Toe by Turkey!!!

I managed to start the second half of Michael's first pair of hand knit socks using the Turkish Cast-On method. This was so much easier for me than any of the so-called Magic Cast On methods. I don't know why, but I could do this easily the first time following these instructions and I cannot get the Magic ones to work at all. Here are the instructions: http://fluffyknitterdeb.blogspot.com/2005/10/knitting-made-easier-turkish-cast-on.html

Thank you fluffyknitterdeb!

Here is the toe:
I have made a little bit of progress on the baby blanket. I am through two of the 7 repeats of the pattern sections.
It's better than how it appears here.As always, Happy Knitting!

Baby Blanket Bingo!

I did a medium amount of knitting this long weekend that I took to go down to Florida.


I did most of it on the baby blanket for my co-worker.

I have finished the first section of hearts and stars. I think they are adorable. It's about 20 percent done if I added up the number of rows correctly.

Here is a heart!

Here is a star!

I am really enjoying this now that I have seen the results of the first completed section. I don't love knitting with this yarn-it's kind of tough on the hands, but it creates a beautiful result. The discomfort is worth the result.

Happy Knitting!

Florida!!

If you don't want to see the pictures from last weekend, you can skip right past this post!

I went down to Sarasota to see the grandparents.


I ate alligator.
I saw tons of plants at the Marie Selby botanical gardens.

This one had spikes.


This one was about to eat Michael.


This one had a complex.

This one was sad.
This one was a gaudy showgirl.

These little gecko type beings loved these signs.


I saw my favorite flower.

I saw Mangrove trees.

These pitcher plants collect insects down at the bottom then make them into a slurry that the eat.

I knit a little too, want to see? It's in the next post up!

Florida!!

Well, I was in Florida all weekend-visiting the two remaining grandparents, so I didn't get to post. More to come tonight hopefully!

So, I didn't post Sunday........

because we finally painted the living room! As you can see, we still need to do the trim (and some touch-up around one outlet).

It went to this:



From this:On Sunday, and we managed to have dinner with my Dad and watch the Pats-Jets game for them and discuss wedding guest lists.

Michael did some manly work with my uncle Frank this Saturday as well.


I didn't post last night because I made a chicken curry for dinner and then made Mint-Chocolate Cupcakes for my knitting group.

I did finish a sock on Saturday! Now it needs a mate.
Kitty of course tried to get into boxes and managed to do so. Here is the exit strategy.

As always, Happy Knitting!

Interrupting your regular knitting content....

For some serious things I feel the need to get off my chest. If you don't like politics, skip this post, but come back tomorrow for some knitting content, please.

Sarah Palin and McCain must not win. It is simple as that. I can't handle it if they do. If McCain wins this election this country will continue down this path of alienating the rest of the world and will amplify the problems this country is already facing because of this. It's not just the economic issues this country will face and already is facing that I worry about, but for many years, America has stood for something more. America stood for democratic principles and in the world's eyes and my eyes America has lost that. It is already going to be an incredibly uphill battle for this country to redeem itself. We can't live in isolation from the rest of the world-it just doesn't work. For the rights the Constitution guarantees, McCain must not win. If he does, warrantless spying on American citizens will run rampant, freedom of speech will be trampled upon, your choice will be taken away from you, and hard working people will continue to be trampled and trodden upon economically to enrich the few incredibly wealthy Americans McCain hob knobs with.

This is all besides the point of how the environment will be raped in 4 years of McCain.

This is all besides the point of the blatant hypocrisy spouted by the Republican talking heads.

I urge you to register to vote if you have not already: the easiest way I have found is here: https://www.voteforchange.com/index.php?secure=ofa#

You fill in answers to questions and they fill out the form for you. You print it out and sign it and mail it in or deliver it and voila you are registered to vote. The deadline is October 15th. Go do it. NOW!

Also, your employer is required to give you time off to vote. Demand it or vote in the evening or morning. It's important, now more than ever.

UPDATE (EDIT): Someone on ravelry was kind enough to enlighten me about the actual last date to register. Here is the information they kindly passed on to me.

Anyway, your post about registering to vote by October 14th … and the last day to register actually depends on which state you live in! I’d hate for people to miss the deadline! You can click on your state on this map: https://ssl.congress.org/congressorg/e4/nvra/ and see what the deadline is.

Happy Labor Day Weekend

I had a great one, how about you? M and I spent the weekend on Chappaquiddick.


I went to an Farmers Market and an Artisans Festival with my sister, her friend and my stepmother.

Here my sister is with some fun yarn providing animals.

I bought a skein of sock yarn at the farmers market.
After the Farmers Market we went to the Artisans Festival.

I saw beautiful pottery.

I saw wooden toys.


I saw beautiful jewelry.

I saw more pottery.

I saw amazing garden planters.
I saw the brochure.
I saw more garden planters.
This one was really amazing and tall!

There were amazing wooden cutting boards-no prices listed, which means, if you have to ask, you can't afford it!

More beautiful pottery!
Then I saw old fashioned brooms, and they were beautiful.

They were beautifully handcrafted and beautifully displayed.


Then I got caught up looking at these unique necklaces.

I listened to some live music.

I then bought some more yarn-homegrown sheep, handdyed, and handspun and very, very reasonably priced.


Then in Oak Bluffs, I visited my favorite store there and saw the garden sculptures.

The next day the weather was better, so we went on a boat ride!
We saw the beach but didn't get out of the boat.

I did some sock knitting.
Here is all the yarn I purchased. The left three are from sheep raised by the woman who also dyes the yarn and spins the yarn. She was spinning at the Artisans Festival as well. I got 7.5 ounces of handspun (the turquoise yarn on the left for $32! The next is 3.5 ounces and was $15. The purple was 2.5 ounces for only $13. It's pretty and incredibly well priced. The yarn on the right is my Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm sock yarn. They also have worsted weight yarns, but I only got the sock yarn. It's color Red Socks Nation and is a really vibrant red. It's washed out in this picture. It was $17 for 400 yards and is soft but feels resilient.



HAPPY KNITTING!