a ball of yarn and a remote control

Friday Fiber Flash..

This week's fiber was sent to me by one of my favorite blog friends and sock designers.

The yarn is Ranco by Araucania Yarns.

My pal Abigail sent it to me as a souvenir from her recent trip to Key West.

The yarn is actually blacks and grays, even though the pics came out bluish.

It is no secret that I adore tacky tourist stuff from different places and she knew that...

..so she sent me a tiny ornament that is the perfect memento from Key West.

The yarn is yummy and the little trinket she sent was perfect!

Thanks you so much for a great gift and wonderful yarn that will make awesome socks!

Stay tuned...

Thursday Tabby Ta-da..

Are you there, Dad?

Are you home?

Huh?  Huh?  Are you?  Are you?

Is that you I hear, Daddy?

Well.. at least you'll be home tomorrow!

Stay tuned..

Wednesday Show and Tell...

I figured that since I was gone and had taken something new with me, I would show some of my projects that are waiting for me at home.

Normally, I am a one project kind of guy.  The last few weeks, I have been working on a lot of other things.  I feel kinda like Cristi with this many projects going at once.  (I still don't know how she does it!)

My first project has been shown before.  They are my Static Socks that I started when I was in Charlotte the last time. 

I have not worked on them much since completing the foot and heel turn part.  Eventually, I will sit down and finish them.

Here is the pair of socks that I am knitting for my pal Ashley. 

They have been getting the most action, as I worked on them for a long time during my trip to meet Debbie Macomber.  All that remains is basically finishing the foot, which should not take long.

The next project I have been knitting is Cobblestone Version 2.0.

It is going well, much better than the first time.

So far, I have not messed up any of the stockinette paneling like I did during the first try.

And yes.. I am checking my gauge.  Often.

My final project that I am knitting is my favorite.  I am working on a Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann and it is making me crazy, even though I adore it.

When I read the pattern, I realized that it was not going to make sense to me alone.  I broke down and bought the DVD that features Elizabeth's daughter, Meg, talking me through it.

I am not very far along, but it is going well so far.  I'm excited to see how it progresses.

And that, my friends, is what I am knitting right now.  Well, these projects and the new vacation sock. 

Next Wednesday, I will show you how that is coming along.

Stay tuned...

We are gone..

...on our trip.

We left this morning and will return on Friday, after spending the previous night in Atlanta.  There is going to be a visit to IKEA and a quick trip to Knitch before heading back to Alabama.

Have a great week!

Stay tuned...

Mother's Day..

Today is technically Mother's Day, but my mom got her present last Monday.

Her favorite author of all time is Debbie Macomber.  Debbie has written a ton of novels and my mom has read every single one.  I also got into reading her through the Blossom Street books, which are set in a knitting store.  The books are cute and always fun to read.

I had read on Debbie's website that she was coming to Birmingham on a book tour celebrating her newest novel.  Without telling my mom, I made plans for us to go.  I had been planning it for about two months, but she got an email that had the schedule and she saw it.  It would have been a surprise, but I think it was even better because she knew what she was doing.  (It still would have been fun to surprise her, but it's all good.)

My mom, dad and I went over and got our numbers for the signing and ran into the girls from my LYS.  It was neat to see them in a group outside of the store.  When we were having our books signed, they were in front of us in line and we got to talk more.

Here is a pic that was taken of all of us.

A highlight for me was finally meeting my pal Suzanne.  She and I have been reading each other's blogs for a while, but had never met.  I love this gal!  We totally are going to have to hang out more because she is fun!

Here is Debbie giving a little speech.  She told us about some of the letters that she has received from readers.  They were hysterical!

And then we got to meet her..

And she held the sock that I had been knitting that night..

My absolute favorite part of the evening was when my mom got to talk to her.  You would have th0ught that she was meeting the Pope or Elvis because she was so excited.  I think that my mom would have talked to her all night if there hadn't been a long line behind her.

This is my favorite picture of all.  My mom was talking with her hands because she was so excited. 

The smile on my mom's face was so big and it didn't go away for a few days.

It was so great to see my mom that happy.

To my mom and and to all of you who are mothers, Happy Mother's Day to you!

Stay tuned...

Friday Fiber Flash...

This week's fiber comes to us from Shibui, which is one of my absolute favorite sock yarns.

This colorway is called Pebble.

