MORE SOS 07

OK I have one pair of socks done and two others started. I just couldn't help it I had to work with these two yarns and I love them both. I also have a bad habit of getting bored with the pattern after awhile so It's good that I have two going at the same time that way I can switch back and forth. The pastel colored sock that actually has a heel in some wool/angora blend that I got off of Ebay and the pattern is the Yarn over cable from Sensational knitted socks by Charlene Schurch. The other one is also a wool yarn that I got off of ebay and is the 3x3 cable with moss stitch out of the same book. I have only done cables once before and that was on a dishcloth and I am happy to say they are looking very nice. well Its either back to knitting since the kids are asleep or to bed!!!! I'm not sure which, I think I'll knit for a little bit longer.

my first sock is done for sos07

Ok so this is my first sock that I completed this morning. Now I need to get the next one started. I messed up on the toe but oh well, I guess this whole thing is more of a learning experience than anything.

SUMMER OF SOCKS 2007

Well, I did another crazy thing..... I joined the summer of socks 2007. The reason that this is so crazy is that I have never actually turned a heel before today. This was one of my 2007 knitting goals for myself and is one of the reasons that I joined the summer of socks 07 to motivate me to accomplish this goal. Since today is the start of the contest I went to the silvers sock knitting tutorial and began my first sock. As you can see in the pictures I have made it through the heel part and now down the foot I go. I am so proud of myself!!!!!!



I'm knitting the socks out of Jojoland Kaleidoscope, color HM22.... It reminds me of orange and raspberry sherbert. I'm using size 2 dpn's. These will be ankle socks for myself.

New mystery

Wow, I guess you could say that I love a good mystery!!! For I have started two New mystery shawl knit alongs and thought that I would share my progress with you all.

The first one is from the mystery shawl KAL from goddes knits. I will have to say I have had alot of trouble with this one. I have started it 5 times with 4 different yarns and finally like what I'm getting. This is the picture of clue 1 and I will be starting clue 2 tonight after my SIL delivers a printed copy of it for me ( I don't have a printer right now) . This shawl is knit from the top down and will be a triangle shape. I'm doing this on size 6 needles and am using Cherry Tree Hill Supersock yarn.



The second one is from the SASE yahoo group and this is also week one completed. This shawl is more of a stole as far as I can tell right now but who knows it is a mystery and you never know when somethings going to change. The picture is only of a portion of it so I could show more of the detail. This one I am knitting on size 8 needles and am using 100% baby alpaca.

wowser another crazy month, wild hairs and I've been tagged

You all probably have wondered what's happened to me!!!! Well where do you want me to start???? Ok, the beginning of the month was pretty basic up until this last week when on Wednesday when my son broke his big toe on his left foot. Let me tell you what a nightmare that has been. But, I will spare you the not so nice details, Hunter ended up getting a cast from below his knee to past his toes just to protect that broken toe because he couldn't stand the tape and wouldn't leave a spint on. So know I have to deal with the crying of "it itches" every night. Thank God for Benedryl that helps him sleep and forget about the itch. So know he is out of T-Ball for this summer but Autumn still plays and Hunter sits in the stands cheering his team on.

As for knitting, I have been a busy beaver in that respect. I guess you could say I'm addicted to knitting. That is a good thing!!!!

so, I have had many exciting knitting experiences and am thrilled to share them. First, I finally got a wild hair and knit my first hat, I couldn't just stop at one so I ended up doing two, the first picture is of Trinity and the second two are Autumn. Autumn's hat is made out of my very first handspun yarn, 100% alpaca. If I could reach into my computer I'd kiss those cute faces. Oh well, I guess I'll have to sneak in there rooms for that since they are sleeping now.




After, I got done with the hats I had another wild hair and this one I am simple impressed with myself on!!!! It is a first... are you ready to hear what I did.??????? I knit Trinity a tank top and skirt without a pattern, I just sat down one day and it flowed out of my brain and to my hands and then to those knitting needles. I have to say I am very proud of myself and I am almost finished with a skirt just like Trinity's for a co-worker of mine. I couldn't contain myself, I had to share it. I eventually will probably write up a pattern and I'm thinking of posting it on my blog, but that is still up for debate. The last picture is a better picture of the finished skirt since it was washed and blocked lightly.






