Rust

I was teaching a class tonight at the Black Purl and one of the students asked about a problem she had with her blocking. She didn't have any blocking pins on hand so had used regular pins which then rusted leaving small rust marks on her white baby sweater.

Any tips on how to get them out?????

Don't forget to enter for the giveaway.

Wollmeise Pay It Forward Giveaway

Last December I posted about my frustrations of not being able to get my greedy little mitts on some Wollmeise. No sooner did I have my little vent, the lovely Tonia paid it forward and so generously sent me a package of some delicious yarns including... Wollmeise. Knitters really are such a generous bunch - I'm still a little shocked at that. (unless of course, you are at an amazing yarn sale - then they'll gouge your eyes out with their knitting needles so that they can get the last of the Socks That Rock bargain skeins).

As mentioned earlier this month, I've been on a bit of a shopping spree lately.

Notice that the yarns on either end are the same. Wollmeise Twin yarn in the colorway Kurbis. It felt a bit greedy to have two of the same colorway when I only need one. So it's time I followed Tonia's example and paid it forward.

To enter for the drawing, leave a comment stating why you're thankful for yarn (let's go with a nice thanksgiving theme - now isn't that special!) and check back on Sunday evening around 9pm ct for the winner to be announced.

You can get an extra entry if you link this giveaway/pay it forward on your blog. Just post another comment with your blog addy.

Can't get ruddy easier than that, can you?!

I must dash now as I've misplaced (please do not say "lost") a cord for my Addi Clicks. I hate it when I can't find things, so although it's after midnight and everybody else is asleep, I'm going to be digging around my house until I find the darn thing. If I make a lot of noise, accidentally on purpose, and wake up the Cute Guy, I'm going to make him search with me so that he can have the pleasure of helping his sweetie. I'm a giver that way!

Dear Cute Guy

Dear Cute Guy,

If you happen to be reading our blog (which you had better be doing on a regular basis) I thought I'd make life a little easier for you this Christmas and put together a grouping of items I'm loving and maybe you could pick one (or two, or ten) for my Christmas gift. I should probably warn you that if you ignore such very obvious hints that I will be forced to utilize your credit card on your behalf. I know how much you like to make me happy and I can assure you that any of the items on my wish list would make me happy, very happy, almost as happy as your H2 makes you happy. Remember the car I bought for you (okay, purchased with your credit and then handed you the payment book - which I still consider one of my greatest scams yet).

You've told me before that you'd give me the world if you could, but luckily for you, I don't want the world - I've never really been fond of Ohio, Arkansas or France, so I'd settle for a nice new coat or lovely new pair of boots and purse instead. A bargain at half the price!

Thank you in advance for the wonderful life we life together with our four lively kids and the cutest puppy in the whole world (who secretly I know you love, even if you continue to call him Little Turd when you think I'm not in earshot). I look forward to many more happy years with you.

love and hugs,

Your Kimmy

Kimmy's Christmas List 2009 by knittinbrit featuring Burberry bags

Items in this set:
Joe's Jeans jeans, $235
GUESS? outerwear, $198
Maruione.jp coat, $188
Toast.co.uk cardigan, 155 GBP
Joe's Jeans jeans, $139

P.S. This may or may not be a test!!!! Ignore at your possible peril!

Full Bellies

With everything crazy that went on this last month I probably could have gotten away with not feeding the family very nutritious meals and hitting the take out lines regularly. Luckily, I had discovered this wonderful website and book that I cooked from on almost a daily basis.

Think Julie & Julia type blog, but using the slow cooker every day for one year. It's amazing what she came up with.



Not only are the slow cooker recipes in this book, not the usual casserole, soup, pot roast type recipes, but they are so fast and Stephanie O'Dea also shows how they can be made Gluten Free. It almost brings a tear to my eye. Fast and Gluten Free - who knew that the two went together. I think we should also add that the recipes are VERY tasty. Definitely not a word that comes easily to a GF menu.

Declan, who has been known to ask if I'm feeding him poop before (yes, he did get to see how tasty a bar of soap was for that rude comment) literally jumps up and down with excitement when he sees that I'm cooking something in the Crock Pot.

The Beef Bourguignon was delicious! As was the Pasta Fagioli Soup. I've made everything from Indian to Asian cuisine in the crock pot lately.

I love a good food blog. Others that I have been using a lot lately are Karina's Kitchen, Tasty Kitchen, and Bakerella. I'm always looking for good suggestions. What are your favorite food blogs?

Arrived

After reviewing the patterns I was contemplating for the Lustra, I arrived at a decision. I'm going with my original plan - Seneca.

Today, I was a little busy with taking a sick puppy to the animal hospital at 7am this morning. He's still there - should be home tomorrow - sniff, sniff.

A day spent Up North doing this....

And in between all the ups and downs of the day, I swatched for Seneca. Started with a 8 - what was I thinking. I'm a very loose knitter. Then switched to a 6 - perfection! (fun centered increase and decrease - it's the small things that make me happy!)

Now, I have to be strong and not go any further until I sew up Claudia. Unfortunately, I have no willpower. zippo. It's why I spend my life desperately trying to work off a few pounds - diets just aren't my thing. Again, it's that willpower thing.

Character flaws... I have many. What's yours?

Remembering

Per Carrie K.'s suggestion, I spent some time today going through my faves and queue on Ravelry to see if I could find whatever pattern I'd originally had in mind for the Lustra. Perseverance won.

I'd originally planned on knitting Seneca by Jared Flood from the Made in Brooklyn Booklet.

I'm still pretty sure that's what I'm going to knit with it, but during the search I came up with a couple of other ideas for it too. Now, I'm dithering on which to knit.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/novak-2

Novak from Twist Collective Fall 2009

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/beryl

Beryl by Bonnie Marie Burns of Chic Knits

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mondo-cable-pulli

Mondo Cable Pullover by Bonnie Marie Burns of Chic Knits

Decisions, decisions, decisions! I wish I possessed the gift of Decisiveness, I'm so flippy-floppy! What virtue do you wish you possessed and why?

Evidence

Evidence that the yarn acquisitioning may have gotten a little out of control....

Around a month ago, I purchased a sweaters worth of this yarn.

It's Lustra by Berroco in Auburgine. Beautiful, eh?!

When I purchased this yarn, I had a plan. I remember making sure I had the right yardage and had Beth wind it for me to start asap. Only problem, I have NO idea what that project was for. I've searched high and low for a pattern and can't figure out why I bought it. Maybe a sign that the purchasing was getting a little out of control.

Any ideas what this yarn wants me to make it into?

Note: gauge is 4.5 sts to the inch.