SpiderWomanKnits

Hey, remember this? Jessalu showed the blog world a side of me I didn't even know I had until tons of free yarn were shoved in my face and all my loyal ties were severed so I could be the quickest one to the pile. It was a shameful day for me, a glorious victory for my stash and as it turns out for my son. There were 10 skeins of a heathered grey Lite Lopi in the bag just begging to be knit into a cozy, simple, sweatshirt style sweater. And here it is.

A top down raglan knit in one piece from my all time favorite basics book One Piece Knits that Fit that I stumbled upon in a used book store eons ago before I even knew how to knit. The knitting gods must have been happy because the morning after I finished weaving in the ends we woke up to an unseasonably warm day for New England and my son could wear the sweater around on its own. Much to my surprise about 5 people commented on the sweater as we were walking around town but I know it had to do with the uber cute combination of a little guy and an earthy hand knit. Simplicity should never be overlooked or underrated.
There are still about 7 skeins left of the Lopi, just enough perhaps for an Hourglass sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts for my selfish? We'll see. On the needles now are Christmas projects galore and with time going by the way it is...I better get back to 'em.

Well, it's almost here folks. Thanksgiving Day in the USA. My favorite holiday of all because it is the least commercial. This year our family has a lot to be thankful for and while we are sitting down to feast I know that we will still have in our minds and hearts all of those who have faced both natural and humanitarian challenges. The holiday season is one during which we have the potential to make a good sized impact for the better through donations of our time and (when possible) money. I have found the blogging world to be a tremendous inspiration through it's continual display of generosity. So, for that I thank each and every one of you out there in the cyber world and wish you all the safest, happiest, most magical Thanksgiving. And now for some FO's.
A simple continous ribbed loop that functions as a scarf and if need be a hat. It just goes round and round. I made it because I couldn't resist the softness of the yarn or the color and it needed to be somewhere close to my face so I could experience both.
Butternut squash, sweet potato, and an acorn squash. Not quite an FO yet but by tomorrow it will be a pureed winter squash soup for all to enjoy.
And a BIG "Thank You" to Liz over at Pocket Farm for posting a delicious recipe for Pumpkin, Cranberry, Nut, Chocolate Chip cookies. Oh boy. They are delightful and the recipe is a quick and easy one. The only change I had to make was to substitute Gluten Free flour since I am gluten intolerant. Sometimes this means bad news for a cookie recipe but these turned out light and moist. I highly recommend them for your Thanksgiving table.

I think I might have to bring some to my knitting group tonight which is something I am overwhelming thankful for in 2005. Last February I started the group and there were only 8 people. Now we have over 50 people on our roster and Jess has a hand in helping me organize all our goings on. One year and 50 new knitting lovely friends. It's magical.

Again, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and joyus knitting! 

What a great birthday I had! Despite being able to share it with my son whose birthday is three days from mine, my DH was actually listening all this time while I griped about not having a ball winder! To my complete surprise I unwrapped this swift and winder while we were at my dad's house in NJ!

Now, my dad and step mom moved into a new house recently and have purchased all new furniture. It took every ounce of self control not to set it up right away on their new dining room table, or their new kitchen table, or their glass coffee table, or their new patio table. It was torture! There wasn't a single surface for me to test out my new toy! So, I waited until I got home to my "work table" pile of paper table to start winding. But wait...what's that in between the swift and winder? A heaping pile of Cascade 220 that I bought from my LYS at 1/2 price! Yes, you heard me right Casacade 220 for $3.30 a skein! Apparently Cascade discontinued 36 colors and it took what little was left of my self control not to buy all of it! I intend not only to wind it all into deliciously obdient flat center pull balls but to knit some of it into a bigger French Market Bag and make a few Christmas gifts or something with the rest.  It's Cascade, I can do whatever I want with it right!

