Once Again Behind

Hmmmm. It's getting harder to keep up with this. Not the indulgences (that's the easy part), just the daily posting. Anyway.......

Thursday I went into work and taught Senior High Music. That was a great way to spend the day.
Most of the classes were eager to be there and really wanted to make great music. A few were just movie watching (the teacher didn't know until last minute that I would be teaching and she doesn't know I have experience in music), some in the 7th grade were willfully ignorant. They didn't know who Mozart was and didn't want to. Sigh.

Friday was more of the same except the 7th grade agreed that they would stop talking during the test (and I had to make and agreement?) if I played for them. Naturally I played a whole lotta classical. HA.

Today The Husband and I went bargain hunting. I found some yarn (big surprise) and he found some food stuffs. Everyone came home happy. Now I just have to find a shawl pattern for 700+ yds of worsted weight. Ravelry here I come!

Aunt Barney Rides Again

As you may remember, I was headed East to take a knitting class with Youngest Niece. Her Little Guy was all excited to see me, as you can see. He's three and is still working on pronunciation. Therefore, Aunt Barney. Thank G-d I didn't wear purple (and I hate that song).
The whole reason for the trip was to take a knitting class (or three) from Annie Modisett. Now, I have been knitting since I was four. That's more that 50 years. I learned a few new tricks. Whee.
Wednesday night we knit with wire. Not something I will do a lot of, but we all learned that some 26 gauge wire is thicker than others. Naturally, I had chosen a thicker one. YN chose a thinner one and her sample was gorgeous. Annie gave each of us a spool of the kind of wire she uses and I will definitely be trying again with that one.

Thursday morning we learned a new/old way to knit. It is the way I used to knit until Aunt Grace told me I was doing it wrong. Yes, it makes a beautiful stitch. Yes, it's familiar to me. No, I won't be using that method. Julie asked some of her readers to knit an afghan square for a good cause and I tried the new/old way. It took twice as long and my hands really hurt from tightening up my knit stitches. The pattern is from Barbara Walker's Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns. I've always wanted to knit this castle and now I had a reason.

Thursday afternoon we tried out some new decorative details. The i-cord bobble was worth the cost of all the classes. Wow, what a great way to bobble. Makes me almost not hate them. We also learned to make dreads, horizontal i-cord and some spiffy bind offs.

Before I left home I finished the Kai Mei socks from Cookie A's new book. They were really fun to knit. YN says she might not knit them because the lacy part won't show in your shoes. I don't care I just wanted to try them.
Friday, before I headed home we went to a yarn shop in Nazareth PA. I bought some yarn spun and dyed in Pa and some yarn with possum spun along with the wool. Lime and Violet were talking about it and I just had to have it. Now, if I knit a scarf from it will I have to play dead when someone scares me?

Has Anyone Seen My Snorkel?

After many visits to the frog pond I am getting back on track with the holiday knitting. Of course, I need to get some more yarn. . .
I was knitting along on the Monet scarf and not liking what I was seeing. It was garter stitch in the middle and a little bit 'o lace on the edges. I finished a pair of socks and was putting the pattern back in the book when I saw a pattern called Elizabeth I. Ohhhhh!! Lacy and interesting to knit. I had finished about 20 inches and since ripping back I've re-knit 10 inches. Someday there will be a picture.
The Strikke along was going great guns and I had finished the back and the left front and put it together just to check the fit. Rats! Too small. So I ripped it all out and started a larger size. With all the holiday knitting ahead I had to put it aside for now.
Ohhhh!!! Yesterday The Husband and I were at The Big Book Store and he had a coupon for 25% off. As he couldn't find anything he wanted to read (did I tell you that 3 new cookbooks came in the mail yesterday?) he let me use it on a knitting book. Son of Stitch 'n Bitch. This is a great book for any knitter with men to knit for. Just skimming through it I saw at least 4 patterns that I need to knit now! Gotta go get some special yarn. See ya!