The new year is what we make of it. I can say that 2010 sucked for me. We lost our mom and mom-in-law. But what do I know? Everything happens for a purpose. Had my mom lived, she would be suffering from the cancer. Had my mom-in-law lived, she would still be carrying all her childrens' problems.

This coming year is so unknown it's scary. Look at it another way: it's a clean slate, a fresh start, and whatever is in store, God will be there by our side. That's all I cling to.

I'm looking forward to more knitting, more yarn, more quilting, more sewing, more homeschooling. The worrisome and scary stuff, I will leave in God's hands.

Happy New year, one and all. Here's to prosperity!

Christina and Emily taken at the Christmas tree in Disneyland. We got a chance to pick up Christina from her dorm and take her around with us in LA/Anaheim. Poor girl hasn't eaten "real" food since she moved to LA. She's been living on Ramen and junk food. With no car to use, she walks everywhere.



Sunset view at Huntington Beach, the snobbiest and most unfriendly beach in CA. With nowhere to park, we had to park in between apartment houses near the beach. One guy stared us down as we trekked towards the water. Hey man, it's a public beach, ya know? I'll take the San Francisco beaches anytime.


Obligatory family picture in front of Disneyland. It was packed that day. We got to ride a whopping total of 6 rides. Spent most of the time lining up.

Have a Merry Christmas, everyone. May God bless you with His abundant blessing this coming year.

Tomorrow, I start knitting for next Christmas. I love to procrastinate and believe me, starting Christmas knitting in October never works. I never make it.

I will start with Christmas ornaments. woo hooo!

I realized that these past Christmases, I spent the few days before Christmas stressing out. Shopping for presents and stressing out over gift wrapping, cooking, baking, and running from one gathering to the next.

This is our first Christmas without my mom and it seems that I stopped caring about all the stress. I bought gifts only for the important people in my life. And this Christmas, I'm spending the day with my family and my dad. We don't have to rush off to go to the in-laws' party. My mother-in-law is gone too. Some of in in-laws will understand why we're not there. Others won't and will probably talk about it but... I simply don't care anymore.

I will spend time with the people I love.

4 days before Christmas and I still haven't gone shopping. I live on the edge.

I am completely addicted to Angry Birds. On the other hand, I quit playing Facebook games. I now have more time to knit. That is, if I'm not playing Angry Birds.

I've finished several shawls, scarves, and cowls (the new rage) but no pictures to show. Some of the cowls were given away as gifts, as soon as they're finished and off the needle.

must. upload. pictures.

It's Christmastime, my favorite time of the year. I wish you a Merry Christmas. It's Christmas-- not Happy Holidays. Of course, Christmas is a holiday, and if you don't celebrate Christmas, that's too bad. It's my holiday, a Christian holiday and I will greet you a Merry Christmas. I refuse to be politically correct and if my Christmas offends you, there's absolutely nothing I can do about it. Like I said, it's my holiday. 'nuff said.

If you celebrate Hanukkah, Happy Hanukkah to you. If you celebrate Kwanzaa, Happy Kwanzaa!

Sorry but those are the only other holidays I know.

Back to knitting.

$278 darn dollars for my allegedly speeding ticket and I never got a courtesy notice in the mail either. I had to go online and research it myself. What if I didn't research it? Then I'd have to pay the fine plus an added on penalty. And the State makes money off of me.

15 more days 'til Christmas! Usually, I have the chance of enjoying the few months, weeks, before Christmas but not this year. It's coming too fast and I'm not ready for it.

Today, 16 years ago, Joel and I got married. I woke up this morning to a dozen roses, a box of 2 dozen See's chocolates, and 3 potted indoor plants. He knows me really well even though I keep telling him not to waste money on roses that will wilt in a few days. But man, I love roses, and plants. I still have the plants he's given me through the years. I have a green thumb just like my mom. And Joel? I love him.

Dec 12th would have been my mom and dad's 51st wedding anniversary. We will celebrate too.

Dec 13th is my oldest daughter's 21st birthday. We're celebrating Danielle's bday with a party tomorrow, combined with the anniversaries.

On the knitting front, I'm knitting Stefanie Japel's Alexandra ballet sweater from the book Fitted Knits. There were some errors and I was able to dodge them. But, I'm making adjustments and some changes. Just like a knitter.