Ok. Back to winding so I can take a pretty picture of some tamed hanks for you. :-)

Wow! Thanks to everyone who sent over birthday wishes. It has been a busy two weeks for the Connors Clan. My son and I are birthday neighbors. I am the 13th and he is the 16th. Needless to say we party all week long and in many different states since our family seems to be spread all over the Northeast. It's crazy fun. Despite all the preparations and travel I have been knitting along the way. Here's the little guy and his new scarf which was initially destined to become a Christmas gift for one of my sisters. But, once I finished it (sans the lacey pink trim it should have) my son grabbed it and put it on declaring it "so nice" and claimed it for his own. So, it's his and I am still behind one handmade gift. Oh well. Now, just try and get him to stand still for a picture.

First try.

Second try.

Oh yeah. There's the money shot!

I had the best of intentions to blog before we began our Birthday journey week but Blogspirit seems to be having a lot of technical difficulties lately. I have been unable to access my blog a few times. So, there may be another move for me in the near future. For now though I have to go set up my birthday gift so I can show you guys what I got! Oh. I can't wait.

Thanks to everyone who expressed their sympathy yesterday. I don't mean to extend my grief to the blogging world but there is something very healing about sharing, not only our projects, progress, and accomplishments but our frustrations, failures, and challenges as well and for that I am forever thankful. When we grieve within our circle a great deal of the darkness gets trapped but when we begin to poke holes in that circle and allow others in some of that darkness dissipates. Grief, like love, does not permanently dissappear but it can wax and wane in cycles. Loss and Love are something that we all share as a human community. When love is thriving we are all the better for it just as loss is experienced on a communal level when it occurrs before a persons time. So, thanks again.

Now, here is another situation that many of you out there can sympathize with...my friend who is past her due date now with her first child just had a sonogram and the baby is at least 9 lbs! Oh my! Somebody help this woman, eh? I think they may induce by Friday if things don't start on their own by then (at least I hope they do and I typically choose the natural route over intervention but in her case...) Bunny went as a gift to her baby shower last weekend and was warmly received.

This little guy was so much fun to work up and super quick too. It's a free pattern by Jess Hutch and I only used just 1/2 a skein of Lamb's Pride. It's a nice size softie too. Just right for little hands.
As an early birthday gift to myself I picked up Handknit Holidays the other day and I LOVE this book. There are so many projects in here that really get my yarn flowing and most of them require me learning a new technique or skill which is just what I need right now.
To give you an idea, look at what I "doggy earred" just for gift projects alone not to mention many of other patterns that I can't wait to work up for myself.
I have been indulging in some mindless knitting lately, but with a lot on my mind and all the pre-holiday goings on some mindless knitting isn't such a bad thing. In fact, it is just what the doctor ordered. So, some mindless knitting pictures will be posted as soon as I can. Till next time...Happy Knitting!

For my dear, sweet cousin Christopher Garo Jamie who passed on November 7th, 2001 way before your time. You are deeply missed.

Where the Bleepidy Bleep have I been you ask? OUT IN THE SUN! Yikes. New England has had about 5 minutes of sun in the past 3 weeks or so up until this week when not only did the Sun come out but the temperature rose into the lovely 60's. I am high need when it comes to the giant ball of fire in the sky so I have been mulching and mowing and cutting back and basking as much as I possibly can. Oh and who could forget HAUNTING! Happy Belated Halloween Blogging Lovelies from our family to yours....

For the record my DH is NOT in costume, he always looks that way and that is why you never see pictures of him on the blog. This is the one time of the year when he can come out and be with his peoples. My little guy is the pumpkin on the right in the picture below sitting beside his Power Ranger buddy. Wouldn'tcha know it that he wore his costume for a few hours in the morning, screamed in protest when I took it off for his nap, and then flat out refused to put ANYTHING remotely Halloween on his body for the rest of the day/night. He Trick or Treated in sweat pants while his mom in dad were in full gear! Just who are these holidays for anyway? Oh yeah, all my outside time hasn't kept me from knitting so progress pics will be uploaded shortly. Till next time my dearies (evil cackle insterted here).....