Finished Hat

All blocked and beautiful. Finally finished. Looks like I need to make more! Very easy. This is Selbu-Modern from Ravelry

WOOOF!!

Samoyed and Merino 3 ply. Both are handspun. Spinning the dog hair was alot easier then I expected. I put extra spin on the doghair but really didn't need it. Turned out lovely and smell ( I know your wondering) just Wonderful! Like Shampoo. Even when it was wet.

My hat

The pattern is called Selbu Modern. Using Mini Mochi and Baby Ull. So far, so good.
Have plans to make 2 more of these. One in Rose and white and one in the last of the Mini mochi and Navy Baby Ull.

Spinning experiment

Well all the pictures I took look a little fuzzy but this,my dears, is Samoyed dog hair. My friend Jeanne brought me a large plastic bag full of the brightest white, softest, really lovely stuff to spin up for her. I wondered how it would do uncarded. Its really easy to spin..so soft. I don't have any cards anyway but I could have improvised something. I considered mixing it with wool. I don't think I need to. Any of you ever spin dog fur?

My latest project

Worked in a bright shade of Violet, I started this last night and its going fast! Haven't crocheted a garment in 20+ years.
From the Fall Interweave Crochet Magazine.

Valentine High Tea at Village Yarn and Tea

25 things about me

Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

1. Having my sons is the best thing I ever did.
2. I love Homeschooling.
3. I am a chocoholic. Which is hard for a diabetic...I plan around it
4. My favorite color is pink.
5. Lunch OUT is my favorite thing to do.
6. I miss living in Hawaii.
7. My hair color is subject to change without notice.
8. I drink a ton of Tea.
9. If allowed, I'd play ~MY~ video game(Final fantasy XI), ALL day.
10. I dote on my cats, Mitzie and (Dark) Crystal.
11. I love crafts..all kinds.. the older the better.
12. I am a sucker for~ children.
13. I abhor spiders. EEEK!!
14. My favorite movie is Willow or Princess Bride.
15. I love to build things. Carpentry is sexy!!
16. I love my friends! You can't have enough friends.
17. I have many small businesses. I get that from my mom.
18. I love my Grandchildren and wish I saw them more.
19. Messes make me nervous and overwhelmed.
20. Once a Hippy always a Hippy + baths.
21. I love to use my spinning wheel outside in the summer.
22. I love to camp in my trailer.
23. I love the spring. I can curl up in a blanket in the grass and sleep all day.
24. I love my husband...I really do.. even if he drives me crazy.
25. I tend to think I'm a bitch just about the time people tell me I'm sweet. Who knew!!

I'm supposed to hit 10 people with this thing but I will pass. If you like these things consider yourself Tagged!

I had a Dream

I remember when Marshall moved out. I had a huge case of "Empty Nest Syndrome". But.......

I had a dream last week. After finding out that my middle son,Wyatt, got laid off. He's a graphic designer/drafter. He's also the one with a wife, 4 kids and a mortgage.

Then, there are the Microsoft lay offs. Youngest son, Marshall, tells me it doesn't involve him but you never know.

Then, there is my Eldest son, Jerico, who works on a ship surrounded by racists that drive him crazy so he's nearly quit a dozen times.

Do you see where I'm going with this?

Do you remember the 70's and 80's TV series The Waltons? A story about a large family during the depression. Fav. line was "Good night, John boy".

Anyway...I have an urge to clear out the rec room so we can use it as bedrooms. There is room for at least 3 rooms if we divide it up.

Its beginning to look like a REAL depression. I'm getting worried. I hope Mr. Obama can work a miracle.
Otherwise its gonna be.. "Good night mama.. Good night Wyatt boy."

Video game humor

Newest projects

*This is a Smoke ring from Heartstrings. I just cast it on this morning and have about 4 rows done.
I'm making it from the pink from Australia (story below) wish me luck. Will post photo when I get a couple of pattern repeats done.

*Still working on the Cloister stitch sweater. Down to the armholes on the back. Will take photo after I get a bit more done.