Ok, if that wasn't exciting enough for all of you. I had another first, I finished my Mystery shawl and just got done blocking it. I have to admit, it is not perfect but neither am I. I do have to say that I am happy with the finished results considering this is also knitted with my own handspun yarn.



Ok so for the last wild hair........... I decided to enhance my stash, do you all want to guess how many skeins are in the picture???? Oh, go ahead let's have some good clean fun.



Ok now for some more fun.... I've been tagged by RaAnn of Wichet stitch so here is what I have to do....

Rules of the Game
1. Reveal 7 random items about myself
2. tag 7 people and list their names here. then direct them to my blog to read the rules of the game

So here we go

7 random things about myself

1. I am an archery buff, love to shoot in competitions
2. I hate the cupboard doors left open
3. I am a pack rat
4. I can't live without my Mountain Dew
5. I am an Interior Designer as well as a Registered Nurse
6. I taught myself how to knit
7. I love to collect cookbooks

so, Now for the seven to be tagged

1. Amelia Ask The Bellwether
2. Leah UFO KNIT CLUB
3. Janet Janets Knitting Room
4. Rachel Rachels Knitting Corner
5. Andi Things Stitched
6. Smariek knits
7. lilibethsgarden

These are all blogers and members of yahoo groups that I belong to that I look to for inspiration and they have done a good job of that. Thanks guys.

What a Month it has been

Wow, I can't believe that it has been a month since I updated this blog. ALOT has happened. First, all three of the kids were sick and to the doctor probably more than 10 times total and lots of medicine and general crabiness because they got a virus that then decided to hang around as sinus infections and add to that Autumn's asthma acting up it was not fun. I think we finally have them back to good health!!??
As for Hunter and his sensory issues all went to pot this last month with him being sick, He was so lethargic that we had to stop his listening therapy because all he did was lay around and sleep, eating was not even thought of. I think he went for 3 days at one point without eating because he felt so bad. As least he would drink. so now that he is better, all of his behaviors have come back... Biting, hitting, screaming, jumping, and in general just plain defiant. so that was the crap of the month so now for some fun..... Autumn started Soccor and has had her first two games of wich they lost both. She informed me that she does not want to be in soccor next year because it's just to much running. I can live with that considering that she has asthma and it is alot for her. T-Ball has also started. Autumn and Hunter are on the same team this year and they had there first practice this last monday evening. Autumn did great and well Hunter not so great. He spent the first half of the practice screaming at us and the poor coaches had no idea what to do with him and then he noticed his coach from last year and said I will practice if my old coach helps me!!! Wow what a memory. So I went to speak with her and she was happy to help. After 10 minutes he agreed to be out on the field by himself and was excited for the next practice. WOW, is about all I can say, but considering, I'm just happy he stoped screaming!!!! I'm hoping that this will get better once he gets back into the swing of things with therapy. As for Miss Trinity, she will occasionally decide to dig her BM out of her diaper and smear it everywhere, But since has told me "Mommy, I'm poopy" and then she will run and get a diaper and lay down. I think it's time to potty train that girl!!!! We'll see how well that goes. As for Aaron my DH, the poor guy has been working six 12 hour days a week and it doesn't look like it's going to change anytime soon. :((
As for my knitting alot has happened I have purchased several books they are pictured and I can't believe the great deal that I got on them. So heres the list:
1. Knitting Simple Sweaters from Luxurous Yarn $5.98 at Barns and Noble What a deal!!!
2. Victorian Lace Today $ 29.95 at Barns and Noble, regular price but so worth it
3. Lace Style $24.95 from Barns and Noble, again regular price but very worth it.
the remainder of the books I got form crafters Choice book club and I couldn't be happier all for a total of $27.95
4. Beautiful Knitting by Luce smits
5. 101 one skein wonders
6. The knitter's bible knitted accessories
7. 100 knitting projects
8. the yarn girls' guide to beyond the basics
Thats 8 books for $88.83 that's $11.10 average each


this is a picture of the featherlight lingerie dress in the Lace style book that I am just in love with and will hopefully get to knit it before the summer is over. Leah, this is the pattern that I was asking you about.

