Have a blast Mom and Dad.

The boys are at church. I get a pass because I am cooking. I plan on relaxing once all the cooking is done because I am working tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday. I suspect that the yarn shop will not be anything like the mall.

I wish you all a wonderful day filled with family, new memories and delicious food.

Dear Clothing Designers and Department Store Buyers.....

What the hell!!! Yes, you heard me. I am a person, who lived for fashion, and I mean the CLASSIC kind. Beautifully cut blazers, fantastic pants, beautiful sweaters, I had it all and I wore it all. I was always shopping and there was always something to lust after. Now, I just feel sick whenever I have to go to the Mall....a damn shame I tell you.

Now, it is a complete and utter chore to hit the clothing stores where I have a very difficult time hiding my disgust at the fall of classic fashion. In all honesty, I would rather continue to wear my "older classics", than buy anything that is currently out there today.

Also, dear clothing designers, I know that your models are all 13 years old and the size of a nat, but we women, here in the real world, have curves!!! Yep, curves...you heard it here first. We have breast and hips and bottoms and I would prefer that the waist on my pants actually land somewhere near there, not 4 feet beneath!!!

I found myself talking to myself in the dressing room about the crappy clothes and inflated prices and lack of classic clothing.

Also, Dear Clothes Buyers, not all Petites want to wear Alfred Dunner!! How about getting some Ralph Lauren, Jones New York, Michael Kors...all have beautiful petite lines, it just totally gets my ass out that there isn't ONE thing in your departments that I would even consider buying....NOTHING!! I always leave empty handed and totally pissed off. Talbots, even you have broken my heart! Always the classic were you, until you went down the wrong road and tried to do "trendy"......a big FAIL!!! I even wrote you and told you I was boycotting you until you until we resolved our differences. I haven't been able to buy your pants for many years....Waist, Waist, Waist....that is where we want our pant to be!!!

So until you get your act together, I remain on my boycott of all crappy clothing! Besides, when I see your sweaters, I can make it better!!!

Sorry folks, I just had to get that out. As you can see, that was festering for quite awhile.

Knitting news......

Don't knit two different shawls at the same time, mass confusion may take place. I now have two problems on my hands!  :-P

Tink, Tink. Tink....

I was working on my friends birthday gift last night and I thought all was going well until I came to a spot and there was that familiar nagging feeling, "this isn't right", which of course, I ignored. Yep, one lone stitch remained....checked my knitting, all seemed right with the world, but I tinked back to the beginning of the row and it came out OK after that, the next row, again, one odd stitch, now I am annoyed, but I keep going and nope, something is wrong. Did I forget to mention that I was knitting LACE and you just can't mess it up or it looks like crap.

Hubby was sitting with me on the couch and he heard my rather loud SIGH and asked what was wrong. I proceeded to tell him and then he got that glazed look that told me he didn't really need all the information I was giving him. So, I put down and walked away for a bit. Gave us a little break from each other.

After a snack and some thought, I carefully tinked back 3 rows until I got the my stitch count back to where it needed to be. I guess knitting lace while watching a movie with Bryce and getting up every 5 minutes to do something really don't mix. I will keep that knitting for when nobody is home.

I have to get ready for work!

Have a great day and happy knitting!

Smitten with Shawls....

Ravelry is just so darn addicting!! I spend more time on the internet surfing for fabulous patterns, than I do knitting. That is not good. I may have to have hubby take the "hot spot" to work with him, if I can't get this under control.

Last night was Small Shawls group where I work and boy did we have a good time!! There was wine and lots of laughter and I didn't knit a darn stitch. Sometimes we just need the company of woman folk. I am pretty sure the wine helped, as things were getting pretty silly there at one point.

Neck and shoulder are not so hot today, little stiff and cranky, which makes me cranky. I will have to say that the PT guy was awesome and I will be seeing him twice a week. Icy Hot and I have parted ways and I have a new friend, BioFreeze, he works wonders on all things achy.

I just finished reorganizing all my patterns and I must say that the shawls out number all of my other loves such as socks, scarfs and sweaters. So many things to knit, so little time.

Sorry, no pictures today. I haven't found a really great picture of me and Big Blue yet either. I did however debut it last night and everyone loved it. It was warm and cozy and light and just perfect!

Needles in hand.....

Nothing like a trip into the physical therapists office to have everything feeling so much better. I am so thankful that they could get me in so quickly.