* Finished a pair of fingerless mitts in Pink silk for myself. Since I've given most other pairs away..lol. These are MINE

Sent from Australia

Got this gift from my Epal, Sascha, in Australia. All Angora or mixed with Angora. The pink was specially dyed for me!! Its my favorite shade of pink..bordering on Pepto Pink. LOL Wonderful!!! Sascha and I have been exchanging yarn/magazines for more years then I can count. She made me the first pair of fingerless mitts and got me started down THAT road. I must mention the beautiful socks she made me last year..way beyond what I have the patience for.
You should check the Angora ladies website at Ixchelbunny.blogspot.com
A very lovely site with lots of cute bunnies and *gulp* *squeezes eyes shut* YARN and ROVING.. I can't look

35th Wedding Anniversary

Can you believe it? I can't...35 years married...37 all together. Wow. And, Look what my honey got me!!

You all know how challenged I've been for the last 2 years without a decent Camera.

So many instructions to learn now. But, I'm managing and THANK god Jennifer had one of these (or something similar) and can help me. Won't you dear? Maybe? Anyway...
Happy NEW YEAR..and Happy Anniversary to Billy and I......Wheeeeee

Merry Christmas from THE TURNER'S

Snow snow snow... ACK!!!

Merry Christmas anyway. Hope you are all safe and warm.
We're ready for whatever the weather brings but..we don't have to like it!!


Smootches and Hugs
Annie and the kids

SNOW

I CAN NOT believe how much snow we have!! I went to let the cats out the back door..which opens out..and it wouldn't go..a foot or more snow in the way!

Bill had cleaned off the walkway and driven his car only yesterday. You can't tell. The bricks that line the front garden..gone..disappeared like they were never there..but I know they are under there someplace. Poor tree out front looks like its going to break. Glad Bill trimmed back the big tree in the back since it breaks a few more branches every year. All I can say is WOW..

If it stays like this threw Christmas, I guess it will be postponed. Don't Hurt yourselves getting here. * Thats for Wyatt and Jyll..and my brother Mike. *
Everyone have a good Christmas and stay safe...Love you all!!

Christmas Knitting

Mitts inspired by Good friend, Terri Shea's book. I don't mean to brag..ok, so I do..but I did knit one of the pairs of mittens in this book :) I don't usually do this kind of knitting so doing it on my own, so to speak, was hard. I like how they turned out.
I also made several pairs of my usual..Cashmere/homespun mitts. They're kind of dark..hope you can see them.

St. Distaff's day.. moves

St. Distaff's Day Annual Spin-in. Saturday, January 3, 2009 10am to 4pm. Cavelero Mid High 8220 24th St. SE Everett, WA

I heard this today a Seaview Weavers guild.
I guess St Pius has gotten to small so its been moved to the above address. Yes, it is annoying since St. Pius is 3 blocks away but.. I do understand the need for more room. Hope its not snowing!! Hope people actually read my blog so they get this info!

Gamer Grandma

Bill snapped this photo of Trysten and I doing a mission with my sons Jerico and Marshall on Final Fantasy XI. He's making sure I'm following the right person and reading names off for me. I'm talking to the boys on the headset on Skype (an internet chat program) that works like the telephone. No pushing a buttons to talk, just talk.

We had a great time.

Meanwhile, his mama was taking detailed measurements of my spinning wheel for her graphic design classes at ITT.. or maybe it was Geometry..anyway.

Finished the black black BLACK fingerless mitts. WHEW!!

Catch up

Now that Thanksgiving is over ...Christmas looms in my mind. Oddly enough I'm nearly done shopping already. I love the internet! I love AMAZON.com ..hee hee

Been working on several projects mostly for presents so I'm not showing any pics. Always seems if I show a Picture of a WIP that I never start it or never finish it. Delusions I guess.

I've had a lovely case of the flu/cold all week so mostly stayed in bed. Feeling much better now ..Thanks. Seems that my friend Donny in Wyoming has it too. Now I only talk to Donny on the internet..how is it we both wound up sick at the same time?? Wierd!

