First Day of 2nd Grade

Earlier this week I finished an outfit for my daughter. Here she is on her way to her first day of Second Grade a couple of days ago. I cannot believe how big she is getting.

Knitting update: I have been practicing continental knitting. I am very slow and awkward. I want to give up but I know in my head that I should keep working and practicing. Eventually I will get faster and not so awkward. All I want is to work on my socks the way I am used to. So, I think that I am going to make my socks and then practice intermittently. Enough blogging. On to the socks!

ARRRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!

I can't find my Sew Stylish that I just bought!!! I am going out of my mind. I am beside myself. What am I going to do? I am going to have to go out and buy it again. SHOOT! I had it in my car. I read it all the way home. I thought it came in my house but I can't find it anywhere. And, to make matters even worse it is accompanied by the newest Interweave Knits! There is an awesome v-neck cable sweater that I am dying to make. I am restraining myself from purchasing yarn because I need to work on a sweater for my husband that I started at the end of last winter. But I want to look at the new sweater. I want to drool and dream about making it.

I AM IN AGONY!

American Knitting: The Hard Way

Last weekend I spend the day selling my Discovery Toys at a booth. I brought along my socks to knit when I wasn't busy. A woman walked by and saw me knitting. Our conversation went like this:
Me: Hello, how are you?
Her: Good thank you. Are you doing American or European.
Me: American.
Her: Oh, the hard way!
Me: I know it is the hard way. I have been wanting to learn how to do it the other way but just haven't been able to.
Her: Do you want me to show you?
Me: I would love that!
So she came over and showed me a few stitches. Now I am determined to learn this method. I think it will be so much faster than my throwing method. I think my knitting is pretty slow and I would love to try anything that will make me faster. I love this video that I found. I think that I just might be able to learn with this to help.

My First Pair of Socks!

My daughter's socks are finished. Count them 1,2. Yeah!! A pair of socks. I am so excited to complete my first pair of socks. Once finished I cast on for another pair of socks. These will be for me. I am again using Cascade Fixation but my pair are blue, teal, purple, and lavender. They will be fun to wear.

It's been SUNNY!

I know that I haven't blogged in a while. Long periods between entries was not what I wanted to happen. This blog is supposed to motivate me to create something consistently. Well, I have been doing some knitting. My socks are coming along. BUT, is has been SUNNY! Now for most in the "lower 48" this isn't any big deal. Up here in AK sun is everything. The world stops for sunny days. This past week it has been in the 70's and glorious. I know, this doesn't sound warm to most, but again, up here it is FANTASTIC! I cannot remember the last time we had weather like this in August and I have lived here my whole life. So, you will have to cut me some slack. We are too busy playing. I will have plenty of inside time come Winter so now I MUST PLAY, PLAY, PLAY!

Sock is Finished

Well, it's done. The top is too floppy for my daughter but the foot fits. She really likes it. I ended up liking the striping on the foot but the top is to splotchy. Even though I do not really like the finished product I am proud of myself for finishing it. This is my first finished sock. The others I have tried have all been ripped. This one will be too but I will remake it and fix what I do not like. It was really fast to make. My daughter wants to just keep this sock but I just cannot be happy with one sock being right and the other being a disaster. Soon, I will show you two finished socks (if I do not get sidetracked first lol).

Cascade Fixation Woes!

I have been knitting some. Not on the sweater I should be knitting for my 5 year old. Oh no. That has becoming boring and I want something new. So what if I am so close to finishing it.

I bought some Cascade Fixation when I was in Soldotna last weekend. I bought a sock pattern and was very excited to start this project. The ball of yarn was beautiful. The colors were perfect for my daughter-salmon, lime and taupe. I was so excited. I casted on with anticipation. At the point of this picture I was really liking the look.


Then everything came crashing down. The striping started to look horrendous with big, odd splotches of taupe surrounded by funny stripes of color. I did not check my gauge (I know, I am cowering right now.) for this not-so-easy-to-work-with-yarn and so of course the rib is too loose and flabby. I am going to keep going for practice. I have some more of this yarn in another color way for socks for me. I want to learn from this yarn so that my socks will be right. Currently, I have turned the heel and am on my way to the toe. I will post a picture of the sock when I am finished. Everything is a learning experience right?

My Daughters Jammies

I thought I would post a picture of my daughter's Tinkerbell jammies that I lovingly stayed up until 3 AM so she would have them on her birthday. They are a little big but she loves them. She said they were her 2nd favorite gift (A build a bear with outfits and accessories took 1st place) because they were handmade and really from me. Wasn't that sweet? Sometimes I think I'll keep her.

Her brothers jumped in the pictures because they wanted to be in Mommy's blog. The 3 year old was disappointed that I did not have some pictures of him fishing. What can I do? He didn't fish. Oh well, this will make it up to him. He is easy to please.

Fishing Weekend

Well, I haven't blogged for a while. Every time I try something comes up. Sewing has been on hold for a bit while we enjoy the last days of summer up here in AK. I did sew my daughter some Tinkerbell jammies for her birthday because she wanted them so much. Being the loving mother that I am, desiring only to satisfy my childrens' every wish (lol) I stayed up until 3 AM sewing the night before her birthday.

Okay, back on track. Last weekend we went some property my Grandparents own down on the Kenai Penninsula (about 2 hours south of Anchorage). This property while not attractive in itself it is right on the Kenai River and looks across at some beautiful scenery. And oh yes, it is a GREAT salmon fishing spot. Every year the 'reds' (red salmon-some of the best tasting salmon I am told) come in en masse and my whole family (quite the family reunion) flocks to this piece of land (it is actually a giant sandbox surrounded by RV's and travel trailers.


This run, which coincides every year with the Nordstrom Sale, brings great excitement. I spent the weekend watching people pull in tons of fish. My children were very excited to get in on the action. They loved fishing. They did not actually hook anything because they were not using fly rods but they got to bring in some that their uncles hooked.













My kids thought that the best part was beating the fish on the head till their 'eyes got wide' once they were brought in to shore. Yes, all weekend my children ran around with the fish whacker whacking and killing innocent fish.
They LOVED it! I LOVED it too. Not the fish whacking but the fact that my children were totally entertained and I could do whatever I wanted. I should have been knitting a sweater for my 5 year old but I read instead.

This was his first salmon. Next year he is planning on catching it all on his own. They both now have 2 cans of fresh smoked salmon to enjoy. They are pretty pleased with themselves. My daughter cannot wait to make dip with hers.

Red season is over for this year. Fish has been smoked and canned. We can now enjoy the fruits of our labors. Well, they all can. I do not like fish! I know, I know, how can I live in AK and not like fish? Just a flaw I guess!