Thanksgiving has come and passed. The family has become smaller. Our first Thanksgiving without mom. Christina did not make it home. She decided to stay in LA for the 4-day weekend. But, we know she'll be home during the Christmas holidays.

My sister and her husband also decided to go on vacation to Mexico during the Thanksgiving holiday.' nuff said.

My oldest daughter, Danielle, was here though. She got to spend some time with my dad, watching football on the big 3-D tv my dad bought. Have I said that he loves 3-D movies?

I cooked a smaller turkey this time, well, actually, it was just huge turkey breasts. Everything else gets thrown away anyway. No one here eats red turkey meat.

My husband got to spend a few Thanksgiving hours with his family. He really wasn't motivated to go with all the strife going on but I told him that his mom wouldn't want the family to break apart. It wasn't the same though, without my mom-in-law there. I'm glad he went. While he relayed some news about the goings-on with his family, I found myself asking , "So, what did mom say?" not realizing that she wasn't there. That just made me sad.

Up 'til now, I still question God as to why he took both our moms on the same day. I may never know the answer.

We went to Sutter Gold Mine, up towards the hills of Amador County and Sutter Creek, here in the foothills of Sierra Nevada. It was quite a field trip for the kids and even hubby was quite impressed.

Being a miner is not a job for most people. Our tour guide was Charlie, about 5'6" or so, with this long gray beard halfway down his chest and long shaggy blond hair. I think he's about sixty but hubby says he could be younger. He looked so much like a typical miner, wizened and wrinkled but he was adorable.

We also found out that aside from being a historical mine, Sutter was still a working and very rich mine. During the tour down the depths, there were these huge streaks of quartz that carry the gold. Our guide pointed to some spots on the ceiling where you can see small nuggets of gold.

He says one way you can tell real gold from fool's gold (pyrites) is that real gold shines while pyrites sparkle when light is shown on them.

I was hoping to see some gold, red and yellow trees but the hillside was covered with evergreens. Darn!

I got a speeding ticket today. Cop claims I was going 59 on a 45 zone. I think it wasn't that high. I say I was going 50 because I slowed down when I saw him from afar, sitting on his bike . And I glanced on my speedometer when I saw him, sitting on his bike. He clocked me way before I saw him ( I think). This is where the doubts come in.

Was I really speeding? ( But I don't speed. I'm a careful driver. My daughter says I drive like a grandma. so How can I speed?)


Should I contest it? ( It's his word against mine, so, guess who'll win. And how do I prove that I wasn't speeding. The fact that I haven't had a ticket in 11 years doesn't make any difference at all. What chance do I have that he won't show up?)

One thing I know for sure is that I will go to traffic school. They offer that online now. I've checked.

I am so DISGUSTED.

Scotts Flat Lake in Truckee, CA
This is where our church holds the Annual Family Camp. This is the view we see when we wake up in the morning, as soon as we open the tent flaps.

Imus, Cavite, Philippines
This is the backyard to our house in the Philippines. To the left is the garage/carport. Notice the still young mango tree in the center. To the right is a couple of coconut trees and some citrus.
Best Friends Forever
Today was the day we have been dreading. My niece, Christina (on the left), left for college in LA, to AMDA ( a real expensive performing arts school in Hollywood). Emily cried, I cried, everybody cried. She and Emily have always been best friends, started when little Em was born. There's a particular and special kind of closeness between these two. Emily is closer to her than to her own big sister. I can say the same thing with me. My oldest daughter and I have gone through hard times together, lots of strife and disagreement. Like two hotheads clashing.

My relationship with Christina is different. I treat her like my own daughter. She is easier to talk to, probably because she has a lower boiling point, a lot calmer than most of us and is very patient, specially with Emily. Since my mom passed away, we have all been hanging out a lot with my dad at my dad's house. I am really sad. We will surely miss her. Can't wait for the holidays when she comes back home.

The weather outside is cool. Actually, it was cold this morning when I drove my son to school. But during the day, it gets pretty warm. I love Fall, better than the other 3 seasons. Growing up in the Philippines, we only had two seasons, HOT and Rainy. From March to June, it gets really hot and humid. Come July all the way to September/October, the monsoons come and it's almost non stop rain, with thunder and lightning. Most often, there are typhoons.

