Emptyknitster

Socks: 22 pair, 1 single Christmas sock Fingerless Gloves: 4 pair Sweaters: 8 Scarfs/Shawls: 10 Hats: 4 Baby Blankets: 2 Misc:3      Grand total of knit items knit in 2011:  54 Favorite knitted item: Beautiful yarn brought back from Germany by a friend . I also learned how to knit beads into my work on this project. And The Tiger's Bluie III because he loves it so! Favorite photo prop for a knitted item: A split rail fence... Craziest thing knit this year: Opposites Attract Yarn in Anthony and Cleopatria. Favorite hand spun item: Mitts in my own pattern Beartooth Mountain Mitts.

Hubby worked on Christmas again this year. So The NorDak Family decided to celebrate the 25th with the other side of the family and come to Montana on Wednesday. The Chick and I lounged all Christmas morning, Hubby's nephew dropped by and then we went down to the fire station and had a lovely dinner. Hubby's good friend, McKinney, will be changing shifts this next year and so this is possibly the last time they will be working at the station together. When the family arrived the 26th the kiddos couldn't wait to open their gifts. They were excited about the future wagon train trip but even more so when they found out the cousins will be going as well. The kiddos were especially happy to see their Auntie! Our days were filled with Uno and Ticket to Ride. Grandpa took the kiddos out one day to sled. When they were back in the house for hot chocolate The Tiger reported they had all taken one "really fast" ride down the hill. His Mom said how she'd li...

KNIT!!! Pattern: Nalu Yarn: Skein Colorway: Tuscany Amount: 34 grams (really!) Needle Size: US Size 3 These were a fun and fast knit. California Dreamin' Gurl and The Chick Who Flew The Coop both had their eye on these mitts as they were being knit up and happily I can provide both with their wish! These mitts took very little yarn and are lovely.

Recently,  Franklin Habit wrote a post about some old magazines that were a standard in his family home. It brought back a Christmas memory I had forgotten. Every year I looked forward to the Christmas issue of Family Circle to arrive in the grocery store. Hubby and I were broke college students and newlyweds and this magazine virtually guaranteed I would find an inexpensive Christmas gift for some family member. One year I knit Dad golf club covers from a pattern in the magazine. They were gold covers with brown purl rowed stripes to show what wood it was. I didn't play golf and I wanted Dad to have a great gift. Four covers were okay but he had many more clubs and isn't more always better?? Dad laughed so hard but used all the covers with much teasing from his golfing buddies. I also knit my brothers ties from the magazine. In fact, a tie was my first commissioned work. I still have the pattern for the tie in my pattern collection.

It's going to be a white Christmas! Many Christmas' ago, Hubby brought home a Santa hat. He thought our little girls would love to play with the red and white hat until "the big day." I suggested we hang the hat on the coat rack Christmas Eve and let the girls play with the Santa hat every Christmas after.  We never thought it would be so effective! Christmas morning we waited and waited for the girls to gather around the tree - finally we decided they had slept long enough and put on Christmas music and began to make lots of noise around the house, hoping to wake them from a sound sleep. The girls came running up begging us to be quiet. They explained they had been awake for hours but were hesitant to get up because earlier in the morning they had spotted Santa's hat and thought he was delivering the goodies. They didn't want us to scare him off before he left the intended presents! The next Christmas the girls carefully put the hat back on the...

The recent trip to San Francisco was taken on a very reasonable flight. SO reasonable that I could only take one bag onto the plane. Even with the limited space I absolutely couldn't travel without a knitting project. Socks are a knitting traveler's best traveling companion. Normally I use my knitting to keep busy and a way NOT to have to engage in conversation with others. But, this trip I met the nicest lady at the airport while waiting to board. She was a new knitter and painfully knitting her little niece a pair of slippers. She introduced herself and we had a wonderful visit, we quickly found that we had many things in common. She was impressed with the socks and amazed that I finished the mid flight. I do believe that if Glen from Madison, Wisconsin, lived here we would become good friends. Knitters are a wonderful bunch of people! Pattern: Honey Badger Socks - with a Socks On A Plane beginning! (But The Honey Badger don't care) Yarn: Schoppel-Wolle Crazy Zauber...

Last weekend I was in rainy San Francisco. The Wednesday before I was to fly down I was gifted  with a cold and laryngitis - again, the second time this school year. With some quick reflection and a little math I realize that I have 700 pupil contacts a week and I'm sure that they aren't all healthy and germ free. When I started my teaching career every year for the first five years I was sick by the third week of school - Open House night was always timed right in the middle of my cold, cough and laryngitis. So I guess it is reasonable the when serving that many bodies a week I will have to boost those immunities. When, over lunch hour, my cold turned into laryngitis I paniced! I had been so looking forward to my trip to see The California Dreamin' Family! I wrote up Sub notes and decided that I would stay home Thursday and Friday, not talk to anyone, and hope for the best, After all the cold would be almost a week old..... By Friday I was better but not even functioni...

