Surf the Knit World...

and...all things IOWA!

My 'heart of the hawkeyes!' logo

hawkeye donation

hawk onsies & hat/booty sets

13 hawk hat/booty sets


hawkeye colored markers online

hawkeye needles online





lovingly I've renamed:
"G'ma and me"

and I've added a map below to highlight world visitors to my IOWA space!

SOCKS 101

SOCKS 101: completed April 2007! I will be anxious to wear them next winter!

Tragic Monday @ Vtech...

My heart goes out to the people in Virgina regarding the tragedy at VTech. I am one of thousands who are watching the events unfold on CNN. It can happen anywhere as it did several years ago in my city's university.

Peppermint Sunday!

The weather here is getting to be more like spring! I hope to get out and do more walking for my 'grass-ladybug' o'meter!!! OK!! I got my MILE done!!

I have the back on the needles for #5 baby sweater using RedHeart Soft Baby 'New Mint Twinkle'!! It looks like confetti! It's a V-neck cardigan w/Garter Stitch Ridge from "Rainbow Knits for Kids" by Cheryl Potter. (same as the blue one, just larger)

I just finished updating our deck furniture...we got new wicker style seating/tables today! I put together the tables and now we both can sit out there in comfort and enjoy the 2 ponds behind our home, complete w/ducks & geese! The cushions have two coordinating fabrics & can be mixed! This will be a terrific place to get a lot of knitting done!!

Yarn 'Replacement'...

I went on a yarn 'replacement' trip yesterday...for baby sweaters! My g'daughter, Greta, has outgrown her Christmas sweater and her mom has requested a 'replacement'!!! Charlotte was watching me knit on my O p a l sock and now wants some socks AND to have me teach her how to knit!!
I visited our new 'Crazy Girl Yarn Shop' and registered for Fair Isle Christmas stocking class in June!! I still have my knitted stocking that my mom had someone knit for my brother/sisters back in 50's!!! So now, I will be able to create one for each of my g'kids! It may take me a while~ maybe deciding on which designs each g'child wants will be the most time-consuming!!
Also, I received an email from Dorothy in Australia yesterday!!
She was amazed that 'someone visited her blog'!! I plan to continue visiting her often. I am facsinated w/AussieLand & am going to write to my cousins who live in Australia!

And I need to work on the scrap quilts for The Preemie Project...
TPP List G'ma Linda gave me flannel and batting, so it's time to get my sewing machine rev'd up!!
I just finished a baby sweater from yarn I received from Andrea. (Caron Simply Soft-Country Blue from "Rainbow Knits for Kids" by Cheryl Potter) Thanks Andrea!!
(ps: I have a cousin named Cheryl & cousins w/last name Potter!!)

CUBS home opener!

I just viewed the Army parachuters landing on Wrigley Field w/Cubs retired players banners!! What a site!

I blog-read all morning AND did 15min and .75mi on the treadmill listening to Angelique Kudjo...she is a great walker CD...esp when I closed my eyes, concentrated on listening & keeping in rhythm (easy for me since I am a retired band director!) and not being distracted from watching the ducks-on-the-pond on my backyard!!

A walk everyday...

Ok, I've put a exercise ticker here...I NEED to get off my (____) and get movin'!!!!





And now, back to my...

Mesa,AZ ~Cubs & Preemies! March 2007

Weights & Measures!!

Today it was 20 degrees when I got up!! and snow fluttering outside in the fierce wind! Last night sounded just like 'ole man winter' returned for a final 'hurrah'!!


I'm reorganizing my laptop pics...so I know where to find things & delete olde items! It's a form of 'spring house cleaning'!! Alas, I have not yet been on the treadmill...OR the scale! As you can see, I THINK I'VE BEEN WEIGHING MYSELF INCORRECTLY ALL THESE YEARS!! lol :)



Wow, I just checked my Vistor's world map...213 visitors since March 27!! That's amazing!!