This picture is some of my spinning that I have done. On the bobbin is some merino/silk from Yarn or a Tale. it is so super soft that I just can't wait to get it finished and plyed. hopefully this week yet. the skein in the middle is some mohair that I bought on ebay. It turned out really nice but, I wish I had more of it. I could have also plyed it a little tighter. Oh well, it's the first time spinning mohair. The skein on the far right is 100% alpaca that is what I would call a heavy lace weight or fingering weight. I plan on using this for the SASE yahoo groups first KAL that starts on the 7th. We will be knitting a scarf this time.
AHHHHH finally last but not least.

This is the mystery shawl that I almost have finished. I only have a little bit of the boarder to do and then the fun task of blocking it. I can't wait to get it done, I'm sort of getting to the point of not wanting to work on it, but then again the excitement of almost being done keeps me going. I'll post pictures of it after I get it all finished
Well, that's all for tonight. I know what was I thinking waiting to put all of this on one day. I guess that's what I get for not posting for a month. Thanks for reading, I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments.

HUNTER AND A NEW MYSTERY!!

Wow what a week it has been. Last Wednesday the 28th of March, Hunter had more testing for ADHD and autism for which they did not find. That is a blessing!!! Dealing with a global sensory child in itself is enough. I was a rough day, Hunter managed to only make one girl older than him cry!!!! I still don't know what he said to her but it must have been enough to make her cry.

Now for the Mystery!!!!! this is the picture of the new mystery shawl that I'm working on. This is clue 1 and 2 complete.





Got to go help with homework and bed

I think I'm in Love.....

This I think... No I know I'm in love with!!!! This is my first spun yarn after buying my wheel and receiving it 3 weeks ago. I went to have a class with the lady I bought my wheel from last thursday and she said " you don't need to be taught anything, Your a natural!" WOW what a compliment!. This is 100% alpaca. there is approximately 682 yards and weighs about 8 oz on my kitchen scale. This yarn is a bulky yarn I would most likely knit it with size 9-11 US needles. I'm not sure what I will use this for as of yet but, I'm sure something with be calling it name/



this is some wool that I tried to make into lace weight, but It does not have enough twist. I guess I will have to spin faster!!




These two pictures are of clue 1 of the mystery shawl KAL. I spun this myself!!!! I'm so impressed. this is a 50 merino and 50 silk from the Copper Moose in black cherry. There is about 840 yards in the ball and skein that needs to be wound up. I think I will do one more skein but just a little bigger and we'll see if that will be enough for the whole shawl. I'm not sure but I don't want to spin more that what I need. I'd like some left for some lace weight. I am using a size 7 needle.



OK, well that's all for knitting at the moment. I need to get to bed tomarrow Hunter has a appointment at the University of Iowa for testing for ADHD and Autism. We have to leave at 6:00 am and hopefully will make it home by 6:00pm. So, I need to try to sleep but I don't think I'll get much. To much on the mind:((

Happy Knitting

Now we can see what I've been up to

This is my Ashford Traveller. (and my messy kitchen. Who wants to clean when this arives!!!!????). Well, now I just have to figure out what to name her. I know there are several people who have named there wheels. Any Suggestions????? Doesn't hurt to ask!!



OK, does this not look like a purple nightmare?????!!!! This is my first spinn on my wheel on Wednesday night. I actually don't think the the spinning was all that bad. But, I tryed to ply it and I have no idea really how to do that so that just might be the issue. Of course it's was a freebie so that's ok.