I justified learning to spin by making a pact with myself: If I learned to spin I would also have to knit the handspun into items. Although I haven't spun as much as I would like I did have some yarn to knit up. Right now there is so little yarn is each amount I spin I have to knit small projects... Pattern: Beartooth Mountain Mitts Yarn: Hand spun Amount: @ 250 yarns Needle Size: Size 6

I had been fending off the Pinterest craze for sometime. I love Ravelry, my knitting community, but it does cut into my knitting time and I knew that Pinterest would as well. Finally I broke down when the teachers all around me began saying what a great source of lessons there was on Pinterest. I have picked up a few lessons but what I feared has happened! I've begun working on projects from Pinterest... I have snowmen all over the house and keep them up until February so when I spotted this simple project I had to add it to the collection. Easy, with fun foam and my NEW glue gun! Also, there have been many entries on using Sharpies on mugs and plates to make personalized items. This has been an interesting project. I've gone everywhere trying to find the necessary items. I'm currently doing a "Test" project to see if it works!

I just finished the second wagon train shawl! This one is for Chloe. Pattern: Knit and Crochet Shawl by Diane Moyer Yarn: Plymouth Yarn, Encore Tweed Colorway: Denim Amount: 2.5 skeins Needle Size: Size 8, Hook Size I I'm hoping the NorDakPurlGurl will bring her sewing machine at Christmas. The next item I want to work on for this trip is an apron for myself. It has a large pocket to hold needles, yarn and the project. It was a free pattern from Cast On. And then we need to make some sunbonnets!

Last summer while visiting the NorDakPurl Gurl we visited a wagon train the night before setting out on their week long journey. The kiddos fell in love with the idea of a pioneer journey. When I asked the NorDak Kiddos at Thanksgiving if they still wanted to go, there was a resounding YES! I gave the California Dreamin' crew a call and my reply was, "I thought that was a for sure, the kiddos are planning on it!" I’m going wrap up a shawl for each of the little girls for Christmas to symbolize the upcoming trip we will be taking. And each boy is receiving a cowboy shirt! Pattern: Knit and Crochet Shawl Yarn: Plymouth Encore Colorway: Ruby Amount: 2.5 from the stash Needle Size: Size 8 (not the 9 recommended), crochet Hook J

The last Friday of each month is treat day at work.  I have a couple of old standards I enjoy bringing and was asked to share them with the crew. What an easy way to get copies to everyone! Microwave Carmel Corn Kathy W. Combine in 2 quart microwave dish: 1 cup brown sugar 1 stick margarine 1/4 cup karo  syrup 1/2 teaspoon salt Bring to boil, then cook on high for 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 tsp baking soda. Put 3 quarts popped popcorn in brown grocery sack. Pour mixture over it. Roll bag shut and cook on high for 1.5 - 2 minutes. Shake bag, cook 1.5 minutes more. Spread onto cookie sheets and cool. Pumpkin Bread Caroline K. 3 cups flour 1 teaspoon soda 1 teaspoon salt 3 teaspoons cinnamon 2 cups white sugar 2 cups pumpkin 4 eggs, beaten 1 1/2 cups oil 1 cup chopped nuts Place all dry ingredients in mixing bowl, with a spoon make deep well in center.  In well place all other ingredients. Stir carefully - just enough to dampen dry ingredients. Pour ...

I finished another pair of socks. These Stashbuster Socks are the greatest! You need three balls of leftover yarn from previous socks. I like to use two variegated colors with one similar color running through both and a third yarn in a solid color. This seems to keep the colors in the socks "toned down" and not looking like what the knitting community calls "clown barf"!  An added plus is for every three pairs of sock yarn bought you get a third pair free! Pattern: Stashbuster Spirals Yarn: Lorna's Laces Multi and Solids Colorway: Maple Grove, Specially dyed Wild Purls, Off White Amount: Leftovers from 3 previous projects Needle Size: US1

What do Rednecks in Montana do on December 1st when the temperature hits the 60's? Go to the shooting range!

Last Saturday The Chick Who Flew The Coop was gathering up her things to make the trip back to her house, clean laundry (check), Black Friday sale items (check), and finally her kitty - Babycakes.  Babycakes loves her mom, her apartment, and our house but she HATES what is between - the car travel! So when The Chick said, "Okay Baby, I know you won't like this, but it's time to go home." Baby looked at her, tucked her tail between her legs, bolted for the basement stairs and yowled one long yowl all the way until she was under The Chicks bed! There was a quick discussion and we decided that she could stay with us until after Christmas. A hour after The Chick left, Babycakes appeared and life has been great ever since. Baby goes out on our deck and takes in a little fresh air every morning but what she loves the most is Hubby. She sleeps on him, follows him everywhere and is only two feet away whenever he is home. Hubby has already bought her a cat bed that will...