Did alot of Flat feet dyeing last Sunday at Elsa's, with Brad and Debby, from VYT. Haven't laughed that hard in a long time. Guess what some of you are getting for Christmas?

Been having alot of fun (inspite of being sick) with my 2 sons(Jerico and Marshall) that play Final Fantasy XI online. We get on Skype (an internet phone program, free) and chatter at each other and run Jerico threw his missions. He's trying to catch up a little even tho we have 6 years on him. Sure beats typing stuff.. Like.. "WATCH out, theres a goblin behind you!!" Because by the time you finish the sentence..he's already dead..lol.

Hopefully next week will be more productive. Nearly finished with the knitted presents. But, still have a little shopping to do. My husband is impossible to shop for. He already owns every tool known to man. Thanks to his loving wife of 36 years.

I lived threw Thanksgiving

Turned out yummy. Smoked Turkey made by my lovely husband, Bill. Only picture I've stolen off his computer, so far. I will try to post more later. Wyatt and Jyll and 3 of the Grandkids came and made the day worth all the work. Jerico was home from the sea. Although Marshall had to work (!!!!!!!!) he still came. I saved him a plate of everything and half a fruitcake as requested. All in all a good day..especially after I had a beer and unclinched.
Picture shows a tiny corner of my kitchen. I guess you could call it the main working area. There is also a dining table (where Bill must have been standing to take the picture) and if he swung to his left you would have seen Wyatt and Jyll sitting at the breakfast bar, trying not to grab the turkey.

BUT, back to knitting. Working on BLACK, black, black fingerless mitts which I'm nearly done with. Restarted my Peacock sweater. Bought yarn to make a pullover out of Inca Gold in green (Thanks Mike for the Birthday gift card) picture at bottom. I may have finally found a yarn that will work for the cloisters sweater ,that I've had so much trouble with. I WANT this sweater bad. Only problem is that the original was knit in homespun. I haven't been able to find anything that gives the same gauge without being to loose or bullet proof. Debby at VYT suggested, Frog Tree Alpaca, I think it mightl work on size 3's. I ran up a couple swatches yesterday. But, I may have to wait till Christmas to get the yarn. Of course, it couldn't work out of stuff I had in my stash.. oh NO.. no way.. sigh. hee hee.

I should be knitting gifts. Maybe I'll sneak some of those in too!! Rather liking this little neck warmer from DreamWeaveryarns.com

ThanksGiving Thoughts

I love the food. I love my relatives. I HATE Thanksgiving. I always have a break down and cry. It doesn't matter who does the cooking. Whats up with that??

Marshall's Birthday Present

See what Bill made for Marshall for his 27th Birthday!!
Isn't this pretty? I know its hard to see but the large dial on the right is a Barometer/temp/humidity. The one on the left is a clock that can be turned to face whatever direction.
The woods are Cherry from our old Royal Anne tree that needed to be cut down and Oak from a neighbor who has long since moved away. The copper wire..lol.. is from the last telephone pole they replaced. It was the grounding wire and the phone co. just left it.
I think its really cool. Looks like something from Who-ville..lol. But, its still cool. Its sitting on a little table on my stairway landing.
Bill also made us a table clock. Pictured below

October.. ya I'm here

October, all ready. We've been on strike (Boeing) for 6 weeks now. I'm actually getting used to having Bill around. First week was horrid. I cried alot. My schedule was all f...ed up and I never seemed to get enough sleep. I'm adjusting. Alot of the time I wake up around 6:30 and just stay up. Its so bazaar.

Knitting. OH yes, I am.. thank you. I have more projects then 2 hands can handle. I'm taking a class in Cat Bordhi's socks. Its fun and for a while I found it terribly frustrating ,till I realized after ripping it out countless times, that I was on the wrong damn page! Deb Barnes is teaching it over at Village Yarn and Tea.

