Yes! Back on Track. Here is the completed sash in the correct sizing. Whew...no more double seed stitch. Can you tell this one is quite a bit smaller?! 

Cute, Cuter, Cutest

So today I just had to (yup, had to) go and pick up this Debbie Bliss book. No, I am not pregnant. And no intention of little tikes running around any time soon. But, I love this book. Such cute things. And, I happen to know a couple of little ones on the way who deserve little beauties made from this book. What shall I knit?? I love the sweater on the cover, the kimono, and definitely the ribbon tie dress. Soooo many cute patterns!

Kyoto Sash is...Gigantic-o.....How disappointing. I checked the gauge, used the smallest cast on...and what happened? I ended up with the largest sash possible. Eh. Time to Rip it and modify my cast ons......how deceiving circulars can be from time to time. 

Kyoto

Guess what?! I found a Knit-Along for Kyoto. I think that knit-alongs are fun ways to work on projects and get ideas from others. So, needless to say...I joined right up!

Finished! Well, my "Stole" turned out to be more of a Shawl...I am happy with the results and the yarn was fun to use....I just may have enough to modify and make myself a Stole for real this next time....whatcha think?
 

R2 Shawl or wanna be Stole 

It's here! Gotta love coming home to a package...and even better a YARN package. Let Kyoto begin! Yarn is pakucho which is 100% organic cotton made in Peru. This should be fun to work with! 

Never mess with a Woman's....

Closet.

Yup, that's right. I have found that my closet is a very sacred thing to me. About 2 months ago after returning from a business trip, I was unpacking my clothes and noticed what appeared to be a drop of water on the floor of my closet. To make a long story short, the woman in the condo above ours had incorrectly installed her new washing machine and so it had ruined our ceiling in my closet. 2 months later, we have our closet repaired. Gotta love those general contractors (sorry for any out there that actually are PUNCTUAL and get the job done quickly). Guess that is what you have to put up with when you are not footing the bill.

So, after moving all of my work clothes, wedding dress, miscellaneous items back into the closet, I am finally feeling like my life is back in order. Funny how a little thing like having your clothes separated from each other and wrinkled up beyond belief can really make one very edgy.

Thanks honey for putting up with my countless grumbles.....and for cleaning my closet today so that I can get things back in order!!

In other news, this was a very busy weekend. My husband participated in the 3 cycling events in this year's Iowa Games. He did the time trial Friday night, the mountain bike race Saturday, and the road race today. What can I say....he is quite the man!

Also, last night my office had a tent out at Prairie Meadows (racetrack and casino). I have never been out to the horse races before. I wasn't planning on betting on any races, but when we saw in the 4th race a horse named Tough Beth...our receptionist Sue couldn't resist buying me a ticket. She bet $2 that Tough Beth would show. Guess what??? Tough Beth came in 2nd!! Odds being not so favorable for Tough Beth, Sue came back with $9.60 which we split! Yeah I know, not a lot of money...but it sure made things fun :-)

Hope everyone had a fab weekend!

Stole and such

This is what I have decided to do with the R2 yarn. I am adapting a pattern from the Keyboard Biologist's blog called Caribbean Cruise Scarf. I am doing increases at the end of my drop rows (and then eventually decreases) so that I can create more of a stole. This picture doesn't really give the increases any justice, but I assure you after this is off the needles it will be more obvious. This yarn is so fun and light!

And yes, I have already identified another project once this one is complete. I have been oogling over this pattern on Knitty for quite some time. I ordered the yarn tonight and soon I will be ready to go! Last night at knitting group, Natalie pointed out the Organic Cotton on Elann (my fav source for yarns) and I snagged some today. This is a special treat for me to give myself some congrats for achieving a nice bonus from work...YAY me! (ok, enough with the self). I hear one of my sis's good friends is working on Kyoto too....how's it going?

Last night's knitting group was a relaxing time to knit and chat as always. We had another new face, hooray for young, hip knitters! Now, if only we could get these women to keep coming regularly....then we would definitely be a needle force to be reckoned with!

Vacationing: Colorado, hiking, biking, knitting...what could be better?

Ah, vacations. Gotta love the break from the routine. My hubby and I just got back from Colorado with my parents. I absolutely love Colorado, especially Breckenridge. What a beautiful place. We were there over the 4th and enjoyed some fireworks. We biked, we hiked, we lounged.

One of the exciting parts of the trip was that my hubby did a mountain bike race on the 4th of July called the Firecracker 50. This was a 50 mile race that was made up of 2 twenty five mile loops....totally over 5,800 feet of elevation climbs! It was really fun to watch all of the riders line up the beginning of the parade and start racing as they left town and started the climb up Boreas Pass. My hubby did a great job, considering the change in altitude. Unfortunately, he had to stop after the first loop because he wasn't feeling well. They had several aid stations on the course for riders to refuel and drink water. Nothing tasted good, and he wasn't able to drink the liquids he needed. Yup, the altitude had gotten to him. He wasn't really sore, but just wasn't able to eat and drink like he needed too and it was beginning to throw him off. He was disappointed to find out later that if he would have kept going at his same pace for the 2nd loop, he would have gotten 6th place in his age group and class. I am very proud of his effort...definitely not something I could do. Yay Hubby!

Yes, knitting was done....much knitting. From the pictures below you can see that I finished Clapotis, did another One Skein Wonder, and also some silly little yarn squares out of pure fidgeting and a need for more knitting.

Now I am relaxed and ready to get back into the routine again! And, guess what?! This week is knitting group so I had better start another project!

Clapotis is done and I LOVE it! What a fun pattern, and I love the colors. What do you think?! 

Here it is On...Clapotis!! 

My 2nd One Skein Wonder...it fits! Since I was in between shoulder measurements, I went the size lower on my first one skein wonder which proved to be a little tight. This one I went up a size and it works well! I used the same cotton yarn for this one (Plymouth Yarns Fantasy Naturale) and it took about one and a half skeins. 

Back of Aqua One Skein Wonder 

Yarn from What's Needling U? in Frisco...perfect for mindless yarn squares on the drive through Nebraska. This yarn is Trendsetter Yarns Scoubi Du 

Gotta love Colorado....back from our vacation! This is a picture of the Blue Lakes near Breckenridge 

Here is a pic of the ski runs at Breckeridge 

4th of July Fireworks in Breckenridge....we were soooo close to these! 

Happy 4th of July

On Vacation...hope everyone is enjoying the nice summer weather!

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Mine has the pup with the fuzzy blue flower on the collar!