Hi Fredrick!! It's MEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

Hi Fredrick!! You found me!! And I am swimming to meet you in a great blue sea!!

As you can see--I am a baby sea turtle. A flower shelled sea turtle. Flower shelled sea turtles are EXTREMELY rare--in fact-so rare that I am the only one there is--giggle!! My name is Ormanda--which is German for "of the sea" but you can call me "Mandy". That is what my new family calls me. Anyway--after I was adopted and looked at the pictures on your page--I thought that you and I could make the perfect couple...what do ya' think? I sure do think your handsome!!! And I am sure you are very rare too-there can't possibly be very many knitting frogs out there!!

Hugzzzzzz-Mandy

P.S. do you think you could teach me how to knit even if I don't have fingers?

Home Sweet Home!!!

I din't get a chance to post before we left last Thursday...but my daughter and I have been in Illinois this past weekend visiting my mom, and I just got home about an hour ago. I was able to get on the computer a bit and keep up with email, but didn't post on my blog at all.

So--I got the name of my sock swap pal for the Harvest Sock Swap. But haven't been able to start yet. I have great ideas for her for goodies--so am going to start collecting items this next week. But....dear pal--if you are reading this--I have one more sweater set that I have to get done for my daughter's baby shower which is October 13th...then I can start on your sock. Sorry about that--I have been knitting like a mad woman!!!!!

I'm gonna sign off for now and catch up on emails and head for my very own bed...YIPPEE!!!!!! It was good to see my mom and dad, but it's really nice to be home...

Mary Jane Baby Booties

Are these just not too sweet!!!! I found the free pattern here:

http://home.howstuffworks.com/free-baby-bootie-knitting-patterns2.htm

The whole pair took me less than an hour from start to finish!! I see a few more pairs of these in our little Lyllie's future!!

It's Finished!!!!!

I told ya'll I'd get the sweater finished tonight!!!!
I'm very happy with it. the yarn is sooooo soft and I'm sure our little Lyllie Bean will be comfy and cozy wearing it. Now to just finish the socks and the hat!!! I have one more sweater set to make after this one for Lyllie that I hope to have done before the baby shower which is October 13th...then it's back to Ryder's blanket, and his matching sweater. There is also a boy version of this sweater--a hooded cardigan made with the Snuggly Baby Bamboo that I want to make for Ryder...then I can finish the sock pairs that I have started for me :o)

Sunday with Ryder

Had the baby all day today and really enjoyed my time with him and watching him play. He discovered today that his hands are useful for grabbing things, and played with his toys in his bouncy seat for over an hour. It was amazing to watch him discover that he could grab hold of his toys. The video below may not be exciting, but it sure was fun for this proud grandma!!
Also took him to the yarn store today with me, and he was a little angel!! One lady there asked if she could just touch his toes--LOL!! I hope he will enjoy those trips to the yarn store when he is older--I need him to like going to the yarn store with grandma if he spends alot of time with me--LOL!!Maybe I will have to teach him how to knit--we just won't tell his dad--after all....
What happens at grandma's stays at grandma's!!

On the knitting front...I have to just put the last sleeve on aimee's baby sweater and add the buttons!!! ALL those darn ends are weaved in--thank goodness!!!!! Ughhhhh!! That was a job!! I also have one of the socks about halfway done to go with the sweater. I did not use all of the colors in the socks, but I will make a couple different pairs using different colors, so she can vary the outfit. I'll post pics a little later after I finish the sweater. For now--I better go get working on it--didn't get much done today--the baby stays awake all day now!!

Ryder discovers his hands!!

Aimee's baby sweater

Ok--For the rest of this weekend--I CANNOT knit socks. I have got to finish Aimee's baby sweater set. I have one more sleeve left to go, then the hat and socks. I love the yarn--it is Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo. I love the pattern-from the Sirdar Baby Bamboo Collection

#1731.

What I DON"T love is having to weave in all of those ends from all the color changes.

