Emptyknitster

Originally I was disappointed in this yarn - I had planned on making myself some thick socks for winter. The socks were totally unsuitable. But I was on a day long car trip with no pattern and HAD to knit on something! So I started a hat! Now I love the yarn and will use the second skein for two more hats! Because is it sock yarn - 80%wool and 20%nylon they will be great charity hats. Warm and washable even if they are thrown in the the washer and dryer! Patten: Cabled Hat for Hubby by Joyce Fassbentder Yarn: Zweger Garn Opal XLarge Polarwolf 8-fach Colorway: 9431 Eisiger Wind Needle Size: US Size 2

I continue to work at finishing the 10K Stash Dash but I'm beginning to think I may have taken on a little more than I can do. I was banking on completing the sock yarn blanket for the win, but have run out of most of my leftover sock yarn and I'm now just hobbling along.  If I can only get it down to a small corner, I've saved some bits and bobs of yarn to finish up. Here's hoping.... In the meantime I am knitting 400 meters every few days... Pattern: Vanilla Socks with Fish Lips Kiss Heels Yarn: Opal Der Albschaferweg Colorway: Walking Stick Needle Size: Us Size 1 Pattern: Rainbow Maze Hat by Gretchen Tracy Yarn: Knit Picks Brava Sport Colorway: Cobblestone and Paprika Needle Size: Us Size 3 and 4 Pattern: Vanilla Socks with Fish Lips Kiss Heels Yarn: Carlton Yarns Sock Weight Colorway: Fuchsia Hanging Basket Needle Size: Us Size 1

 The hens stopped by this afternoon to show off their new batch of chicks!

Hubby's ancestors settled near Terry, Montana, over a hundred years ago. Years ago his Aunt Betty took us to this small community and showed us the location of the family ranch as well as his father's individual ranch. On this trip we heard about natural stone bridges for the first time. The locals have been vague but over the years we've been able to get a hint here and a clue there with many day trips trying to find their location. Hubby and I have been searching for these bridges for over a decade and yesterday our efforts finally paid off.  When Hubby and I go on adventures like this I always think about our pioneer ancestors. Sometimes we've hunted for the bridges in 90-100 degree weather, on other visits it's been filled with mosquitoes. I think about those ancestors in their wool clothing, no bug spray or air conditioning and a bath once  a week. This was how they spent everyday. The trip yesterday made for a long day, six hours on the highway,...

The NorDak Family came for a stay, planning on attending the 40th birthday party but also a surprise birthday stay for Sarah and Troy at Chico. The kiddos were okay with it and Hubby and I kept them busy, an afternoon at the water park, paddle boarding, shooting their BB-gun and bow and arrow, and plenty of chicken foot, monopoly, and garbage.

  It's been a fun week with the NorDak Family visiting. They spent the week here and planned the trip around the fortieth birthday of our long time friend, Kabre. I met Kabre's mom before she was born and have watched her grow from a tiny tot to the lovely lady she now is. Many happy shopping adventures occurred over the years. Most of us were willing shoppers, summer swim suits, back to school, and late night Christmas shopping. However, there are four girls remembering how Brianna hated to shop - and still does to this day! We also shared our children over many summers. The girls would travel back and forth, spending many hours playing with their cabbage patch dolls and splashing in the water. For several years Kendy and I,  with our five girls in tow, would spend a week at Flathead Lake. People would stop us on the street and ask if we were a girl scout troop! The girls remember the work chart. Each day we were assigned a tas...

 While visiting my in-laws last month they mentioned the need for some handknit hats. Their family has volunteered at a church camp for years and in the past there were a group of ladies who donated hats for each of the campers but they will be bowing out in the future. The camp would like to continue the tradition but perhaps on a smaller scale - there are 175 campers! So I found some acrylic yarn I'd stashed in a basket, this time I was the sucker who had bought it... thinking I'd knit a sweater for the Granddaughter who thinks wool is "Itchy." But I just couldn't go through with the knitting of it, the sweater was so lifeless! I've been enjoying knitting the hats, for the most part the family doesn't wear hats. Or so I thought. When SadieLou saw the Stadium Slip Hat she thought they were cute and when I said I'd knit her one in her school colors she was quite pleased. While the family was here I was able to cast on, knit, and pompom the hat for ...

We've been playing the very competitive game of "First Fawn of the Season" for many years. This year the competition has been especially grueling. Some years a winner is declared over Memorial weekend and other years as late as July 2. This is the latest we've ever declared a winner and it's not because we haven't been looking. Hubby and I have gone on our walks with cameras at the ready, or driven down the road posed for a photo shoot, but it wasn't until today the first fawn of the season made an appearance. Sarah and I were having our morning cup of coffee on the deck this morning when I noticed little Polly Picket perk up and look over the railing. She'd spotted a fawn just a few feet away, eating daisies!  And so there you go, another year and another winner..... Polly Picket wins the 2018 annual competition!

I just keep knitting socks, I'm addicted! As long as Little Knits keep having great sales, I'll keep knitting willy-nilly! Who are these socks for? Whoever fits into them! Pattern: Fish Lips Kiss Yarn: Opal Der Albschaferweg Colorway: 9411 - Travel Fever Needle Size: US Size 1

I recently was asked to knit a shop sample of the Wonderful Wallaby for The Yarn Bar. I love this pattern and was pleased to be able to knit it again. Over the years I've knit many a Wallaby, and was sad when The Pirate outgrew his need for the security sweaters - which he'd worn everyday, rain or shine, for five years. Pattern: Wonderful Wallaby by Carol A. Anderson Yarn: Rowan Hemp Tweed Colorway: Duck Egg Needle Size: US Size 6 and 8