Yeah, this is my town (na, na, na, na, na)*

Pink tractors and horse drawn wagons.

Traffic jams and scarf posing on a tractor.

Yeah, sometimes I wonder too.  Texas wouldn’t stop so I could grab the baby cow and throw it in the car.  How mean is that?

The fundraiser is still going on.  I’m extending the date to donate out until October 31st because Sarah and Cookie are mailing their prize contributions today and I will be in Los Angeles for Patient Day next week. You can see the rules here if you want to donate.

Here is a sneak peek of something that is going to be in the prize.  Isn’t it flipping adorable? I have such wonderful friends.

Hope Grows Scarf

• Yarn: Juniper Moon Willa
• Needles: US 11
• Start: 11/11/12
• Finish: 11/15/12

It would have gone faster had I not also been writing it out and making (and fixing) charts. I wanted to keep it to one skein. It is available on Ravelry with all proceeds going to the Guthy Jackson Charitable Foundation.

Many thanks to Cookie and Heather for helping double check the work.

Other than all that, I have a regular check up in Dallas tomorrow and a meeting for the research study proving that by participating, I have officially lost my mind.

Happy Tuesday y’all!

*one of my favorite lines from the song:

Well, I bought and painted up that rusty tractor.
You can’t miss it, it’s sittin’ right there in our yard.

Hope Grows

The blog ate your comments! When I have some quality computer time, I’ll go back to the other day and hopeful write y’all back. I think I fixed it from then on.

Hope Grows Cowl

Pattern available here .  All proceeds will be donated to The Guthy Jackson Charitable Foundation.
This cowl will also be one of the prizes in the fundraiser. Yes, the actual cowl. (I should be making more prize announcements in the next day or so)

• Yarn: 1 skein Juniper Farms Willa
• Needles: US 11 Cubics interchangeable
• Time:  About an hour or so

I also whipped one out for me:

All the major details are the same, but I made a couple of extra leaves.

I bought the Cubics on a whim and am glad I did.  They are comfortable to hold and are a nice change from metal needles without going bamboo.

Ever since someone turned me on to non-bamboo wood needles, I’ve been quite picky.  I hear she can do that to people.

Today, I’ll be educating Texas on the finer points of 70’s and 80’s horror movies.  No Amityville? No Poltergeist? No Exorcist? What?

All while unpacking the hand knits and trying to stay warm.

It hit 47 F (8C) last night.  In October! In East Texas!  Who the hell approved that?!?!

Happy Sunday y’all!  What are you up to?

Long overdue FO’s

As I was enjoying my lovely (and much needed) siesta yesterday, I was awoken by a pounding on the door. Since I didn’t hear anyone screaming “search warrant”, I thought it was o.k. to answer. Two boxes! YEAH! The first held this:

And some things found inside. I can finally share these FO’s from last year. The wonderful Isela asked me to help her out with a little project and this is what happened:

Pattern: Cascading Shawl
Designer: Me (squeeeeee)
Book: Loom Knitting Pattern Book (please support Isela and her husband and buy it from them)
Yarn: Noro Silk Garden color 84
Loom: Regular gauge with at least 59 pegs. I used a Decor Accents Baby Afghan Loom.
Start and Finish: I took notes on this, but can’t find my notebook right now.

This was not the pattern I started with in my head, but after trying this and that, it’s what happened. Same goes with this:

Pattern: Hat and Scarf Set
Designer: Me (squeeeeee)
Book: Loom Knitting Pattern Book (please support Isela and her husband and buy it from them)
Yarn: Bernat Softee Chunky in Hot Blue, Hot Lime, True Yellow, Hot Pink and Too Purple
Loom: 60 peg regular gauge loom. I used a Decor Accents Adult Hat Loom.
Start and Finish: I took notes on this to, but can’t find my notebook right now.

This started out in pastel colors with Knit Picks Palette on a fine gauge Mini Wonder Loom, but quickly changed. I mean really… fingering weight and a tight deadline. Ick!

Yes, the hat and scarf are for children. No, I don’t know what I’m going to do with them. Contest? Auction on E-bay to donate to the Red Scarf Project? Right now I’m tossing ideas around. What do you think?

I’ll do a proper review on the book in the coming week. (Of course it’s wonderful)

The other box? That’ll have to wait too.

You can however head on over to Romancing the Yarn and enter the contest. (see the June 30th post) They’re giving away a prize a day to celebrate their two year blogging anniversary. And I won already. Go now!

Happy Sunday!

What else do you give a guy who has everything?

So, you’ve heard tales of the infamous Dr. E. from both Angie and I. As a way of thanking him for the fun day out shooting, I got him a little box of ammo. Plus it gave me an excuse to go into the gun shop and fondle the cold steel. *ahem* MOVING ON!

And what kind of knitter would I be if I didn’t whip up a little cozy to keep it in. You’d all be taking away my knitting card. Of course after this, you may be making this reason #297 to have me committed and taking the pretty little (but sharp and pointy) sticks away from me.

In honor of his birthday, I’m sharing my recipe for Dr. E’s Ammo Cozy. (Soon to be on Ravlery) And maybe cracking into my 6-pack of Guinness – (or maybe the Tequila Rose I got for my birthday) but then I never really need a reason to do that, do I?

Happy Birthday Doc. Hope it’s a good one!