This is 3.2 oz of suri alpaca form Alpacas D'Auxvasse. I think I'm in love with this fiber. It is easy to work with and just so soft that you want to use it as a pillow. The only thing that I noticed is that it is a fuzzy yarn. I'm not sure if this is due to my inexperience or just the way it is supposed to be. I have not plyed it yet for I am waiting to have my first spinning class with the lady I bought my wheel from. I'm hopeing this coming Thursday.



This is what I am currently working on. It is a deep red superwash wool from The Sheep Shed Studio. I just have to keep reminding myself.... thin but not to thin. It's going well so far.

I would love to hear feedback from all you spinners out there, when I get back on Yahoo, You'll know because you'll actually get an email from me asking you to take a look at this.


As for Yahoo, I have not heard anything from them yet. I guess yesterday I couldn't firgure out pictures for this blog and today my Yahoo issure. I guess there always has to be something going to crap or it just would not be my life.

Keep spinning

Yahoo deactivated my account!!!!

I can't belive it I email 5 of my yahoo groups requesting help with the whole not being able to put a picture on my blog and I get 35 undeliverable emails back to me. Then latter I find out that they deactivated my account. Now after talking to custermer service I have to wait for 12-48 hours for them to review my case and determine it they are going to reactivate it. I can't believe this shit. Oh well I guess I will keep spinning. I already have one spool full of some beautiful alpaca.

I got my Ashford Traveller and look what I've got so far

UGG I cant stand this. I finally found my camera and now I can't upload pictures to my blog for some odd reason. I'm doing exactly the same as I did before and it just keeps telling no file was sellected after I hit the upload button. I wish someone could tell me what the heck I'm doing wrong. anyway I guess I will spin some more. I love this.

Hunters OT sessions and some knitting

I know it's been a few weeks since I posted about Hunter, they have been some very busy weeks. Hunter has has thus far 4 OT therapy sessions and thus far. I have seen some much needed and suprisingly quick changes in Hunter. Here are some of the things that I have noticed from before starting therapy to present.

1. hunter would not eat until 9:00 pm. now he eats when we do. He still is a little vocal about not being hungry but then decides that he is indead hungry. He is still picky about what he will eat but we give him two options and he picks one.
2. before therapy Hunter would not go to bed until around 11pm. Now he is usually asleep by 8:30-9:00. this is a nice little treat. He seams to be actually getting enough sleep now.
3. Before therapy Hunter would hit, punch and throw things at his younger sister and frequently say that he hates babies. He would also say the he hates us (his parents). Now he will go for days or sometimes weeks before he says I hate you and I cant recall the last time he said he hated Trinity. As for the throwing and hitting it is also on the decline.
4. He actually now says Please and Thanks you!!!!! before threapy he wouldn't.
5. before therapy he would always make us carry him in/out of school complaining that his legs were to tired. He no longer does this.
6. he would not ride his bike. Now today since it was around 70 degrees. He rode it slowly for several hours and never once complained or go angry. He actually was outside playing with his sisters for more than 4 hours. This is something that he would only do for about an hour this last fall because he said he was to tired.


Those are the ones that I can think of at the moment and I am really pleased with his progress. As for what he has been working on at therapy....
1. brushing and joint compressions
2. laying on his side and spinning around 10 times in both directions to music with his eyes closed
3. having his arms cross midline and touch the opposite leg in a marching rhythm. This last time was the first that he has tried and it was very intersting to see him try this.
4. music therapy
5. following a flash of light with only his eyes. This is very hard for him, he actually ends up moving his entire body.
6. wheel barrel walking.
and some others that I can't think of right now.

as for at home his sensory diet consists of the following
1. music therapy for 30 minutes two times a day
2. brushing and joint compressions every two hours
3. wheel barrel walking.

Hunter will have his appointment at the University of Iowa hospital for further testing including autism on the 28th of this month. It is an all day evaluation with several differnt people. It will be intersting to see how well he does. I will let you all now afterwards.

OK now for some knitting.

