More Fingerless Mitts

I found a cable pattern I wanted to try and lo and behold, they are on a pair of fingerless mitts. I haven't gotten out of my need to make these things yet. I made a mistake in reading the pattern (really it was that I didn't read the pattern and started knitting what I thought I should do), but they came out alright. Have you picked up that I like making fingerless mitts yet?

My First Knit A Long

Ravelry is one of my guilty pleasures. I can stay on the site for hours looking at patterns and yarn and yarn and patterns. One of the things that interested me was something listed as a KAL. Looking that up, I found out it was a Knit A Long. Groups of people knit an item at the same time. Some are mystery KALs and you are only given bits of the pattern at a time and you don't know until the end what you are making. For my first KAL, I was not that brave. I picked a hat KAL. I knew what it looked like before I started and I liked the look of the hat. I did do a modification of the pattern and changed it to a beret instead of the slouchy hat it was originally. I think it turned out ok.

Cat Hat

I saw this cute pattern and had to give it a try. Easy peasy. It is now the property of Cara. She wore it to school to participate in a fund raiser for Haiti earthquake relief. The hat was a hit.

My Baby is What?

Who told her she could grow up? I know I didn't. She didn't ask me and went ahead and did it anyway. Bratty kid. She is 18 and in the eyes of the world, she is considered an adult. Not to me. To me, she is the little girl who had to reach up to hold my hand. The one who cried when she started preschool. The girl who would constantly demand "Read bookt!" and we would read books all day long. That girl is still here, but in a beautiful, different package. Happy Birthday, my Robyn. I love you very much.

Can I Pretend it is Blonde?

My hair. My hair. Well...it is starting to come back in, but it is white. I am calling the color very platinum blonde. I plan to channel Billy Idol or Annie Lennox.

Look Mom! I Can Knit Cables.

I present my final pair of mitts to be donated to the GSD rescue. I have been wanting to try cables and this was the project. It was so easy! It looks hard and complicated, but it isn't. Thanks to YouTube, I found a great video and was on my way.

First Day of School

School started today. Why does it have to start so early in August? The school board needs to check with me. Single digit dates in August is way too soon. Cara is now an upperclassman at her school. Seeing that there are only two grades at the school leaves upper or lower. I cannot believe she will be in high school next year. I am having a really hard time getting my head around that.

More Mitts of the Fingerless Variety

I am still knitting fingerless mitts. They are so fun. These will go along with the other pair for the GSD rescue.

Painting Class with M. Douglas Walton

Back in June when Phillip and Robyn were up at Freshman Orientation, they were looking for a building to find their next workshop. They saw a couple of people across the street and decided to ask for directions. The people were happy to show them the way and they talked a bit while they walked. The man wanted to know what Robyn planned to major in and was excited to hear she was a Studio Art major. He was an artist and was currently teaching a watercolor class nearby. He invited them to visit the class and see what they were working on. Robyn came home from orientation very excited about the class and we decided to take the class together. I will be honest. I only took the class to spend time with her before she leave for college.

The class was a lot of fun. I don't think I was ever able to let loose and go with the creative painting process. My paintings looked more like unicorn barf, but it was fun trying out the techniques he taught us.

Doug is one of the most interesting people I have ever met. He invited the class to his house after one of the classes and I was amazed. He lives in a museum or what could be a museum. Everywhere you looked there were treasures to see. He took us through his entire house, including the bathrooms and his clothes closet. Yes, there were cool things to see even in there. He has been to a bazillion countries and has been given items from some he has not been to...yet. I didn't get to see his separate studio building and storage building. I was having major hot flashes (thank you medication) and had to go sit down and fan myself before I passed out. Robyn gave me a report and said the other buildings were just as jaw dropping as his home.

It was a great three days. I met an interesting person, explored another side of my creative self, but the best part was that I was able to spent time with my baby.

Oh...the picture below is one of Robyn's. It turned out so beautiful that it is now framed and hanging in the house. I need to take a picture of it and post it below.