There are some good months of perfect weather though: from November to early February, the holidays, Christmas, New Year. My favorite months. I remember sitting outside our porch, smelling the afternoon breeze, smelling the rice harvest. The rice paddies are long gone, replaced by housing and commercial buildings. The province of Cavite where I grew up in used to be a beautiful countryside of rice paddies and fruit trees. The little town of Imus where I lived, back in the 80s, had 2 high schools, one theater, one open air market and a few scattered mom and pop stores. We used to walk to school. We knew our neighbors. If you want some major shopping, you go to Manila.

Fast forward about 3 decades: the little town of Imus is now a major city. Every small space is now inhabited by people from other provinces. Lots of squatters. And the people I used to know have migrated to the US, to Canada, Australia, even Europe. The air is polluted due to the numerous tricycles and jeeps and buses. It's no longer as safe as it was before. And the weather? It seems a lot hotter and humid. The typhoons seem to be stronger and more destructive.

I miss my old homeland. I miss the old days. I'm feeling nostalgic since my dad is going back there for another visit. I wish I could go too.

What?!! It's October already?

Knitting: I've finished 2 cardigans, 2 shrugs, 1 lace shawl, and currently knitting another cardigan. I'm obsessed that way. When I go into quilting, I forget about knitting completely and have a tendency to quilt for one whole year before I go into something else.

I've discovered Zumba. eyahhhh! About 20 or so years ago, I was a dancer. I danced modern jazz and Filipino Folk dancing. We performed on stage and travelled quite a lot. Then, I had my first baby. For a while, I kept it up and taught folk dancing but it eventually fizzled out--my desire to dance and perform.

A high school friend mentioned Zumba, which made me check it out on YouTube, which made me try it out. Now, I'm hooked. But it's not the same of course. Not as young as I used to be. More aches and pains and groans and shortness of breath now.

But here in Elk Grove, I found a real nice and affordable dance studio that teaches it 6 days a week at $5 per class. Not bad.

ZumbaKim is the name.

Just revisiting some past work

I'm giving you some pictures, of handspun yarns, handpainted yarn, and some past work:


On the left is a huge hank of rustic silk lace yarn. The blue and green yarns are Merino/bamboo sock yarns.



Some handspun yarns, all Merino.



These are BFL fingering weight yarns, meant for socks but I think they're too thin and would be more suited for lacework.

Some silk hankies I handpainted as well.

I am so inspired by people who show their handspun yarns. I myself have spun several skeins these past few days. I still have several bags of raw wool that I have to wash, card and spin. And some yarns to hand dye. I've been spending so much time on Facebook and it's addicting games. If I didn't, I'd have more time to do the other stuff. I've finished some shawls and currently knitting a shrug.

What in the world is a shrug and who invented it? It's a tiny little thing that covers your shoulders. That's it. You can't even call it a sweater since it doesn't have a front, or a back, or even sleeves. Does it even serve a purpose except to keep your shoulders warm. Why not just wear a sweater?

Speaking of sweaters, I found a real nice one at Kohls and it was on sale too. My kids don't like Kohls. I like Kohls. I find some real nice bargains there. I even like some of the styles.

I promise I will take some pics of the shawls I finished. I'm just too lazy. And there's Facebook.

It's been bad the past few days. I've been missing my mom again. I miss her everyday but the past 2 days had me crying a lot. One of my cousins in VA Beach made a comment on FB about his mom making him very cranky. After reading it, I broke down in tears. I made a comment that I'd take my mom's nagging anytime if I can hear her voice again. That was it! You just don't know how much you'd miss someone until they're gone. I treasure every moment we have with my dad. Sometimes, I worry about him. Since we can't spend every day with him, I worry when he's all alone. He lives just a few minutes away from us and I make sure I call him a lot. And 3 or 4 times a week, we sleep at his house.

On the knitting front, I finished a knitted lace shawlette and now finishing the Citron shawl. I will have pictures soon. I also visited Rumpelstiltskin, one of the first and longstanding yarn stores in Sacramento. Linda was the very first store owner who started selling my patterns and she still does.

I am itching to design something.

Another family picture taken with a view of Taal volcano.


