And we're off!

But not running...I don't "do" running.  DiscoDame & I both have potato chip scarves, in various shades of pink.  I'm wearing mine at work today.  I'll get pictures of us wearing them tomorrow.  Which reminds me: charge the camera batteries!  Charge the phones!  Charge some more yarn online! No, wait, skip that last one.  Christmas is coming, and I gotta get my ducks in a row so I can spend happily.  Although it's doubtful Webs will still have any Waterlily yarn left.....*Sigh*
ETA, 4 days later:  We survived.  After arriving at the Race for a Cure site at 6 a.m. (it was still dark! and very cold!), we mosied over to the Survivor tent for some breakfast.  At first, a couple of gals without a clue tried to keep Disco out of the Survivor area, although their pamphlet & website both said survivors could bring in one guest.  Oops.  Poor Disco went around the other side of the enclosure to get a pom-pom shaker, to cheer for her Survivor, while I went on in & fixed her a cuppa coffee & grabbed a muffin for her.  The gals handing out the shakers asked if she was a "Co-Survivor" and she said yes, so they said she could go in too.  We found a little table, which we needed 'coz I already had two bags of swag that was being handed out, both specifically for survivors.  After fueling up, we took a walk around all the vendor booths lined up around the area, and collected more goodies & many more nice fabric bags -- I won't need new knitting totes for a while!  Well, we were getting rather loaded down, so strolled back to the car and piled up the trunk: 

Then we went back, and found another whole circle of vendors with more stuff to give away!  Rinse & repeat, as it were.  I had my picture taken on a pink motorcycle!  But that's on Facebook -- I'll have to get it later.

Somehow, in all this walking around, we managed to find only two other walkers from our team, and the folks manning our booth.  We were stankding in line at the Komen trailer, to get Disco some gloves (did I mention that it was COLD!!??), when it was announced that the Survivors were to gather in front of the stage.  So she stayed for the gloves, and I left for the stage.  Got to see the Survivor of the Year, and her pace car driver -- Sterling Martin!!  Yes NASCAR's champ has a soft spot for the cause.  Then we had an announcement that Survivors were to move to another tent, only it wasn't described very well...and I wasn't the only one lost in the confusion.  Wound up at the Survivor tent again, had a snack (an apple), milled around and asked everyone,"Is this where the Survivors are supposed to be, for the Pink Parade?" -- no one seemed to be real clear on that.  Oh well, I just went around & collected more goodies from the vendors, and back to the car to put those in the trunk.  Then I saw the time, and decided I'd better get ready to walk my mile.  This, after walking all over the Race grounds for the previous 3 hours, turned out to be quite a slog!  But I did it, and was cheered at the finish line, and then had to wait at least another hour for Disco to come thru -- she'd been walking with some other teammates (the only ones I ran into, one had recently had knee surgery and was moving at a glacial pace), and they finally told her to go on ahead & finish.  I took pictures:

Dudes in Pink

Disco!

Maximum Pink!

Not quite last minute jitters

Ok, coming up on mid-week, and our Race For The Cure happens this Saturday!  Thanks to all who've stepped up and donated to this cause.  The rest of you: what are you waiting for?  You probably know someone who's been affected, or know their families, or ARE their families....  Think of how these folks would feel, if a cure could be offered.  Think of all the folks getting screened, because the Susan G. Komen Foundation works to make it possible.  I know you'll do the right thing. 

Ahem! let me just jump off the soapbox now.  The Young Gent & I have discussed the Cowboy Surf scarf/cowl and decided a cowl is definitely the way to go.  I've reworked the formerly bound off edge, with a few more rows in pattern, a couple extra rows of stockinette with buttonholes, and several rows of garter stitch.  Now to find the buttons.  We talked about toggles -- I wasn't sanguine, but he is -- and now I'm looking for some nice grey (his choice!) toggles that aren't more than about 1.75" long and 5/8" around.  I came across a terrific site, http://www.ascuteasabutton.com/index.html, with a plethora of super nice buttons.  And it's not just the buttons that are great: they're all sorted well, right in the sidebar!  Easy-peasy looking for whatever you might have in mind; I've bookmarked it for later use. 

