Emptyknitster

I have always loved Halloween. When I was in school at good old Gatewood Elementary, in West Seattle, we would get dressed up over lunch hour and parade through all the classrooms. The kindergartners would go to the first grade classrooms and parade through, then upstairs to the second grade with the first graders jumping on board behind them. Next, the second graders would attach themselves on to the end of the line and this would continue on through the sixth grade and the third floor. Finally, the little guys would get back to their classroom and sit down, eat their treats and watch the older kiddos march through. Each class while sitting would eat their treats and when the entire school had paraded through it was time to go home. It wasn't until I was a teacher that I realized the beauty of this plan! These days the kiddos aren't allowed to dress up at our school. We have a party but no costumes. This weekend I wanted to plan a costume and dress up but it just wasn...

"As you may be aware the oil spill & potential disastrous effects to wildlife & environment off the coast of Tauranga (New Zealand) is frightening. A small number of little blue penguins have already been caught in the oil spilled to date with growing fears that more will be effected. Skeinz has been asked to help with the penguin relief by knitting small Penguin PJ’s to help protect the birds & prevent them from preening their feather & ingesting the toxic oil." At this time all 289 little guys are covered.

Madam Rosalinda Louet There's a new addition to the family! Since the 70's Rosalinda has been just a glimmer in my eye.  I've wanted to learn to spin but I'm so frugal that unless I know with absolute certainty I will use something that costs as much as a spinning wheel, I'll do without. However, since I started to watch and listen to pod casts the itch has once again resurfaced with a vengeance and this time I decided to take action. "When I retire and have more time," could have easily been my easy way out but the stronger nudge was, "If you don't do it now, you may not think you can afford a spinning wheel when you retire." A big concern I had about spinning was - if I spin it will take away from my knitting time. I'll be honest, I knit so much that my fingers and wrists on both arms hurt most all the time, a quiet ache that I try to ignore with pretty good success. I'm totally addicted knitting, and an addiction is very h...

This week I worked on a quick little project for the emerging Diva in the family. It's her birthday next month and I think that the hat and scarf will be a great accessories for over the Christmas holidays! Pattern: Waffle Knit Tam and Scarf,  by Cabin Fever Teens and Tweens Yarn: Jojoland Tonic Colorway: Chili Pepper Amount: 2 skeins Needles: US 6 and 7

I've fallen in love with shawls! Pants, tee shirt, and throw on a shawl! Last month I found the Semi-precious shawl on Knitty.com . It was love at first sight and I knew this shawl was for me. I even followed the recommendation and ordered Silky Merino Malabrigo Yarn. From the photo of the yarn, I thought it was a gray marl. However, when I received the package in was green. My fear was the shawl would look like a Montana hunting shawl -something knit in camo! We have a saying at the yarn shop:" KNIT TEXTURE OR PATTERN BUT NOT BOTH"  I began planning the purchase of several boxes of black RIT dye to try to get a solid color. But decided to block the shawl first...... Success! I received several compliments on this shawl today! Pattern: Semi-Precious Shawl, knitty.com Yarn:Maabrigo Yarn Silky Merino Colorway: bosques ( greens) Needles: US size 8

Hubby and I again flew (in the car) up to Missoula, watched the Griz football game, and arrived back home by nine last night. A fast and furious day, but fun. Today however, it's back to real life and getting everything back in shape for another week. I've been doing the laundry this morning and began thinking about the old dryer we had when I was a teen in Mssoula. The washer and dryer we recently bought are great, they do bigger loads, use less water and are now upstairs in what was called the "pet bedroom" for many years. When we had Millie, the basset hound, no one wanted to share a room with the stinky dog so the laundry room on the main floor was where she slept, ate and where the kitty box resided. Millie is gone and when we purchased the new washer and dryer we decided have the appliances placed in their rightful place. Now its a quick chore, seldom do I leave the clothes in the dryer to get wrinkly because I have a musical alert when they are done. The lit...

I've known the story about Hubby's family for many years. The Weaver brothers, featured in the following articles, were the brothers to Hubby's Great-grandmother. Elizabeth, the mother of the three brothers, was Hubby's Great-Great-Grandmother. P ublished in the New York Times: April 20, 1886 Three Brothers Lynched Anthony, Kansas. April 19. This morning the city of Anthony was the scene of a tragic affair. About two months ago a fight occurred in the village of Danville, near this palce, between three brothers named Weaver and a man named Adel Sheard. The latter was fatally wounded, and the Weaver boys were arrested and hurried away to avoid mob violence. Last week they were returned for trial, but their cases were continued for the term, with bail fixed at $10,000 each. At 1 o'clock this morning a mob of 40 armed men surrounded the residence of the Sheriff. where the pisoners were under guard. The guard, hearing them, rushed the prisoners out of the bac...

Last week I attended  a two day workshop for school. I knew I wouldn't be able to just sit for that amount of time so as I went out the door I scooped up a partial ball of yarn and my emergency knitting bag and set off. Here is the result: They took just the right amount of time, less than 12 hours and as I went out the door they went off the needles! Pattern: Fetching Yarn Plymouth Classic Wool Colorway: natural marl Needles: Size US 5 I've also been working on a sweater I'd hoped would be for The Tiger (giving him a set of stripes, don't you know!) But I'm really not sure that it should go anywhere but in the charity pile - we'll see if the NorDak mom wants it sent her way. It's all done but the buttons - I went to the store with a list of things to get, including the buttons, and then forgot all about them! They'll have to wait until my next visit into town. Pattern:The Complete Book of Reglan Sweaters Yarn: Cascade 220 Heathers Colorwa...

I recently celebrated a birthday and received several surprises at school. One little girl brought a card and I was touched at how carefully it had been picked out. When you pull the kitten out it meows the song Happy Birthday. As I was admiring it she quietly said."And look at the basket that you pulled it out of,  I know how you like balls of yarn." Oh, in one short month she's got me all figured out! I also received a potholder from a little guy that worked all weekend on my late birthday gift! How thoughtful! He said at least five times during the day."I hope you liked the potholder I made you." He was so proud!

Hubby and I left at noon on Friday to head up to the Zoo and Homecoming weekend. When we got there we shot over to Rockin' Rudy's and did a little shopping. Unfortunately we didn't score another gift like we did last year. I guess Fred the Iguana is a once in a lifetime score. Soon we moved on to Five Guys for a totally calorie and fat filled meal of fries and a bacon cheeseburgers, smothered in sauteed mushrooms and onions, delicious! A parade in Montana is filled with politicians, babies, horses, and old farm tractors ... Max Baucus and new wife future Griz cheerleaders Montana transportation The farm workhorse  and Missoula always adds a little quirkiness to their parades, shade wearing dogs, roller derby gals and interesting people...  Saturday was also a trip down memory lane with the parade marshal, Hal Stearns my junior civics teacher... Griz beat Northern Colorado soundly!