This was taken at the Palace in the Sky, a vacation home for the Marcoses that never got finished because he was overthrown. It's not familiar to me since we had already left the Philippines when it was being built. I wish I had taken a picture of this structure. It would have been magnificent had it been finished. There were no walls, just a veranda running around a center support. The metal railings are rusted and falling apart but the location was perfectly situated on top of the mountain.

Lizard

Or should I say lizards. They're all over the Philippines, inside and out of homes, trees,just everywhere. Americans call them geckos but to us Filipinos, they're just plain lizards. I remember when I was growing up there, how they would just drop from the ceiling onto my neck and me running around like a chicken trying to get them off. They feel cold to the touch. My kids were fascinated but didn't dare to get any closer either.

Little red house
One of the fascinating things we saw in Manila was this red house (smack dab on the center of this photo). This was in one of the poorest areas along the Coastal highway. That is a 4-story house, only a few feet wide. I swear, if you stretch out your arms, you can touch both walls. It's in what we call the "squatters' area". Lacking land, they have to build up.

The yellow jeep is one of the famous passenger jeepneys, which seats 12-15 people, and can take you anywhere in Manila and the provinces.

Taal Volcano
One of the places I wanted to visit on this trip is the famous Taal Volcano which can be seen in Tagaytay. It's an active volcano in the middle of a lake. Last time it erupted was in the 70s but with the more frequent tremors happening recently, it's due for another eruption. Tagaytay has become ritzy and popular to retirees looking for affordable places to live in the Philippines. Tagaytay's climate is perfect .

Thunderstorm
This was what greeted us as while flew in to Manila. Massive thunderclouds, dark rain clouds and lightning. They shut down Manila Int'l Airport because of it. We later found out that heavy rains like this can shut down their radar/GPS thingies. No planes can land until the rain stops. The funny thing is, the 15 days we were there, it rained for 14 days, only in the afternoon, lasting for 15-30 minutes, and always in the afternoon. Guess what? A majority of incoming Int'l flights arrive in the afternoon and evening--lol!

We're home!! Actually, we've been home since Saturday.

I have a lot to say about Hawaiian Airlines. It's very convenient to fly Hawaiian since it's the only airlines, that we know of, flying from Sacramento to the Phils. But it's plagued with delays. Going to the US and coming back is a never-ending list of delays. We almost missed the connecting flight from Hawaii to Sac because of delays.

Some are unavoidable, I know, but what are the odds?

I miss my hometown but not the humidity and heat. I miss my cousins and aunts and uncles. I even miss the continuous noise of the the jeeps and tricycles even through the night and early hours. I don't miss the mosquito bites. I have 26 bites on my legs and arm. They're almost gone now except for the faint brown marks.

It was sad saying goodbye to my relatives specially my cousin Aris, who has Downs Syndrome. He is one of the sweetest people I know. He was crying when we left which made it even harder for me.

I will make an effort to visit more often and not wait another 17 years. My kids will want to come too since they told me they had fun too while we were there. I think it's the lizards.

We have been here in the Philippines for a week now. The last time I came home was in 1993. Now, it's a total culture shock. First, it's the climate. Temps range in the 80s but very very humid. In a matter of minutes, you feel your skin getting real sticky. I don't remember the streets being so narrow either. Tricycles are everywhere competing with the passenger jeeps and private cars. Not to mention the buses and trucks. Pedestrians cross every where with no fear for their lives. I am reminded of the game Frogger. You literally have to cross and run for your life.

I also can't help notice the clear division between the extreme rich and the poor.

I've had the chance to meet up with my best friend in College and my other best friend in high school. Both have really made something of their lives. One is studying for her Masters in Applied Math and the other, a well known pediatrician here in our province. I am so proud of them.

Tuesday, we will have dinner with friends in Elementary school. Being in a small town, they have kept in touch with each other and have remained friends.

I have done some knitting but not a lot. Understandable.

I will post pictures when I can.

Circles Cloth

Mint Green baby boy Cardi This is a pattern from Mary Rich Goodwin of One Piece knitting.




These two baby sweaters are the Concentric Circles Cardigan, a free pattern on Ravelry. The pink one is larger than the pattern calls for. I made adjustments myself. This one goes to my niece Ava in Virginia Beach.

This last one is the Bubble Frock, also from Ravelry, perfect for Ava's summer wear.