One step too many?

DiscoDame & I are registered for the Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure, coming up 10/27.  We are getting a late start on our fundraising.  SO, I'm turning over all rocks & putting it out there -- won't you help?


Dear Friends and Family,


We recently accepted the challenge to raise funds to support the Greater Nashville Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure in its efforts to end breast cancer forever. I will also take part in the Komen Greater Nashville Race for the Cure® as part of this program.

Please help support us in this important project by contributing generously to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Greater Nashville Affiliate. Your tax-deductible contribution will fund breast cancer education, screening, and research programs. It is faster and easier than ever to support this great cause - you can make your donation online by simply clicking on the link at the bottom of this message. If you would prefer, you can also send your tax-deductible contribution to the address listed below. More information on Komen Greater Nashville and its programs can be found at www.komennashville.org.

Whatever you can give will help it all adds up! We greatly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on our progress.

Sincerely,

Erin & Ann Devine   Hugs to all!

Swag, I has it

Monday was my birthday, so I took a vacation day (possibly the last for a while, unless I can sneak in a couple in early October).  I actually had a 3-day weekend, woo hoo!  As if that weren't boss enough, one of my presents was an immersion blender.  I have been talking this up to the family for months, and they took the hint.  No more blending hot soups two cups at a time in the food processor!  This weekend, I'll slow-cook a soup that'll need to be blended. 
The Young Gent is really keen on having the Cowboy Surf scarf by his birthday, so I must bear down on it at all opportunities.  Too bad I can't type by voice command, and have the hands free for knitting.  I was going to put up another in-progress picture, then went on and added several more inches to the length -- making the pics obsolete.  I did get them onto Ravelry.  You might study the pics showing the pink needle laying on the scarf; it points to an error that I don't intend to correct.  After all, only one Creator makes things perfectly. 
Wow, speak of the devil...the Young Gent just came by for a "fitting"!  He certainly seems pleased with his scarf.  I'm gonna be even more eager to work on it now, and just SO proud of it. 
No knitterly presents at the Birthday this year, unless we count the ones I've ordered for myself: a copy of The Principles of Knitting, some DPN sock tubes, and a digital scale (Tools! I love 'em) all from Knit Picks. 

Progress report

The Cowboy Surf scarf is coming along well. The Young Gentleman has seen a picture, and is eager to have it before the cold weather gets here. WIP pictures of scarves sometimes leave me cold – there’s not a lot of change, it’s just longer. But I’ll subject you all to the “wonder” of a longer scarf:

Picture taken weekend of 9-16. It’s considerably longer now.

I finally finished the dish/washcloth, in light green recycled cotton. So, to balance the UFO, we have a FO:

Ain’t it cute? Who doesn’t love the look of seed & moss stitch?

Usually I have two main projects going at all times, in case I get bored with one. Now the washcloth is done, what will I work alongside the Surf scarf? It needs to be small, fairly simple, and easier to work away from home than the Surf scarf – but only marginally tedious (leaves out Pup’s Steelers socks, sorry Dad!). I need to get started on holiday gifts, maybe some mitts & cowls. I could try the Alena Cowl, by Sarah Cherney; or the Ariosa Reversible Ribbed Cowl, by Susan Mills for Classic Elite; the Cowl Neck Wrap (such an imaginative name!) by Laura Farson for Cascade Yarns – for cowls. Let’s see what patterns I have on hand for mitts/arm warmers. Again alphabetically, these look interesting: Amiguitas- torirot design, April May – Jacquelynn Vance-Kuss, Arden – Mikka Tokuda-Hall (cables! Worsted wt!), Blue King Cabled Mitts – design by turvid; Blueberry Tea Mitts – Paula McKeever; Cabled Fingerless Mitts – The Knitter’s Book of Yarn, designer Jennifer Hagan. Hmm, I probably have a dozen other cabled mitts patterns handy (GOTCHA!); it’s likely I’ll be making cabled mitts. Now, I probably won’t stick with just one of these patterns worked in different colors. And it’s entirely likely I have yarns suitable to all of them, somewhere in the stash. So suit up, ‘coz we’ll be diving the stash this weekend!

