quik update

my goodness it's been over three weeks since i've posted! what's up with that? where the heck have i been? well, I've been to chicago and back, a celtic festival, put out another edition of the town newsletter, homeschooling and just dang busy. too dang busy. i start getting pissy when i haven't the time time to post- just ask the family. i have future blog posts planned for my trip east and the magical world of gaelic fairies, sacrifices and strong men in kilts-but alas, they take time. more time than i have right now...as i prepare dinner, weigh wool, look over liam's science paper, knit on 3 different projects simultaneously while working on my blog-oh yeah, did i mention all at the same freakin time. no wonder i'm frazzled. i just can't do one thing at a time.
all i have time for is a quick upate on knitting projects and a few misc. things.

here's my tidepool socks. i'm so loving this pattern.

i'm STILL working on the sleeves of my catamount sweater.

been doing some spinning:

this is some merino i dyed with "baby" items in mind. started another vest:

im also involved with the criminal minds mystery kerchief knit along-this is a very fun project!!!

been harvesting rosehips.

been cooking with our own garlic and now it's time to get a new crop in the ground! i'm so not ready!!! thinking of turning current garden into a goat/sheep pen this coming spring.

enough for now-need to get busy!

knit-alongs and other stuff

now that the excitement of our big forest fire is over-phew, that was close. too close for comfort. things are getting back to normal. trying to get organized for schooling and i've been knitting up a storm!

i'm relieved to have gotten the twin baby sweaters done that a dear friend commissioned me to knit for her brother's twin baby girls due in november. i was able to finish them just in time for a quick handoff at peterson's corner on her way to the baby shower-that was another close call with many issues of running out of yarn and trying to find new balls with the right dye lots. but i managed. the pattern was a sirdar pattern # 1816 made out of bamboo and merino yarn-oh so soft and machine washable.


now that i'm done with this commission i can work more on my knit-alongs-yes, i've joined more than one! insane i know-but remember i'm the queen of starting new projects but this way i may get them done:)

here's the progress on my Catamount sweater, i'm almost done with the second part:


while parousing around ravelry-i found a mystery sock knit-along using HAZEL KNITS yarn. i love hazel knits yarns! the cool thing about a mystery knit along is you don't know what the finished product will look like- you receive clues and your sock will unfold before your eyes as you knit. i'm a bit behind on this one. here's the beginning of my sock in the sweet crush color way.
i decided to do another project for the knit along as you can do numerous projects-by the same designer. melissa of "stick chick knits" is an awesome designer. check out her website. i decided to do the prickly fingerless mittens but only in one color as i didn't have another contrasting color and was trying real hard to be good and not order more yarn! i already had a skein of hazel's "olympic rainforest" on hand.

i think the mitts will still look awesome:


well, my back is troubling me again and i need to lay down-adios folks!

so proud!

i am so very proud of myself! i joined my first knit-along. i'm so excited as it might kick my butt in gear and i just may finish this sweater quicker than if i did it on my own. it's called the catamount sweater. find details here!

besides joining my first knit-along, the real reason i'm proud of myself is "STASH." yes, the whole sweater is being made by yarn i have hidden in a box at the bottom of my closet!!! RIGHT ON! i planned on going to the yarn store today to pick out some yarn for this sweater and i slapped my hand and said "wooly-NO! you will NOT buy new yarn for this sweater. you will shop in at your own yarn store(the closet)" and i did. check it out! here's my soon to be sweater:

i'll keep ya posted!