I haven't knitted for babies in years and this is a good change.

My mom's marker came in, after 3 months of waiting. Somehow, this picture makes me sad. My dad, myself and the kids went there, rags in hand and went to clean. Freshly put in, it had mud and stain all over. The good thing about it is we now can put flowers ( as seen on the center of the marble marker). It comes with its own flower vase.

You see, we had this cat and mouse game with the caretakers of the cemetery. They don't allow potted plants, glass vases or any other kind of vases, balloons, or any other kinds of decorations. Every Wednesday, they throw out all the dead flowers as well as stuff on top of the graves. They also mow the grass. Or they mow the grass on Thursday. So, my sister and I make sure that we remove all our vases by Tuesday night or all will be gone by the following morning.

One time, we forgot. And they took it all away, including the nice pinwheels and flags. They can't stop me, though. Joann's has a lot of nice affordable decors. And I say, they can't stop me, he, he.

Sutter's Fort
On one of our field trips to Sutter's Fort, this is what we saw-- spinning wheels, huge ones.


Sunbonnet Sam
One of Rachel's Knit Alongs. I believe they call this one Sunbonnet Sam. I am knitting Sunbonnet Sue and will post it soon.


Wooly Wormhead Knit ALong
Another cute beret from Wooly Wormhead as part of her Knit Along last year.

Rose
May's knit along for Mother's Day as part of the Monthly dishcloth KAL group.

Happy Mother's day to all the moms out there. I hope you get the pampering you need/want. You, I mean, we, all deserve it--lol!

Me, I just want a nice quiet time with my hubby and kids and my dad. We will go to the cemetery, bring some flowers, maybe a balloon or two, and release them heavenwards. Ahh, we still miss my mom. It has become a routine, every Sunday, after church to go visit my mom at the cemetery. If only the caretakers will stop throwing away the flowers and decorations we bring each week. That's another story.

My hubby and I have been experiencing a lot of frustration with his side of the family. His sisters have been fighting over their mom's jewelries and pictures and memorabilia she left behind. There's just a lot of stress and strife and back stabbing. We want no part of it but they're persistently trying to get my hubby involved. I wish they would leave us alone.

I think Sacramento is bypassing spring and going straight to summer. It's nice and warm here. I find myself hanging out more at the cemetery. It's funny because back home in the Philippines, people are scared of the cemetery. We're told stories of what goes on there at night, ghosts, and lots of scary stuff. Here in the US, cemeteries are so peaceful and quiet and hardly a soul around (pun intended).


This is the March dishcloth KAL from Kris Knits. It's so cute. I used Knitpicks organic cotton yarn.



This one is the Sunny Summer spa cloth from the latest issue of Creative Knitting magazine (May 2010). The holes scare me, I don't know why.





The rose bush above was planted by my mom a long time ago in our front yard. It blooms several times a year, non-stop. The white lilies (bottonm picture) is another story. You see, my mom had a green thumb. Everything she planted grew. These lilies were planted back in the late 90s, in our back yard, near this huge lemon tree. It came back year after year, no fail, but refused to flower.

Around Winter 2009, when my mom was sick, I dug them all out and transplanted them into the front yard. Some I put into pots but the rest, in the ground. My mom passed away this February and come April, the lilies started blooming. It had been a week and the blooms are still fresh as ever.

I've cut some of the roses and lilies and brought them to mom's grave. I know she would enjoy her flowers.

Come to think of it, two of the legacies she has passed down to me are the love of gardening and sewing. I might not be as good of a seamstress as she was but I can try and enjoy doing it.

A Reversible Cowl I knitted and designed. The yarn I used is my own handspun handpainted yarn from Merino Roving. I will write the pattern down and make this available for free. I just have to find my notes, arghh...




This is the Unscrunchable Scarf, a very easy pattern from the Miss Wooly Knits website. The yarn is one of Debra Norville's microfiber yarn sold at Joann's. Very soft and self striping too.




This one is the crocheted Tulip dishcloth found at the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountain Blog. I love it!





The final 2 cloths are from Kris Knits blogsite. The upper snowman was the February cloth KAL and the bottom 2010 cloth was the January KAL. She has truly beautiful and easy to knit patterns, most are free and the for sale ones are very affordable, specially the cloth sets.

