School's Out For Summer!

That's what Patrick was singing as he came through the door yesterday. Believe it or not he's just now getting out of school although he has to go in on Friday to get his report card. Oh sorry, his progress report as it's being called now. No school today so, if there's no rain (yah right), we'll be hitting Tompkins Square Park for some S'mac, some skateboarding, them not me, and some park knitting.
I have three projects on the needles now. I think when I have more than one thing going at a time, I feel like a real knitter. Don't ask me why. Ulterior Motive Pedi Socks is the first thing I'm working on. I thought they were really cute and a great way to show off both your pedicure and a great looking pair of socks. The second thing I'm working on is a cap for my husband for winter. I made him a few of the Dublin Beanies but he likes them and it's easy mindless knitting for when we watch Deadliest Catch, my current favorite program.
The third thing I'm working on, or trying to work on, is a Baby Surprise Jacket. No no not for me. One of my friends is expecting a little boy and I thought this would be a great easy knit. Haha shame on me. Garter stitch does not equal easy! That's this weeks lesson. Because I'm a new knitter, or maybe because I'm not the sharpest tool leaning against the outhouse door, I have realized I do need a line by line pattern or I get frustrated. When I get frustrated I whine and cry. It ain't pretty. Flying by the seat of my pants doesn't work for me. I don't mind that the project is unusual or oddly shaped, it's that I need specifics. Apparently I'm not the only one because there is at least one group, on Ravelry, dedicated to the BSJ both their love of it and help for it. There are also websites for it. There's even an explanation of the pattern for sale. Thanks to some lovely Twitterers and Ravelry members I think I may get through this without any emotional scars. People say you have to just read the pattern and discard the rules. It's hard to discard the rules when you don't know them! Ok enough kvetching.
I don't want to end on a bad note so I'll leave you with this:


Lunch at S'mac. Killah mac & cheese and my two boys for a day out. Who could ask for more?

'Ello 'Ermione!

Here are photos of the Hermione Hat. It's a cable eyelet hat that Jackie wrote from seeing a photo of a hat that the Harry Potter character, Hermione, is wearing in a still shot for the yet to be released movie Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince. Being the HP geek that I am, I couldn't resist making this hat. What a fun & easy knit! Jackie did a great job writing the pattern. I replaced the yarn she used and used Cascade 220 Superwash and didn't have the fit issue that she seemed to have. Maybe I just knit bigger? Could be.
I love the color of this yarn. There are bits of green in it that you would be able to see if the sun ever came out in Manhattan but that's not the case so you'll just have to take my word for it. The link above will take you to her blog to see the photo of the original and a photo of the one she made. When I tried it on and showed it to Glenn he said "Oh honey there's a big hole in it!" We than had a lesson on eyelet and patterns. Thank goodness he's a quick learner.

I'm So Happy She's Back!

The other day I was on Facebook and saw a status update from one of my friends there. All it said was "New job!". I look and see it's Alyssa, the manager of The Point! I was really excited and asked where and she told me she's currently at Annie & Company on the upper east side. I called Al and told her the wonderful news and we decided we'd just have to go visit our friend Alyssa.
Al and I had visited there before and loved the store. When we had gone, it had just opened and they were setting up so we didn't stay long. Just long enough to oooo and ahhh over the lovely yarns they have.
We showed up yesterday and surprised Alyssa. It was so great to see her! She's just the sweetest person really and a great knitter. She was happy to see us and invited us to sit and knit a while which was exactly what we wanted to hear! We sat with some women who were already there and chatted. Everyone was so nice and fun. The women who work there are extremely knowledgeable and talented. It was almost like being back at The Point! The yarns there are gorgeous. Everything from Noro to Katia to cashmere to ArtYarns, which I must admit a weakness for. They have gorgeous needles too and loads of supplies and books. It was so comfortable and the people were so nice. I think we may have found a new home! The only disadvantage is that it's a bit of a schlep but it's something I can get over in exchange for a few hours of bliss per week.
I'm so happy to see Alyssa back doing something she does amazingly well. I don't think she realizes what an impact she has on people like me who learned so much from her. She really is so beautiful and sweet and helpful and there's always a smile on her face. I think we'll be going back to see her once a week. Even if it IS all the way on the upper east side.