I have purchased a spinning wheel and still await its arrival. In the meantime I have been busy researching differnt fibers and having fun ordering some. I also purchased a drop spindle starter kit from someone on ebay and that arrived to day. I had a few minutes to play with it and spun a little just to see what I could do and well a spindle is not as easy as it sounds in the instructions that came with it. I wish that I could find my digital camara, it has for some reason disapeared. I hope I find it soon so I can get some feeback on my first attemps. In the meantime I'm working on a sock that I hope with fit Autumn, If anything it will be to big but not by much and I'll probably end up saving it for this next cold season. So regardless It will have a pair of feet in which to travel on. Well that's all for tonight, I'm going back to searching for the camera or just simply go to be for once early!!!! If you call 11pm early.

NEW ADVENTURES IN FIBER

Ok, so I've been thinking about buying a spinning wheel and today I went to look at the Ashford Joy and the Ashford Traveler. I fell in love with the traveler and just didn't want to leave without taking one home with me. But, It had to be ordered. I should receive it next week around Wednesday. I can't wait. Now I just have to figure out where my wheel will be stored. I think that I will clean out my bedroom closet and store it in there when I'm not using it so the little ones won't get into trouble. As for fibers, I have a few ordered and hopefully they will arive around the same time next week. Wouldn't that be sad..... A wheel and NO fiber!!!!!! When I get it assembled and get a little bit of fiber spun I will post a picture. What an adventure this will be!!!

I'm finally Home!!!!

Wow, What a weekend. I left on Friday at 4pm and finally made it back home tonight from work in Cedar Rapids because of the lovely ice/snow storm that Iowa received. I was lucky to find a hotel room and didn't have to stay at the hospital. There were alot of nurses that were unable to get to work and many that couldn't get home like me. I went prepared and glad that I did. since I got there on Friday I ended up working three 12 hour shifts and one 8 hour shift. Which means that I have a chunk of money that I can put towards my knitting. I have no idea as of yet what I"m going to buy but I'm sure that I'll find something that I just can't live with out. Well time for bed in my own house.

my AMH DCX and monthly bookmark Feb mid month KAL

I finished my monthly bookmark Feb Mid Month KAL today. I was even able to get it blocked. I love the way that it turned out. I had some left over pink 100% cashmere that I used and it is super soft. I was originally going to give it away as a gift but now I might just keep it for myself. The other picture is what I received from my At My House dishcloth exchange partner Lynn Anderson. I just love the heart cloth. I'm actually a little envious because I can not crochet. Maybe one day I'll have time to learn.

Mid Feb KAL and Leaf dishcloth

Here are two dishclothes that I just finished. The green leaf one I started two days before my monthly dishcloth KAL began and I finished it the day that the KAL started. I think that it really turned out nice and will be making more of these in the future. The Pink varigated dishcloth is the Feb Mid Month KAL that I just completed. I really like this one also and would like to thank Andi for this design and all the hard work that she, Janet and Carol do for the monthy dishcloth KAL yahoo group. With out them I wouldn't have been able to knit such beatuiful dishclothes. I have learned alot from this group.

Hunters hearing evaluation

well, Hunter had his hearing tested today. The left hear has normal hearing and the right ear has a 40% hearing loss at low tones. They were unable to do a complete hearing evaluation because he would not sit still and the audiologist had no patience to continue to work with him. The Dr. said that he wanted to wait until Hunter was closer to 7 before considering him for surgery to repair his right ear drum. So, I guess we wait some more. Oh well. In the meantime I'm going to start music therapy with the OT to see if that helps some with his sensory issues.

my recent finished knitted projects

Ok, so this last week has been a heck of a week, very busy. I just was able to sit down yesterday and knit and knit I did. I just recently joined a bookmark KAL and did there Feb KAL. It was alot of fun. I also about two weeks ago made a pair of tube socks that were supposed to be for my son but they were to small for him so Trinity ended up with them. She loves them. I have never made socks before and have one started for myself I haven't had much time to work on that one lately. I'll get to it sometime. As for other thinks that I'm knitting, I have a mystery shawl knit along that I'm working on. I'm on chart 4 and hopefully will get that done today as long as Hunter and Trintiy behave themselves. I'll see how far I get today and see if I can get a picture of the shawl posted tonight. this is the first time that I have ever taken on a project like this and I think that it is the start of many more to come.

