Fall Splendor!!!

Fall is here!! i love the changing colors on the trees. the air is fresh and cool - no humidity. the sky is filled with various shades of white to gray-blue billowy cotton fluffs. and the perfect knitting season...getting to enjoy this season and make knitted gems for family and friends. alas, always too many on my list, not enough time!

am making Hawkeye handpainted black/gold socks for g'sons E & E. H & S got theirs last Christmas! leftover yarn will go into a lacey scarf for me. i need to knit from my sock yarn stash as a couple pair have sprung holes in the soles ;-(

have a request to make the gdaughters sweater-jackets this fall. they are growing out of their clothes fast!

am in midst of building a new home in wooded area...the scenery is beautiful around the lot! can't wait to finish and move in...everything on one level, but have access to unfinished lower level...lots of storage space and craft area.

will try to post more often than i have during this past couple of years. i need to write more. but i HAVE been reading a lot of t's books inbetween spurts of knitting!

in stitches...
hawknitr13

back home again!!

WOW!! i don't blog as much as a used to...i blog'd daily for a while b4 Ravelry & Facebook hit the cyber-waves!! i just watch'd a great video on Ravelry and learned 2 new knitting tip/techniques that should help improve my knitting! 1) how to decrease the size of the last BO stitche and 2) how to purl more efficiently continentally. i think it's the same method that i've seen in a tv commercial but could not figure out how it was done! purling cont.style has always been my sore spot and makes me knit English-throwing most of the time, but my purls tend to be a bit looser...

still within gauge, but looser. so now i have 2 things to try today on my day-off of cleaning/

sorting/packing ... spring housing-cleaning is moving ahead 'full-steam' these days!!! i cleaned the garage yesterday...loaded up the garbage can + 3 bags full for the 'guys' this morning! i'm purging 'junk'!!! but i STILL have too much stuff all over this condo! i guess each year i will need to rid myself of yet more stuff, aka: JUNK!!! i'm too much of a sentimental romantic. i save too much stuff. it's this stuff that i've purchased in past years that brings back memories of travels, people/friends, etc. my entire condo is decorated w/art that i've purchased here and elsewhere during travels...esp my "Colorado" hummingbird/mountain bedroom!! and my LR/kitchen is Italian...I LOVE ITALY!!! both it's cities and food!!

ok, back to the real world... i promise (to myself) i will blog more regularly.

rain in AZ!!

i can't beleive it rains in AZ!! 3 days now! and cold! i almost feel i'm getting 'cabin fever' like in an IOWA snowstorm!! which, of course, i'm NOT missing at this moment!! LOL
i'm just about finished with the 2nd 'pumpkin vine' lace sock! i've frog'd at least once on each sock! but i want to make a matching 'pumpkin vine' skinny scarf and submit the set to the Johnson Co Fair this summer ... i think i'm ready for a critique!! the yarn is handpainted with all the fall colors! it's perfect for this pattern! will post pic when finished...
~~the fair thing is a 'no-go'!!! my 2nd sock was knit tighter and is smaller than the 1st!! ;-(
i hope one of my feet is smaller!! LOL oh well, they're pretty anway!!

yarn quest

good morning world!
here we are in sunny Mesa,AZ w/rain in the forecast for today! but nevertheless, we are going to gps our way to Scotsdale in search of the yarn shop there! we have a newly remodeled condo this year...new chocolate brown leather furniture, granite-top dining table, and chocolate brown bedding/towels! long & narrow and taupe, it looks/sounds like a cave!! (no pics on walls yet)
we know the grocery store and coffee shop from past yrs! so broadening our horizons!! hubby has been to all the surrounding towns in years past from away CUB spring training games, but this year i want to check a few of them out! since i won $35 at bingo last week, i can splurge a little again on yarn!!
made 6 'grape-bunch' dishcloths on the 3-day drive out here. then a lace baby sweater, 2 hats and working on a pr of 'rainy day' lace socks in navyblue nylon/acrylic. i'm using up my 'scraps' for baby hats,mitts to donate. b4 we left home i donated 15 baby sweaters, mostly lacey, to UIHC volunteers to distribute to babies in hospital. i received a very nice thank you note from the ladies!! makes me want to knit/donate more!! baby sweaters are small and easy to finish quickly! will post some pics soon!
well, that's all for now...i promise to try to post more regularly!
^)^ linda

New Year ~ 2010

hello world!!
i can't beleive i haven't been here since April of 2009!!! i can't possibly update 9 months in one post, so i won't! i'll just start anew!!
it's cold here...18 above... salvationArmy is coming for a pickup today. downsizing even more. we decided to build...got the last corner lot on susan's street...good for her since she is our builder! there is a wooded park in the backyard which is less for us to mow! plus deer/wildlife!! a new firestation will be built across the street this year so that's comforting.
i designed a basic ranch -one level(w/unfinished basement) that is ADA accessible. no steps for either of us unless we venture down to the cementCave!!
so far i'm loving the process of deciding on cabinets, counters, tile, carpet, paint, etc. my kitchen will be Italian --winecolored cherry cabinets, beautiful quartz counters. corner fireplace in greatRoom. tiled walk-in showers, double sinks, corner tub w/glass window blocks in masterBath. island w/drawers. stainless appliances. i want a floor drain in the garage. everything new! i can't wait to start digging! that will start when we're in Mesa,AZ for 2 months (planned b4 our 'build' decision!)
so my knitting has kept me 'employed' parttime w/yarn $$$... i will update my knitting project pics soon... i need to do that on Ravelry too! i made the 6 g'kids each a pair of handknit socks. i know E&E love theirs!! also got some 'hawkeye' black/gold sock yarn...it pools a lot but 'that's life!' my BKFF cindy is a real gem! we try to get together every wed during her lunch. and i have a couple of good knitting friends online...valli in maine, anita in queens,NY. i treasure their friendship!
ok, that's all for now...
^)^linda