I am working gingerly on a shawl for my best friend. I was a bit apprehensive about trying a new pattern, but this is proving to be an easy knit with fantastic directions.

The pattern is called Violets are Blue and the designer is Rose Beck. I actually bought an Ebook of her patterns and I just love them. I am knitting this is The Sanguine Gryphon Bugga, the colorway is Chickweed Geometer Butterfly, a pretty golden peachy color. The shoulder issue had this sidelined for a day, but I am back to knitting it. I have a deadline....and it's fast approaching.

I have heard some great things about a yarn called KPPPM and I decided that I needed to have some. The colors are heavenly. I see another fantastic shawl with this.

It's called Dried Flowers, isn't it pretty.

I have my small shawls group tonight and about a million things to do before Bryce gets home.

Happy Knitting1

My poor arm....

I knew I was heading in a bad direction with my shoulder when the pain started to wake me up during the night and I must have hit a peak today because I could barely move my neck....so not good when driving. Add to that, a trip to eye doctor where they dialate my eyes and I have to somehow get home. I thank the heavens it was an extremely overcast day, otherwise, this would have been a really bad thing.

Basically, I get home and rest for about 1 hour before I meet the bus and take Bryce to karate. It is now 8:30 pm and we are still doing homework and I gave in and actually took an actual pain pill. Should it kick in while doing this post, things might get really wild or I nod off, I'll keep you posted.

Knitting is on hold until I can raise my arm without swearing or crying! This is what happens when you ignore something long enough.....long pause.......meds are kicking in.......aaaaahhhhhh!

The girls will take pictures of me in Big Blue tomorrow. My picture looks crappy! The sweater is so wonderful that you just want to wrap yourself up in it. Did I mention that you can wear it several ways and that all that short row knitting creates ASS MAGIC, I might have to brand that!!

While on medical leave from knitting, I helped my friend Angie score 2 beautiful skeins of Wollmeise and I got one too. It's great when you start yarn shopping for your friends!!

In short, look for more professional photo's on Thursday.

Happy Knitting!!!

Can I get an AMEN ??

Done, done, done and done!! Finished, complete, all done!! What you ask is done, BIG BLUE is DONE!!! It has been blocked and all the ends have been woven in and it is ready to wear. Yes, there are pictures, it's just not on me and I was too tired after an extremely busy day at the shop to get pictures of me in it, but I put it on the chair and here it is. When I wear it to the shop on Wednesday, I will get some really good pictures of me wearing it. This picture really does not do it any justice, but I can't wait for you to see it!

What is next you ask???? Well, I am working on Ishbel, a shawlette for the shop in Madeline Tosh Pashmina (super yummy), and I have started a shawlette for a friends birthday. I have a double moss cardigan floating around in my mind...a possible New Year's project.

Blg Blue progress.....

I have been working on Big Blue and I am about 2 inches from a finished sleeve....one more to go. I would have been done sooner, but my shoulder is giving me fits, so there are lots of breaks in the knitting process. I smell like Icy Hot, looking for anything to help relieve the pain and keep me knitting. I suspect a little PT is again in my future! The sweater looks beautiful and I can't wait to wear it.

I am working tomorrow and Sunday, and really hope to block this sweater by Wednesday, the latest. I was going to take a picture of it, but it looks freakish with just one sleeve.

Finally, tomorrow, getting a much needed haircut and what not.....what not is code for color. I always feel so much better after a good cut and color.

The sweater is yelling, knit me...so I will for about another hour.

Happy Knitting Everyone.

Shopping, Soup and some knitting!

Today was a busy domestic day. These are necessary at least once a week. It involved the usual suspects, the grocery store and the stove. I had roasted a chicken on Sunday and chicken soup was on the dinner menu this week as was a banana bread and a meatloaf, our dinner tonight. By the time the groceries were bought and put away, it was time for lunch and then time to get cooking, literally.

I promised myself I would get knitting by 2:00 and I was right on target. Well, on target to sit and watch TV apparently and once I relaxed, I knit for about 1 hour.

 Big Blue is looking awesome!! Sleeves make a BIG difference  :-P...

I swung by the shop on the way to Karate and purchased one of the two sweater quantity of yarns I have been hoarding for a couple of months...more yarn!! I keep promising myself no more big project...I am a BIG LIAR!!! And I have knitting friends we are fantastic enablers!! They call me from work and tell me to look at this and look at that, they are giving me yarn lust.

Here's a little something to tide you over until I have some great pictures for you....yes, it's yarn!

A little Bugga never hurt anybody!