Other Projects are.. 1. The sweater ,from the latest Spin off magazine, The Cloister sweater by Sarah Swett. Out of stash yarn in a soft minty green with brown and white tweedishness. I'm really liking the pattern and the yarn.
#2 is a sweater from the, New, Debbie Bliss magazine. It doesn't seem to have a real name but its out of Tweed bulky..which I'm cheap and using Lambs pride bulky- in a peacock tourquoise.
#3 crocheted flowers for a friend. I've had alot of fun with the book " Crocheted Flowers" by Nicki Epstein. I've made several.

Life goes on..lol.. and knitting. I'm spinning cotton candy pink at the moment.

Boy, I'm busy. AND Christmas is coming.. OMG

Sock dye

Today, I spent the afternoon at Elsa's house dyeing Sock blanks from Knitpick.com
I've only dyed yarn a few times with marginal success. So, today was a real joy.
They turned out fabulous. We used Wilton cake icing colorings and Easter egg dyes in water/vineger put in squeeze bottles.
First, we lay out plastic wrap the length + an inch or so.. the size of the blank. Soaked the blanks in water for a time and squeezed them out before laying out to dye. We did all kinds of bazaar designs. I was rather sparing with the dye and tried not to waste it. Then we rolled up the plastic wrap the short way so, not to obscure our designs. Then the long way..like a jelly roll. Instead of steaming, like the knitpicks video, we Microwaved each packet for 2min and then let them cool. Gently, placed them in a sink 1/4 full of water to rinse. Almost no dye came out. Except the yellow which was easter egg tablet dye. BUT, the yellow did not rinse out totally. I squeezed the water out and when I got home layed them out on a sweater drying rack. Where they are drying now.
No pictures yet. But, heres the video with Acid dyes. Just substitute Microwaving for all that steaming..lol And, Food colorings instead of the Acid dyes. Good luck!!

Puppy sweater

Finally, The puppy sweater ON the puppy. Isn't she cute? Only thing I see that could be changed is making the neck smaller. But she looks happy.. don't you think?
I made this for my friend Don's dog Maya. What a sweetie.

My talented Hubby

We bought a glass lampshade for a lamp that belonged to my hubbies grandmother. We were horrified when we got it and it was to short to sit on the chimney properly. So we thought and thought and Bill decided to try making a wooden extension so it fit proper. Here it is on the lathe. Dozens of little pieces of wood glued to make a rough circle. Lots of dust and foot prints tracked threw the house... Here is the finished product.. Isn't it gorgeous!! Oh fyi.. the photos on the mantle are..Bill's Grandma.. Me as a 10 yr old and then at 28 ( the hippy look), behind is Bill in the Army.

Something New to me

I was sitting chatting with the ladies from my Saturday group. We get a bit loud with the laughing etc. But, I noticed we all got real quiet. Why was that?? They have background music playing most of the time. Today was mostly French probably from Debs vacation to Paris but something was playing that was different. I asked Victoria who it was so she went over to check and when she told me .. everyone in the room whipped out a pen to write the young mans name down.
Now.. Most of you don't know that I used to be a folk singer in the 60's and 70's..Haven't done much with it in years. I also have a passion for anything Celtic or folk music from the UK. So when I started researching this song I found the young man is from Scotland..you can hear his brogue in some of his music..anyway.. found an older YouTube before he cut his hair. Love my guys with long hair.. sigh Gonna embed it.. hope it works.

This is Alexi Murdoch.. the song Orange Sky

Knitting again!

Hello again! I took most of July off because of tendonitis. It seems to be better so I tried knitting and it doesn't seem to bother it. So, I started knitting socks out of this lovely Socks that Rock colorway called "Storybook".
I'm about halfway threw sock one and picking up the gusset in sock two. I seperated them for doing the gussets this time. Not sure why. I usually manage them both at the same time. Oh well.

The Alyce tee is sitting. I did get threw all the short rows without killing myself or anyone else. Tho, I'm sure Bill feels a little the worse for wear cuz I screamed and pulled my hair a bit. I read on Ravelry that someone is doing this sweater as their very first. I can't imagine. I've been knitting for 30+ years and its giving me fits.