And The Winner Is...........

Sharon Rose! She told a great joke and here it is:

A man goes to New York City on business. He wants to have a real Big City night on the town, so the concierge at his hotel sends him to a bar at the top of the Empire State Building.

He walks in and orders his usual. He’s getting chatty with the bartender, telling him about the conference, etc. Another patron at the bar overhears that he’s from out of town and comes and sits next to him. “Hey, welcome to our little place. This is the best bar in the whole city!”

“Really? What’s so great about it?”

“Oh, it’s amazing! See that picture on the wall? That’s a genuine Picasso.”

The tourist raises an eyebrow. “Hmm.”

The local guy stands up. “Yeah! And that stool there? At the end of the bar? That’s from a real pirate ship!”

“Okaaay.” At this point the businessman is pretty skeptical. He realizes the local has had more than a little to drink.

“But this! This is the best part! Check out this window. Because of the drafts up the side of this building, if you jump out, you fall about twenty feet. Then the wind catches you and brings you right back up!”

“Ah… right.”

“No, really, I’ll show you!” And the man runs over to the window, throws it open, and leaps out. Sure enough, he falls for a few seconds, then stops in mid-air and comes back up. He pulls himself through the window, stands up, and takes a bow. “You gotta do it!”

The traveler is impressed but nervous, so the man says “Look, dude, I’ll do it again.” Sure enough, he jumps out again. Falls about 20 feet, then the wind catches him and he returns to the level of the window. The businessman grabs his arm and pulls him in.

“Holy cow! I gotta try that!” He leaps out… and falls… and falls….

The bartender just shakes his head. “Superman, you’re a real jerk when you’re drunk.”

Patrick and I had a great time reading all the entries together and I want to thank you all for participating. He had a hard time picking a winner but couldn't resist a joke about Superman and NYC.
Sharon please contact me with your information so I can send you your prize! Write to me at KnittingKnoobie@gmail.com
Thanks again to all of you making us laugh!

Cash Cab!

My brother in law, Noam, and his dad, Nate will be appearing on Cash Cab tonight! It was filmed a while ago and we've been waiting and waiting and now it's finally here. It will be on this evening's show. I don't know how they did because they had to sign a contract saying something along the lines of they won't tell what happened or they'll be sued blah blah blah. I've known Noam for over thirty years and he knows I'm a big mouth so even if he COULD tell me, he probably wouldn't. I'm sure they're gonna rock it and I can't wait to see!
Oh in knitting news, I'm working on a new hat. It's called Hermione's Cable & Eyelet hat and it's very cute! The hat is taken from the yet to be released movie Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince. Jackie, who wrote the pattern, saw a still shot for the movie and wrote the pattern from a photo! How cool is that??? Can't wait to see how it comes out. I'm using Cascade Superwash in a lovely dark teal color.
In sorta knitting news, I had Glenny help me clean out my yarn cupboard. He sat down to empty the bottom drawer, squealed, jumped up and had a dpn sticking out of his bum! He yanked it out quickly and looked at me. I must have looked like death because he started laughing. I almost had a friggin heart attack seeing that sticking out of his left butt cheek! He hardly bled and he's fine. I think he actually thinks it was worth the injury to see the look on my face. Damn kids.

Socks For Me

Here they are! My Laizy Maizy socks made for me. These were a lot of fun to make. Easy and adorable. Comfortable too. Al had to kitchener close them for me because I just cannot get that stitch down. I think I'll be practicing that stitch when we go away on vacation in July. I love how the yarn striped and how lovely it felt while knitting.
I'm working on a beret now, using Cascade Superwash, and a project I find funny. Pedi socks. I think it's so cute to wear socks with no toes! I'm using Artyarns Ultramerino 6 color 130. I love the color! It reminds me of Neopolitan ice cream - vanilla, strawberry & chocolate. It's really cute:
Isn't it lovely? It's so soft and looks adorable knitted up. I'm only on the cuff of the sock but I'm really enjoying it already.
Today is WWKIP day so I think I'll find a bench to go knit on for a bit. If the rain ever stops.