I would not have picked a pattern with all of those color changes--Aimee found the pattern, then found the yarn and she really wanted me to make this for our little Lyllie-Bean...

I am loving the colors though, and how the sweater is turning out--sooooooo I guess maybe it is worth it to weave in all the ends--UGGHHHHH! Anyway--by Sunday evening--I WILL be posting a pic of the FINISHED sweater, and I should have either the hat or the socks done by then as well. I am going to make basic socks, but I'm not sure which hat pattern I will use out of my collection of hat patterns. If anyone has a suggestion for a hat pattern, please email me--I'm still open to suggestions on that one!!

I do still get to go to one of my favorite yarn stores though, 3 Kittens Yarn and Needleworks in St. Paul to pick out the buttons for the sweater. They have an amazing button collection. But I promise, Aimee...I WILL NOT even look at the sock yarn!!! LOL!!

Here are the socks pairs I have going for myself for fall. The first is my finished Tofutsies sock, done in color #790. Then next is my Trekking XXL in colorway 106. The last is the Walerib done in Trekking XXL color 134.

I added a couple of close up pics of the tofutsie sock, and the trekking sock to show the pattern and the colors.

Just found the 52 pair plunge

http://www.52pairplunge.blogspot.com/

I just came across this blog tonight, and sounds like fun!!! Is anybody else interested in starting a second 52 pair plunge? Basically we pick a starting date, and one year from that date we would all have to have knit 52 pairs of socks-or basically-1 pair per week. I think it would be fun to get a group together to start a secon round of the 52 pair plunge. This round ends in april of 22008--so it would be hard to try and catch up...
I'm not sure how to go about organizing this, but if anybody is interested-email me at grammaknits02@yahoo.com

I'm thinking we could share patterns as well amongst the participants.

If anybody is reading my blog and is interested, please email me and let me know!!

This has been my weekend to work-and I work 12 hour shifts, so haven't got much knitting done. But after Tuesday, I have a full week off, so plan to get alot done in that week. I have three pairs of socks of which I have one done in each pair, so I am planning on finishing the second sock of each pair in that week. Also have to finish the sweater I am knitting for my daughter's baby, then start the socks and hat to match. I will post picks of that this next week when I am off, as well as all of my sock pics.

Well-I am gonna sign off of here, and head for bed--5 AM comes way to early for me--LOL!!!

Cindy

Tofutsies!!!!!!

I promise I am going to try to be better about posting more regularly...It's just that I don't know that anyone has been reading my blog or not...so I have been knitting more, and spending lots of extra play time with Roxy, rather than being on the computer. I have now joined a group at yahoo of other knitters who love tofutsies sock yarn. It is a knitalong based on these limited edition colors and patterns that come out every other month. I am looking forward to getting my first set when the October color comes out, and also maybe the past set for June which has a great pattern. The color for June is also cool--but tends to hide the pattern...so I have another pattern in mind for the yarn itself, and will find a better color to go with the pattern. Right now I am working on my first Tofutsie pair of socks...Tofutsies is a great yarn--it is made from soysilk--thus the "tofu" part of the name. It is super soft, and yummy to work with!! I am knitting with Lantern Moon Ebony Sox Stix--which are a delight to knit with--they just feel so warm in your hands and the yarn slides along smoothly-but not so smooth that it falls off. I am doing this first pair in a Chevron pattern with a short row heel.

Tofutsie Sock #1

Closer Up

As for the rose Debbie Bliss cable blanket...I finished it, but before I could get pics of it, my daughter took it home with her, as she wanted to put it in the baby's bed in the nursery...so...guess I am going to have to go to her house and get pics of it...what's a grandma to do?? I've now started a second one for Ryder--I'm doing it in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK in a teal green color--it is very pretty. I have a great pattern for a sweater in a DK weight to along with it...

I am beginning to wonder if it is a normal thing for us knitters to have several projects all going at the same time--LOL!!! I know I can't possibly be the only one...I may need to start a WIP meter to keep track of everything!!