I keep reading more blogs, find new pics to add (thank you if I borrowed) and now added the MOON Phases ~~ I also figured out (while in Mesa) how to add Flickr photos and Universe clock!! I'm still not sure why some of my buttons(uploaded but not necessarily mine) are not clickable but feel extremely proud that I've figured all of this blogging stuff out on my own thru 'trial & error'...mostly by error!! I love the knitting blogs, esp the creative names!! As you can tell, I L O V E C O L O R !!! Thank you and please stop back again!!

Gotta get my Preemie Project outfits ready for the April donation!!

Going Home!!

We are finally home!! Really, we arrived home April 1st!! Made stops at the g'kids' for XoXoX's!!! Then lugged in all that was stuffed into the car...and after 2 days of laundry, I'm finally caught up! Oh yes, and a trip to HyVee for restocking the pantry/frig too!!

Wool Winder!!

This is my new Wool Winder! I love it! I was getting very frustrated untangling yarn. It saves a lot of stress on my already weak wrists...I spun several balls of yarn just for the fun of it!


Next are my Preemie Sleeper Sacks completed to date:




Bernat Softee Yellow: 2

Baby Bee Sweet Delight: 3 (my favorite!!!)

White Bunny button detail

Blue Sailboat button detail

Bernat Softee blue: 2

Bernat Softee Green: 2








Bernat Softee Blue/White: 2

John & Shannon

I met some new friends...Max and Beau!! They are so cute! Shannon and John invited us to their home and out for dinner while we were here in Mesa! I love their home...it feels so refreshing here in the desert!

B-day Sidetrip to Sedona and Jerome, AZ

Here are the RED ROCKS as we approach entering Sedona, AZ! The locals have named many formations from 'Snoopy' to 'mother w/child'... all are spectacular! Hampton Inn desk clerk, BJ, helped to make my March 13 Bday very special ...she's from Iowa too!

'Tlaquepaque' ~~ enclosed (European style) boutique mall where shop doors open inside to various courtyards and streets with large cobblestones as they do in Europe.

Chapel of the Holy Cross outside Sedona, AZ built into rock w/help of Barry Goldwater when he was in office!

Husband, Terry, lighting candle and signed the guest book. I bought hand-painted Christmas ornament of chapel to add to my 'travel' collection of ornaments.

Jerome, the oldest town in AZ, is nestled into the side of the mtn...hairpin turns, very narrow streets, buildings practically touching each other, and very old, old, old!!!

This is the view from Jerome looking down the hair-pin mtn road. Jerome now attracts artists of various mediums... oil, watercolor, pottery, glass, jewelry, wood, etc...

One of Jerome's facinating businesses! Unique architecture! Bordellos combine w/Pizza!!

Knitting on Vacation!

2 yellow, 1 green of Bernat Softee using Debbie Cowerd's adaptation of Lois Walter's Preemie Baby Kimono from pattern link on
ThePreemieProject.com
#6 needles, eyelet at neck and hem, 11" from arm to hem. My own hand-made knitting markers identify button placement when I get home along with adding satin ribbon in eyelet rows.


Here I am...on the patio outside our apartment @ Fiesta Village in Mesa,AZ working on the first 3 preemie outfits completed while 'visiting' the Cubs - March '07!

#4 outfit is finished 3/10/07!
I used BabyBee 'sweet
delight' yarn, white flecked w/blue & green...it's simply adorable!
#6 needles. Knitting markers for buttons & satin ribbon also in eyelet rows.

Sunny Arizona!

Here we are in sunny Mesa, Az!! We are 'visiting' the Cubs during spring training...as of this writing (3/7/07) they have won 2 games!!

IS THIS THE YEAR???




Cub banner in Hohokam Park (Mesa,AZ)
Spring Training March 2007







1st pitch Giants vs Cubs March 1, 2007

Basketball

Fast break by g'son Ethan 2/21/07...good ball-handling skills!

Sock 101

This is my first time knitting socks! My, this Opal yarn is tiny!!! and I chose the short db pt #2 needles, which I really like! I made it around the gusset and heading for the toe!! I'm glad I got new, stronger presciptions on my glasses this year! and I've started making my own markers from beads! I hope to have both socks done when we come back from Mesa, AZ in 5 weeks!

My first sock completed 2/22/07!!