A CONTEST

I have seen this done on other blogs, so I figured it's a good way to get rid of some of my unused sock yarn and to get more hits on my blog (ahh, the plot thickens...) Anyway, I am willing to give away some of my sock yarns to people who leave a comment on this post as to their list of UFO's and USO's and TOADS (I posted on that yesterday--see "I am a little bit embarrassed..."). I am looking for the most ingenuous way of either describing them or displaying them--humor and cleverness count here. Be creative!! You can have your buddies vote for you and I will take the votes into consideration when I present the awards. Have fun with this--I know I hope to.....

Ooo Ooo Ooo

Someone read my blog, someone read my blog!! This is so exciting!! All this time, noone has read it, I was starting to think noone loved me. But then I decided to add the link to my signature on my emails--brilliant idea--now I have at least one person I know of who has read my blog. I guess one would question why I have continued to write in it, if noone has read it. I think it's because now that I am not working and have very little time to knit and NO time to scrapbook, I need a quick and easy creative outlet. Now anyone who knew me in school would find that funny since I would just about do anything to get out of writing an essay or paper. Heck, I even studied nursing and maybe the fact that they only have multiple choice questions could have something to do with it (not really people, come on!! You CANNOT be a nurse or withstand nursing school if you didn't have a passion for it). Maybe it's because I can write whatever I want, when I want, how I want and I have complete control over it--damnit! Oooo, I said a swear word--now you would NOT have gotten away with that in English class!

Our day was relatively uneventful. After lunch, DD and I headed out to Jackson outlets for another bathing suit and sandals, both for her. I never get time to look for me. I think DH had better watch her so I can get some of my own shopping done, too. We were able to find both and headed out of there before it rained. AFter dinner, DH and I took DD for a ride in her wagon around the development and for a quick swing in the park. She babbled and danced and tried to sing the whole time--boy she's a chatterbox! My mother enjoys telling me that I was the same way as a toddler. I'm getting excited about the posibility of meeting with my old Knitting Knerds(c), my mom has agreed to watch her once a week so I can meet up with them. We always had such a fun time and actually got some knitting done in the process. Maybe we could even work something out for going to Stitches East this year. I know I said I shouldn't go any more because I accumulate projects that I never get around to doing, but I don't care--nyah, nyah, nyah ;-P It's so much fun and is like a big girls weekend out. I do hope I can swing it, the only year I missed it since I started going in 1999 was the year I got married--it conflicted with our honeymoon. I even went last year with DD, that was stressful, but I still managed to leave there with yarn, lol. Anyway, I just came up with an idea for holding a contest on my blog and I want to post it separately, so toodles for now....

I'm a little bit embarassed...

At how many knitting projects I have started and not finished. I am hoping that by listing them here and vowing to complete them before starting anything new, that I will actually stay on task. Please don't judge, just support me in my goal!
UFO's (unfinished objects)