The weather got cold for several weeks. Was a nice change but yesterday it decided to heat up. Usually its around 100 this time of year. Sigh.

My brother is going to have surgery. He was hoping to get out of it. Hoping they could just drain it now and then but no. So, Around the first of Sept its scheduled. I have no idea how they plan on getting around all the scar tissue from #1 surgery. They have to go threw his back and collapse his lung to get at it. Not so easy on a 350 lb man who doesn't excersize.

Jerico is coming home in..mmm.. 10 days. Trying to get my yarn mess under control so he can use that room. I'm hoping this time he'll get his own place. He's been talking about buying a condo with room for Marshall to share and keep his things safe while he's out of town. That makes good sense to me. He has also, talked about getting a boat to live on. Pfft...to have it sit 8 mo of the year empty, doesn't seem to make sense to me.

Thats it for now..

July update

Things have been slow since The BlackSheep Gathering.
My Saturday Knitting time was put on hold .
First Saturday after, Wyatt and Jyll came down for a few hours.
Next Saturday was Eryka(12) and Bryces' (2) Birthdays. They had a really nice Birthday party for them at Lou Anns (Jylls mother) lil ADOREABLE house. Its one of those Sweet old Doll house size houses. One person could be very comfortable there but two would be kinda tight. She's done a beautiful job decorating it.

I've been fighting, what I thought, was tendonitis from knitting or spinning at blacksheep. Which seemed odd because I didn't do THAT much of either. Now I'm thinking it was from weeding. Which I can happily put on hold till say.....ever. I really should just hire someone. Once I get down to weed I can't get back up. I could be stuck there all day! Not really but it gets worse the older I get. Heres a Pic of my fav Iris that I call "Caramelo"

I decided to start knitting again pain or no on Monday and it hasn't made the tendonitis any worse. My frustration level is at about 80 % tho. I'm working on the Alyce tee pictured a few entries below. For some reason I can't follow directions.. a 60s hippy not able to follow directions..who knew..lol

Otherwise, the month is slow..hot.. but progressing.

Brother Mike is still having tests. We have done alot of research online and are hoping they can take care of his cyst without surgery, this time. They have already drained it. I know.. ewww.. but people keep asking how he's doing.

Oh and its here again..... Boeing is voting on if its ok to think about striking this year. Has it been 3 years already! The vote to sanction is today. One year we were out on strike till 3 days before Christmas. Not many presents that year. Most were homemade which is better if you ask me..anyway.
Marshall got me the nicest present. Non gamers won't appreciate this but he got me a disk of Final fantasy XI music, played on Piano. It also gives you a harpsicord for your Room (moghouse) in the game. It plays a tinkling tune every hour and looks so sweet. Not a great picture but.. this is my character Pixx's room. Showing the new Harpsicord. All the trophies behind her are for a small portion of the chocobos she's raised (Ostrich like creatures you ride and race). Its kinda cramped where its sitting. Never noticed I put it in front of the damn window.. I'll have to move it. Hee hee. Thanks Marshall.. really nice!! I love it!

I got Tagged!!

Ginger Tagged me:

The rules: Are posted at the beginning. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer. Play nice, children.

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?

10 years ago ~ I was homeschooling Marshall and our neighbor girl Marie. I hadn't started to knit again ,I don't think. We were taking Gaelic classes and Taekwondo together. I was taking Tai Chi the other days.

2. What are 5 things on my to-do list today- not in any particular order?

Laundry, dinner, finish my book Kushiel's Mercy (by Jacqueline Carey), watch tv, sleep

3. Snacks I enjoy.

Ice cream

4. Places I’ve lived-

Tacoma, Los Angeles, Hawaii, Tukwila, Mountlake Terrace

5. Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

Ooo, mmmm.... Whorled Peas :)

6. What are some jobs you’ve had:

Babysitter, Nurse, Singer/Guitar player in coffee houses, Mom, Exotic Dancer, Cocktail waitress, food waitress.

People I'm going to Tag are:

Rebecca

Sheila

Jen

Sharon