Here Come Da Judge!

I wasn't sure how I was going to choose a winner for the contest but then the choice was made for me. When I told Patrick I was having a joke contest, he asked if he could be the judge. Here he is in all his wisdom:

I told him to look smart and this was the best he could do. It'll suffice. He's got a great sense of humor so I'm sure he'll have a blast reading all the jokes and choosing a great one.
In knitting news I haven't been doing much to be honest. I'm finishing up my Laizy Maizy socks, should be done today, and working on a cabled beret. The weather has been awful here so no park knitting.
Al and I are going to meet up today for knitting somewhere, then out to dinner, then we're going to my sister's store, The Original Firestore, for some fun. The yearly FDNY calendar is out and she's going to have a bunch of the guys there signing calendars! I've been to this event before and it's great fun. The guys are as nice and sweet as they are cute. If anyone's interested in a signed calendar I'm sure you can call the store and one can be signed and sent to you.
WWKIP, World Wide Knit In Public, is this weekend and next weekend. I'm not going to any planned get together but may be at the beach knitting this weekend. Coney Island to be exact. Gonna take the kids out there for the day and I'll pack a pair of socks to knit. Family, beach, aquarium, Nathans hot dawgs and knittting. What more can a girl ask for?

Time For Another Contest!

This is the prize for this contest. The picture has three balls but I'll be giving away two balls of this lovely Gedifra Chandra yarn. Each ball is 50 grams and approximately 70 meters. I used this yarn to make this lovely scarf. It was beautiful and warm and an easy knit.
Now for the contest part! Leave me a comment with a joke. That's it. Just a joke. Something that tickles your funny bone.
The contest will go for one week so I'll be picking a winner on Tuesday, June 16th. Make sure there's an email link on your post so I can contact the winner.

Little Green Riding Hood

Little Green Riding Hood is what Cal called his mom, Megan when he saw her in her new hat. He also said I shouldn't take it the wrong way, he meant it as a compliment. Is he not just the funniest seven year old ever? He cracks me up.
Here's my sistah from another mistah wearing her new Star Crossed Slouchy Beret I made for her. Upon receiving it, she took a photo, posted it to Facebook and called me. I love how it looks on her! Funny that she's wearing a shirt of the same color that matches the beret. Just shows how we really are connected in some odd, cosmic, color coded way.
Hope you love wearing it as much as I loved making it Megs!
Al is working on undoing the harm I did to my Laizy Maizy sock kitchener stitch. She's the best. I'm very lucky I have her to undo my muck ups. Working on the second sock and will, hopefully, be done early next week.
Off for a weekend in the country! Have a great weekend!

Laizy Maizy Sock

I finally finished my sock! Yes that was singular...sock. But still it's half a pair!



Here's half of a pair of Laizy Maizy socks. I know it looks lonely but isn't it cute? I love it!
Well almost love it. I'm hating, and I do mean HATING in case that wasn't clear, the kitchener stitch. I totally jacked it up. I'm not showing you a close up of that because it's bad. Really really bad. I'm going to kindly ask Al to fix it for me because there's no way in hell I'll be able to fix it up.
I really like the JaWoll Silk Superwash yarn and can't wait to finish up the other sock. Needless to say, I think I'll be doing a three needle cast off for the next sock. Or I could practice the kitchener stitch. Who we kidding? Three needle cast off it is.

Hollah!

I'm so excited! I've written about Al before on my blog and now she's decided to start her own! I'm so glad she did this. She's a great writer, a fantastic knitter and, now, a wonderful blogger. I've stated before that I've come to the conclusion that all knitters knit differently and Al is a perfect example of that. She knits in what's known as Eastern or Russian style. It's sorta backward, for me anyway, but it works great for her. She makes some great things and she's fast.
Please stop by here and welcome this great friend and knitter to the blogging community.