Q & A

ETA: first things first!  Happy International Talk Like A Pirate Day!  ARRRR!

Do you look at Zoom's blog (http://www.knitnut.net/)?  Lately she's been answering random questions from comments.  On the 17th, she answered mine!  And now I'm answering hers. 
I also have a history of craftiness, mostly fiber related.  Mom tried teaching all her girls to crochet, cross-stitch, and knit -- but her instruction mostly didn't "take".  I started collecting bone china figures of pure breed dogs, and other assorted animals.  Back in the rock 'n roll years, oldest Sis started embroidering on a pair of jeans, which she then "outgrew" and passed along to me.  I added hundreds of yards of embroidery floss to them, so that by the time they were stolen from a dryer at the laundromat, they were EPICALLY embroidered; they were the very measure of hippie fashion.  Needless to say, I was crushed by their disappearance from the laundry.
Later I took up cross-stitch embroidery and macrame, and collected lots of magazines about cross stitching.  I found that I just couldn't see the fabric well enough to suit me, while stitching, so I got one of those great big magnifiers that hang from a cord around your neck.  It's so heavy it makes my neck hurt.  So I've pretty much stopped embroidering.  Macrame still has its charms for me (what can I say, I was a hippie chick), but all that knotting makes my hands hurt. 
Then I got cancer.  While on chemo, moving around in almost any way would make the first order of business a trip to the porcelain receptacle.  As in,"Hey, I almost feel like I could hold down some water; let me cross the living room to the kitchen and get a glass full."  The woman starts across the room, then veers right towards the bath instead of left to the kitchen.
Anyway, I spent a lot of time just sitting on the futon, and there's only so much reading even I can do at one sitting.  One day between chemo treatments I went to the library, and brought home several books about crochet.  And taught myself!  All the time, what I really wanted to do was knit, but it looked so much harder (two sticks?!?) that my chemo-fuddled brain said "No way, chickadee".  So I crocheted for a few years before I took the plunge and learned to knit -- big surprise, it's easier than crochet.  And easier on my ganglion cyst in my wrist, too.  I had the best teacher (for me), Debi Stoller's Stitch "N Bitch.  I still refer to this book, when I feel I need her simple visual aids. 
My Little Sis wants me to take up needle-felting, and has given me some pattern books for items knitted then decorated.  I'm kinda "meh" about that technique, but could try it this winter.  I'll likely use some of my thrift store sweaters to practice it.  Gad, a plan is forming! 
Recently, I thought about spinning my own yarn.  I can't seem to get the hang of drafting, and there are other activities I'd rather spend time with.  No biggee. 
Next weekend I'll head over to the Threadfest, and try to snag some nice upholstery & drapery fabrics -- I have an idea that the Lotus Origami Bag  (http://exchangingfire.wordpress.com/2010/08/05/the-origami-lotus-bag-tutorial/ ) could be a good holiday giftable, that wouldn't take as much of my time as knitting.  So, now I'll be sewing?  Haven't done much of that since high school, which was back in the time before Time.

What can we say about Wednesday?

Normally, this would be "over the hump" day, but due to the seasonal (and other!) absences, I'll be working again this Friday.  Le sigh.  At least the work is moderately interesting. 

I'm coming into the home stretch on the latest dish/wash cloth, just the garter edge & bind off to be done.  This has taken an inordinate amount of time, because I've been indulging in my other favorite hobby: Reading!  This summer I've been through the entire Malazan Tales of The Fallen, and so far the first two books of A Song of Fire and Ice, just finished Neil Gaiman's American Gods (we read Anansi Boys last summer), and now I've started a weirdy, Rumo by Walter Moers.  Not to mention the other assorted books...and I tried once again to read the Sword of Shannara trilogy, and once again lost interest halfway through the first volume.  It just strikes me as a poor man's Lord Of The Rings, same story with different players and poorer writing.  I'll likely catch h**l for saying that; I know there are a lot of fans out there.  Not that I don't like Terry Brooks' writing, I read all the Knight of the Word books and loved them.  But what is with the Shannara stories? 

We have something to cheer us up: Laurie aka Crazy Aunt Purl is blogging again!  And we can even leave comments again!  Welcome back, CAP!