I had been oogling and drooling over this skein at my LYS for a long time.  I filled out a Needle Nut card (the store's frequent shopper card) and chose these two skeins for my gift.

The colors look great together and totally remind me of the beach.

That is probably why I am going to be using this yarn as beach knitting next week.

My parents and I are leaving for Myrtle Beach on Monday.  None of us have ever been there, so we figured it would be fun to take a trip and spend a few days exploring the area.

So here is my question to you.  What pattern do you see this yarn becoming?  I want something that is relatively mindless because of the car knitting, but still kind of cute.  I would prefer it being toe up, but that really doesn't matter. 

I was thinking about using Stalkers, which was in my FCS package.  (Thanks, Robyn!)  Unfortunately, I think that might be more involved than I really want.

We might as well make this a bit of a contest.  Throw out some suggestions and I will consider them.  If I pick your suggestion, I will find something along the tacky tourist line and send it to you when I return.

Sound fun?

Stay tuned...

Thursday Tabby Ta-da..

I have always loved it when movies or TV shows are lit so that the blinds on the windows are shown on the actors or the room.  I don't know why, but I just really like that effect. 

Christopher was trying to nap the other day and it was happening, so I had to disturb him.

He was too cute not to get on film.

He was not happy with me for disturbing his sleep, but I think the picture was worth it.

He probably didn't, though.

sigh

Stay tuned...

Ten on Tuesday..

Ten Places Where You’d Love to Travel (that you haven’t visited yet)..

(I was a flight attendant for a few years, so I "saw" a lot of the world.  The only problem is that I only really saw the inside of the hotel rooms and not the cities themselves.   Even though I have been to some of these places, I am not counting them because I don't think that running around for about an hour counts as seeing the city.)

Anaheim, CA.  One word: Disneyland.

New York City.  I have been there, but only visited my hotel near one of the airports.  I want to go and experience it.  I want to see a show, eat some great food and stalk the actors oustide my soap's studio. 

Paris.  I spent a few hours running through the streets, trying to see everything.  I want to go back and just take in everything that the city has to offer.

Hawaii.  The worst sunburn of my life came from a few hours on a Honolulu beach, but I want to see more of the islands.

Ireland.  My ancestors came from there, so I feel the need to go "home".

Alaska.  Maybe I have seen too much Men in Trees, but I want to visit the state.

Key West, FL.  It looks like beautiful beaches and lots of fun. 

Scotland.  Too much Diana Gabaldon, I guess.

New Orleans.  I have been once (1996) and it is time to return.

Anywhere.  Honestly, I am just ready to get out of Tuscaloosa, Alabama!

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page.

St. Augustine

Ten on Tuesday

Stay tuned...

My favorite gift..

..from my Favorite Color Swap package came to me like this.

Isn't that a pretty way to put such a great gift together?

Here is another view.

I almost freaked out because she had knit a pair of socks for me!!!

She had been asking about my foot measurements and kind of hinted about it, but I wasn't sure if she would do it.  She did.

Aren't they awesome?

The yarn is Online Melange in colorway 976.

Want to know the best part?

They fit me perfectly! 

I may never take them off.  Seriously.

Robyn, I really appreciate all the sunshine that you brought to my day when I opened your wonderful gift package.

Thank you!

Stay tuned...

More from the box..

Are you ready to see more of my Favorite Color Swap package?

As with most secret pal packages, there were lots of sweet treats. 

I'm slowly making my way through the stash and loving every bite!

There was a pair of the neatest circular needles I have ever seen, along with a gauge checker.

I have not played with the needles yet, but they look like fun.  I really like the fact that they stretch.  That's really cool!  I have never seen needles like them before.  I can't wait to play!

Plus, I am forever losing (or eating, I think) my needle sizers.  This will help me out because it is small enough to keep with a project.  Hopefully, I can keep up with this one.

There were some samples of Soak.

I have been wanting to try this with some of my socks and these will allow me to do that.

And then there were the stitch markers.

Lots and lots of them...

..in tons of neat colors and shapes...

..all handmade by Robyn herself. 

Aren't they awesome?   They are all so unique and fun that I cannot wait to see them all on my needles with various projects!

Thanks again, Robyn, for such a great box.

We are not done yet, though.  Tomorrow, I am going to show my absolute favorite part of the package.

Stay tuned...