1. Emily's baby sweater (all it needs is two seams and a button, hardly an UFO, but it will make me feel better to get to cross it off my list when I finish it)
2. Triangular shawl--this I have a deadline for--I want to bring it to wear on my cruise, which I leave for on July 14th. It's made with two Trendsetter yarns, Viola and something else. I think I might need more of the something else--hope the lys still has it...
3. Sinsation scarf and hat--I actually need to purchase one more skein in order to finish these off to my satisfaction, none of my lys have had the yarn in stock, so I have to place an online order--which would mean I would accumulate more yarn--NO!!!!! LOL
4. Opal tiger socks--ok, I have to confess, I was intrigued with the idea of knitting socks, but now that I know how to do them, they have lost their interest. I do hope to finish them someday, though, they really are turning out cute!
5. A bulky yarn bias scarf--I don't know why I had to start this a few weeks ago, as if I wasn't already in over my head. It should finish quickly, if DD will just allow me time to knit...
6. Blue shawl--this is made out of 4 different yarns in the blue family, pattern a la Sally Melville. I cast on a bunch of stitches and am knitting it lengthwise
7. Aran sweater with Debbie Bliss merino aran, the pattern is Cynthia Helene Lattice, very pretty, can't wait to really rip back into it
8. Basketweave scarf--this is knit with Lion Brand's woolease in a variegated yarn, the pattern was adapted from a shawl pattern in Folk Shawls by Cheryl Oberle. This was the first project I started after relearning to knit at a Michael's class--it has sentimental value, but is very tedious to knit as I haven't memorized the 12(?) row repeat for the pattern and I have to keep looking at the chart as I go
9. Stitch Sampler scarf in Jo Sharp silkroad in a wheat color, this is just about half done, but as usual, once I have mastered the patterns or learn all there is to learn about the project, I get bored and need to move on....I really do need to finish it, though, it's really pretty and soft and warm
10. Blue cardigan--from Knitter's magazine, Cardigan with a Twist knit in Debbie Bliss cotton cashmere in a cornflower blue color
11. Patchwork pillow--http://www.barbarakerrknits.com/workshops.html# took a class from Barbara Kerr http://www.barbarakerrknits.com/ and never finished it, again, learned what I wanted to then abandoned, it's in blues and browns with flashes of orange in it (I know that sounds weird, but it's very pretty and follows the color wheel theory of opposites)
12. Child's patchwork cardigan--also a la Barbara Kerr http://www.barbarakerrknits.com/workshops.html#. I started this for my niece before I realized that it takes a while to finish this type of garment and she outgrew it. I hear that happens to a lot of people--that fact is still not making me feel any better....

Ahhh, I feel a little better now, airing out my dirty little secret, but there's more. I know, most people don't talk about them, but not only are there UFO's, but USO's (unstarted objects), too. Just to be thorough and to give me something to look forward to once these projects are all complete, I will list those as well. That way, if anyone sees me knitting anything off this list should question me as to whether my UFO's are complete--come on, I need your help!

1. Beaded scarf--ok, so if any of you attend Stitches East you have probably seen them, they sell these kits for these gorgeous beaded knitted scarves and it's only one cone of thread and a small bag of beads--how much trouble could they be, really? Yeah, I got suckered into them, too....and there they have sat, for over a year, but I will finish it!
2. Baby blanket for DD--I know she's already a year old, see story about this below--remember, no judging!!
3. mosaic shawl--also acquired from Stitches East. Man! I need to stop going there--it gets me in so much trouble. But it's so much fun......ok, I'll go again this year--you talked me into it, lol
4. Pumpkin hat, Ann Norling pattern, I have the Plymouth Encore ready and waiting, I would have made this for DD last year for Halloween, but the pattern was too big for her and I was in no shape with a 5 month old to refigure numbers
5. Christmas hat--this is a kit from Debby Ware, can't wait to make it this year (I hope!), again I ran into same problem with sizing as pumpkin hat
6. Hershey's kiss hat--another kit from Stitches East! Same size issues as before..
7. Wool in the Woods sweater--ok this one is really sad, purchased the first time I went to Stitches, but never started. I can't begin to tell you why
8. Cowl scarf--this looked like a really pretty smoke ring, also acquired at Stitches East
9. Opal mittens--this is a kit made by The Wool Connection in Connecticut http://www.woolconnection.com/ .
10. Three felted Christmas stockings for us.

And in the interest of complete disclosure, what list would be complete without the TOADS (something like totally abandoned in disgust)

1. Crocheted baby blanket--ok, this is the story I was referring to under the USO's. I started a crocheted shell baby blanket out of wool-ease by Lion Brand but I just felt the yarn to be too scratchy and was afraid it would never soften up despite washing--a fellow knitter confirmed that information for me today and I have decided to nix it. Thus, my 13 1/2 month old DD does not have a handmade blanket--I know, I know, I should be tarred and feathered, but I'm allergic, so could ya just let it slide this once?
2. Aran dress I was designing for DD--I just didn't like it, the way it hung, etc. I am thinking of doubling the yarn to make a cute poncho for DD for the fall

OK, all this self-revelation is making me tired and my DH and DD are both snoring away, so I had better get some sleep, too. Have to go find sandals to fit DD for our cruise. I didn't actually wait too long to get the sandals, it's just she never grew into the ones we thought would fit her by now....Wish me luck on getting pretty little sandals at this time of year!!