I just can't tell you how happy I am that the DAMN Sam sweater is done! I hope, hope, hope that it will fit my beloved Sam but I readily admit the sweater I started in April, yes April, has been the bain of my existence and may be to small or big, the arms to long, short, skinny, or the entire sweater may just fall apart! Seldom - if ever have I hated the knitting of an item so much! Pattern: Mirror Stripes Yarn: Cascade Yarns Cascade 220 Heather Colorway: Mallard, Cordovian Needle size: US 3, US 5 Last night I cast off, worked in the ends, will wash off all the months of cat hair, blocked it, and pop the Christmas gift in the mail this weekend. PS: I've already started something else that I love - more to come later.....

Hosting The Nutcracker in Billings has been a 30 year tradition. For several years I have wanted to go with the granddaughters. Either Hubby and I are celebrating Thanksgiving in North Dakota or by the time we think of reserving tickets the theater has sold out. This year we thought the timing was right, the NorDakFam were coming to town, and the tickets were bought. But sadly the NorDak Family unexpectedly had to return home early. I called in the reserves, Jo and her Grandkiddo Mia. We attended the ballet last night. The San Diego Ballet Company danced with our local children. Humor was tucked into every scene for an observant viewer. And the Plum Fairy impressively seemed to fly through the air. It was outstanding! I wore my new shawl and felt very festive. Pattern: BLT Scarf/Shawl Yarn: Wollmeise Sockenwolle 80/20 Twin Colorway: Ruby Needles: US 4 Beads: 44 grams My good friend, Darlene,  bought this yarn last July while in Germany. She was lucky enough to visit ...

Thanksgiving break was extra long for me this year, I took Monday and Tuesday off to be with the NorDak Family. They arrived on Sunday and the first thing I did was give The Tiger his bigger and better New Blue. He loved it! We played lots of Ticket To Ride...   and worked on a gingerbread man. We tried new recipes and ate all the time! Carmel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies   (from the Cooking Photographer ) Ingredients 1 cup unsalted butter, nearly melted 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 (7.4 ounce) box Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink Mix *Not sugar free* 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 (14 ounce) bag Kraft Caramels Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line rimless cookie sheets with parchment paper. It has to be parchment this time. 2. In a stand mixer, cream together butter, sugar, salt, and all 10 packets of apple cider mix until smooth ...

After much dragging of feet on my part, Hubby and I drove the five hours up to Montana's BIG college football game - GRIZ vs. Bobcats. It has been one of the worst seasons on record for the Griz, but one of the best for the Bobcats.  I was sure that it would he a waste of time, money and a beautiful fall Saturday. If nothing else the GRIZ know how to put on a fun pre-game show:  A National Guard Fly-over  My favorite pro football player....MARC MARIANI!  A great first half...  My first tailgate party hosted by Hank, and Kimmie... After that it was all downhill.

I have been frustrated for several months over my knitting. I dislike having piles of unfinished items in front of me and that is exactly what has been happening lately. Rather than knitting an item, posting it as complete and moving on, I've been slogging on and on never seeming to get anything complete. There is a Christmas sweater I'm not happy with. I still have to finish "the thing" by my self imposed due date of Thanksgiving. I initially was trying to work on whatever item my knitting group was knitting but that got out of hand. They were knitting items I really had no use for. I realized this kind of knitting couldn't continue but not before starting a Piper's journey which now must be finished. I joined my first online knit along and had a pair of sock to knit  but the yarn didn't arrive in time and so I ended knitting two pair.  Socks on a Plane and Katniss Socks are now complete. Pattern: Katniss Yarn: Yarn vs Zombies Damsel Colorwa...

It was a dark, quiet, Halloween evening and suddenly there was a knock at the door... Our first trick or treaters in 20 years!

These socks are for the Sock the Vote KAL , HOWEVER, my Cuffie Party Yarn was lost in the mail. NO worries… Mel, of Single Handed Knits created a new party: The Undelivered Party and so I was able to actively participate! A second mailing arrived and I'm currently knitting the second pair of socks and should have them completed  before the week is over. This was my first KAL and I had a great time. I appreciated all the thought and effort Mel has put into this entire project and I'll be participating in others in the future. Pattern: Socks on a Plane by Laura Linneman Yarn:Barking Dog Opposites Attract Colorway: Anthony and Cleopatra Amount: 1 skein Needle Size: US size 2 I am so tired of having MANY projects on the needles...this is the first project I think I've finished all month. I knit a little on MANY projects. The Cuffie socks will be done this weekend, and the Piper's Journey Shawl and The Tiger's Blue III soon. There are even a few more to be fi...

I was pleased with my photo for the annual this school year..... The day we had photos taken the principal asked if I'd worn my lab coat. Yes, Mr. B. Yes, indeed!

  When I moved into the new science classroom it was a blank slate. I enjoyed putting it together and hope these photos give you a taste of what my new home away from home looks like.