Thank you, Candace, for your comforting words. You don't know this but I look forward to your comments because you've gone through what I'm experiencing right now.

Easter service at our church was so timely. Not only that but Dr. Charles Stanley's preaching on TV answered so many of my and my husband's questions about heaven. I think God knows we have so many questions and doubts and somehow, used these godly Pastors to help us.

Back in 1998, I had a miscarriage and lost my baby during my first trimester. What comforted me then was knitting baby hats which I later donated to Newborns in Need. That was when I started knitting for the ones in need. Now, I find myself knitting these tiny baby hats again--lol! I plan on making a lot and maybe donate to a local hospital. I can make good use of my stash.

And, for my future projects, I plan on doing 3 things:

1. finish the memory quilt, in memory of my uncle who passed away last year.
2. design and make a quilt, in memory of my mom, and give it to my dad.
3. design something knitted, in memory of my mom, write the pattern, and donate all the proceeds for its sale to the American Cancer Society.

Sometimes, I don't want to write what I'm feeling, sharing it with people, on this blog. But what the heck, this is my blog. These past few days have been really hard. I mistakenly thought it was getting better, the sadness going away but it comes back.

My dad went back to the Philippines for a month to take care of stuff there. I am missing him too. I miss my mom as well. That is more fierce, more gut wrenching. There were nights when I couldn't breathe from the sadness. Although my Christian belief in a reunion someday in heaven is really strong, knowing that I won't see my mom ever again while I live is harder to take. I wonder how other people deal with their grief?

So, I play the Wii. Then, my back starts to hurt. We go play bowling and my back gets worse. Oh well. Even knitting can't hold my attention.

Knitting is therapeutic and it's helping. I've started knitting one of my lace shawls again, part of a Knit Along. It seems like ages ago when I started it. I don't know why but knitting lace is therapy--lol!


SPITZBERGEN is the name, designed by Monika Eckert and her website is HERE.

I've actually knitted more than this but I left my camera at home, so, no new pics.
The Kris Knits washcloth is finished. Finally!

How many days has it been? I've been dreaming about my mom these past 2 nights. My daughter asked me if that's how my mom "speaks" to us. She dreamt about her too.

I'm knitting this one cloth KAL sponsored by Kris Knits and for the life of me, I can't finish it. I'm a pretty fast knitter and one small cloth shouldn't faze me but this one's kicking my butt. I love Kris Knits' designs. Here is her website. She's doing a monthly knit along and they're all free.

We practically moved in to my dad's house. The kids love it. I am thankful that I have a very understanding husband.

Today, the grandkids took my dad to see Avatar in 3D. And he enjoyed himself. He hasn't seen a movie (in a theater) in such a long time. He was so amazed at the 3D thing. And they all shared a huge tub of popcorn. Hubby and I went grocery shopping.

It seems that life is gradually going back to normal. There are still moments when I burst into random tears. The kids and I have been hanging out in my mom and dad's bedroom. It gives us peace, like she's just close by.

I started knitting again. A washcloth this time. Slowly but surely.

Day 3 without mom. We are simply hanging in here, taking it a day at a time. That's all we can do. First viewing is on Friday and I am so not looking forward to it. First time I will see my mom. We are all missing her really bad, specially my dad. These past few days is like being in limbo. Anything can set us off into a crying session. My kids and I and hubby too have been staying with dad, just keeping him company. There are moments when I feel calm and not so sad. There are times when I still talk to my mom like she's just here.

Haven't touched any knitting. They say do something familiar but not yet.

My mom passed away and went to be with our Lord yesterday afternoon, Sunday, Feb 21st at 2:40 pm. No more pain, no more suffering.

At around 2:20 pm, same day, my mother-in-law suffered a massive heart attack, went into a comma and died. We lost 2 moms within 20 minutes of each other.

There are good days and there are bad days. My mom is still experiencing shortness of breath even with small movements, like walking to the bathroom and back. She's now using a wheelchair. Doctors say the the cancer is back and is now in her trachea. This causes her excessive coughing which then leads her to be out of breath. They have put her on oxygen as well which seems to help a lot. I go visit them everyday and I do most of the cooking. My dad does most of the helping. Sometimes, I can't bear to see her being out of breath. Sometimes, I just want to lie down and cry. But I can't let them see me cry, specially mom and dad. Sometimes, it's hard to be strong. Sometimes, I question God. My faith wavers and the doubts arise. Then, He shows me that He's there and that it will be okay. I think I'll go and have a good cry.

