Update

I picked up needle and thread last week--the first time in a long while. It felt good. I sewed the binding on a quilt top that had been waiting in my closet for just the right person.

That person is Baby McManus, who will be showing up any day now. My friend, Adrienne, is expecting her first baby and I went to her shower last week. I had the top quilted by a gifted machine quilter, Teri Sartain (sadly, blogless). The quilt pattern is called Spiderweb, so Teri quilted it with spiderwebs (of course).

Note to self: "Sew quilts more often, it's fun!"

As my friend Cockeyed would say, there are only nine more sleeps until I leave for Sock Summit! My mind is going in a thousand directions at once--I'm so excited! I am taking a sock design class from Anne Hanson, a color class with Tina Newton and Anna Zilboorg, a pattern writing class, and a spinning class (don't laugh--I know, I said I would not go there). Along with the classes, I'm also going to the opening night reception, a Ravelry meetup, and a panel discussion that includes some very famous knitters. If that wasn't enough, I'm going to join a lot of other Sock Summiteers to


Yes, that's right. We will to try to break the Guinness World Record for “The Most Number of People Knitting Simultaneously”. There are rules, and we have to be organized, but I'm sure we will succeed :)

I love Portland, but I don't think I'll have much time for sightseeing. My schedule it packed!

Is it wrong

to keep Ulmus draped behind my computer screen so I can look at it while I'm working

and pet it when I walk past?

Just Another Manic Monday

You might have noticed I haven't been blogging much. I've been digging through and catching up on my to-do list. I got behind on everything when my step-dad was so sick. I just can't believe how much time all of that took--not to mention the emotional toll. Ed's feeling much better now that he had his prostate surgery. Also, his new doctor finally found out which bug was causing his UTI's--it was a "one in a million bug" and after five days of IV antibiotics he was all clear. He has adjusted to the board-and-care home, but continues to have balance problems and hallucinations.

It helps to have a sense of humor. Yesterday when I visited, he kept telling me about an animal that had been running around the night before. He had trouble remembering the name of the creature, but described it as "pretty big, with a long beautiful tail". When I asked him what color it was, he answered, "Oh, I don't know--animal colored". We continued to chat for a while about other things, when suddenly he remembered, "Wolverine!" I've been smiling about that all day. I wonder what it is in his brain that makes him see a wolverine?

On the knitting side of things, I have another finished object to share--woohoo! It's the Fantasy Market Bag. I used Katia Linen held double. It was a fun knit, and I love the yarn. It's going into my "To Be Gifted" basket.

Next up is the Sundance Beach Bag in Classic Elite Sundance.

Blocked

Ulmus is blocked and finished. I just love how the STR and Silkie teamed up to make such a soft, drapey fabric.

When my mom saw it, she grabbed it and wrapped it around her shoulders and cuddled with it. Hmmm, looks like I should start another one!

Happy 4th

Enjoy your holiday!