Hunter's second evaluation

Well today Hunter had his second evaluation done. This one was more indepth than the first one that was done. I took 3 hours for the OT to get him to do everything that she need him to do. It was actually very interesting to watch. You could just tell when he was starting to get frustrated but was trying to control it. what he would do is stick his tongue out, start panting almost to the point of hyperventilating and his feet would be going a million miles and hour. There was so much body movement that it made it hard for him to do what he was suposed to do. This is something that I have never seen him do before. well except the breathing part, he has done that before but not very often at home. Basically Hunter is for the most part a sensory seeker in almost all areas and a sensory avoider in only a few areas, I couldn't remember which ones exactly. But, he is global, meaning he has issues in all the areas. I'll get a full report from her next week. There is alot that needs to be done for Hunter. The OT said that she is first going to strengthen his core. I'm hoping that some of you reading this understands this because I'm not. She also wants to do some music therapy, but first I have to get Hunters hearing tested to see what frequencies he actually hears since he has a hearing loss to begin with prior to his right ear drum rupturing. So he will probably have a more significant one now. She also did some visual tests and want me to look into a developmental optometrist. Which is very intersting because one of my yahoo groups sent a newsletter on that very topic tonight. I'll have to read it when I don't have a headache.

During some of the writing or drawing parts of the test Hunter could not do them unless he used both hands to hold the pencil or if the OT wouldn't let him do that, then he would wedge the pencil in his armpit. He is very ridgid in his movements. I guess that I never noticed that with him at home. I'll have to check with school and see if they notice that. Oh speaking of school. I requested that Hunter be evaluated for a IEP, since he has a prior one and I want to see what they say. The teacher said that that is fine but she does not think that he will get one because Hunter does fine when he's in school. Hunters one of those--- great in school and melts down and processes everything after school, Yeh for me!!!- not. The OT that evaluated Hunter today saw that right away and asked if he does this. I can't believe the amount of things that she picked up on with Hunter. The other thing that Hunter did today was very very interesting, Just watching him you could see him transform from a happy energetic 4 1/2 year old to a very tired lethargic boy a 1 hour 1/2 into the evaluation. This is when he started to try to get out of doing everything, I have to go to the bathroom, I can't do that, I don't want to do that, when are we done, can we go home now were all things that he tried to pull to get out of dealing with the stress of the evaluation. I started to feel horrible at this point but I knew that we had to continue and just tried to encourage him to do so. I had to bribe him towards the end with McDonalds. It worked and he made it through, but not without telling the OT that he didn't like her any more and didn't want to come back. He then decided to scream at her when she offered him a sticker for doing all the things that she asked of him. But that he didn't get then, but that's ok he's not to big into stickers anyway. So Hunter will go back next tuesday for actual therapy to start and since my insurance company allows 60 treatment sessions a year, I think this will be a weekly tuesday outing for us for a long time.

What a day 1/25/07

Ok so, what a day it was. Hunter actually went to bed last night and stayed there. As did everyone else. Today was interesting when I thought Trinity was asleep and she walkes ever so quietly up to me and yells "mama, popo" Oh boy, poop there was from head to toe on this child. She's been doing that lately. The minute she does her business off comes the diaper and smear away. You'd think that after the first time of stinky poo in you hair, hands and face that she wouldn't do it again, but nope round two of poo everywhere this evening. I'm tired of giving here baths and she has horrible ezcema so that does not do it any good. So for Hunter he had an ok day, He screamed and yelled alot. His two favorite phrases are " I hate baby's" and " I hate you forever" . Tonight Aaron took Hunter and Autumn sledding and you would have thought that would have worn him out. Not at all, he came home and had to run in circles in the living room for an hour. Drove me nuts. But anyway. I hopeing to get Hunter to the Witwer childrens therapy center next week. I'll probably get a phone call on Monday to set that up.
As for the picture. that was after sledding tonight when they were running around, I managed to get them to stop for 2 seconds for a quick picture.

Pam