KAL

I finished this Girls' Night out sock Knit ALong sponsored by Knitters Brewing company and here are some pics:

Mom is sick and I am so worried. It's hard to write about it. Trying to get my mind on something else, trying to keep my faith strong because that's all I can fall back on. Trying to knit something and maybe finish up some stuff. Just so worried.

I was going to write something about this ugly cardigan sweater but I stopped . It's a knitting pattern by a well known designer. It's asymmetrical, meaning, it's not even. The right side front is longer than the left and the button is placed in such a way that it seems like you matched the wrong buttonhole with the wrong button, or vice versa. The neckline looks like somebody tried to rip it off your body. One sleeve is longer than the other.

It is a really unconventional and rather ugly looking sweater. I will not crochet it. I will not wear it. Well, it goes to say that if I don't make it, then I don't get to wear it, he he he. Anyway, I don't really know why the designer even designed it. what the heck for?

I have this picture in my head of me wearing the darn thing and seeing people pointing at me and laughing their butts off. Some are laughing so hard that they're rolling on the ground, tears streaming down their faces.

Let me know if you want to see it and I will email you the link, privately.

Some pics of inclement weather here in Sacramento:

One minute it was raining and the next, the sun came out followed a few minutes later, by a rainbow.

I now have 2 Gretels. The light pink one is going to Mica, my niece, in Canada.




Crocheted earflap hat and a crocheted beret, both going to Yolo Wool Mill. Yarns used were from the mill.

That's it for now. I'll have more later.

Here is the back view of the Leaflet scarf from Knitspot. I'm using Regia Silk sock yarn, very soft.



Here is to right side view. It's not mindless knitting because you really have to keep track of where you're at. I'm using the graph/chart.



This was going to be a plain beret but I decided to add a little bit of lace to break the monotony. The yarn is Patons Decor, a 70%/30% acrylic wool blend. Another blend I like knitting with is Lionbrand's Wool Ease.

In an effort to help the victims of the earthquake in Haiti, I am supporting p/hop. It stands for pennies per hour of pleasure. They have free patterns donated by generous knitters. Each time you download or knit one of these patterns, you can donate any amount of money which is then used to support Medecins Sans Frontieres, just like doctors without borders. The website can better explain it all. While there, be sure to visit the pattern page. Enjoy.

I am starting a new project (but of course) and I don't care that I still have others unfinished. I will finish them all but right now, I will be knitting THIS. I've been perusing her patterns, scarves, shawls, even socks, mostly lace and finally bought two of her patterns. On this first one, I will use TOFUTSIE. I know it's for socks but it's too soft and I want to use it for this scarf.

THIS is the other pattern I bought. I'll be posting photos as soon as I can.

Some finished items in 2009

This is the Just Enough Ruffles Scarf designed by Laura Chau of Cosmic Pluto Knits. Next time I knit this, I'll use a less scratchy yarn. It was unexpectd that this yarn turned out scratchy. It was by Naturallycaron.com yarn called COUNTRY (75% acrylic 25% merino).



The Feather Shawl by Hand Jive Knits. Darlene's patterns are charted (no written out instructions). Since I used to test knit for her, I am used to her charts but unfortunately, for a beginner, it might be a little confusing. Enlarging her charts will definitely help and I think there are better chart softwares out there that makes it a lot less confusing and more easy to decipher.



Here is the Damson shawl by Ysolda Teague. I am definitely a fan of her designs. Her patterns are written out and charted. The charts are very easy to read, even for a beginner. I own 2 of her booklets. The yarn I used is a handpainted Superwash Merino sock yarn I bought at Lambtown years ago and never used, until last year.


Finally, the Central Park Hoodie, from the Knitting Daily website. I am now joining the 6,000 or so knitters who have knitted this cardi. I'm finding it an easy knit, cables and all. But this will need major blocking or it will be a tight fit. I'm knitting the size 36" one and finding that it might be a bit snug. The next size is a 40" but I could have just added a few stitches more to each side. Oh well.