It's done! and for sale ;)

I worked on it a lot today and it's done and posted for sale...what is it? why, a new potholder/oven mitt. It's called Jack O Lantern and it's for sale ($3.00) over on Ravelry.
www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/jack-o-lantern-potholder-mitt
go take a look or if you're not on Ravelry, send me an email to buy.
If only I could write and proof as fast as I get ideas...too bad it's not instant!
have a great nite and til next time....keep knitting.

hello again, I'm taking a few minutes for myself. I work 2 out of every 3 weekends so when I'm off, I play catch up from all the days I wasn't home. Laundry runs constantly and I try to do way too much. I think I go back to work to rest!

Last nite dear friend Susan had a cookout/ party. DH and I went for supper. it was lots of fun and good company. but today DH is sick again. He's had a flu all week and still went to work, so he's on the couch trying to feel better for tomorrow. So I'm making soup for his dinner to help him get well.

We're working on changing our electric service from a fuse box ( ancient) to a breaker box and thot we had it all ready to be inspected. That is until we talked to ppl and the inspector. darn, darn,darn..had to take it back off the house up 30' and move it higher. thot we wouldn't have enough wire. then re attach it. that would be ok,,,but the ladder was wimpy, DH couldn't get high enough on it. So I had to go up and unscrew the top. Now that may not be much to some of you. But I'm terrified of ladders and heights! I forced myself to go up by telling me that "you're only 2 ft off the ground...you can do this" yep, I know that doesn't usually work..but I had to do it. I'm not a whiner so what has to be done..will be done. I got it off the house but wasn't strong enough or brave enough to go back up and re attach it. so this morning dear nephew came over and went up the ladder to fix it. thank goodness HE'S not afraid. it's now re attached and ready to inspect tomorrow. While I was taking him back home, I stopped at the Turkey Hill quickie mart and wow! there was a pair of Harley's and a biker chick that I knew! My dear niece that I haven't seen in over 2 yrs! we had a quick chat before they got back on the bikes. hope to hook up soon for lunch.
I'm working on a new design so stay tuned. It should be ready later this week. that's all for now. Til next time...keep knitting.

Current project..Wolcott hat

This is what I'm currently knitting. It's called Wolcott by Sarah Burghardt. you can find it on Ravelry here www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/wolcott

I'm using Loops & Threads Impeccable yarn in Earth Ombre color. It's for my oldest daughter. She has really, really long hair and needs a slouchy hat like this for the winter. Hope she likes it. I'm past the crown and working the straight rise part. Traveling to see my son later today so maybe I'll get more time to work on it while I ride. Have a great day all and til next time...keep knitting.

Hey! I'm back here again

I've been really busy and actually forgot that I had a blog! I've designed some new patterns and they're for sale here or on Ravelry. I'm working on some Christmas knitting. here's a peek at what I'm knitting. the pattern is over on Ravelry.Yes, I know it's only September...but if I don't get going it will be like last year. I'll still be knitting on Christmas eve. I work full time in a center for mentally handicapped individuals. It's very rewarding, but also very challenging most days. We've had lots of changes in the family in the last yr. It was very sad to lose 2 of our family pets to cancers. We still have one little dog, a pug named Sophie who is very spoiled. My grandson started kindergarden and my youngest daughter graduated college. I hope to start posting more here and on Ravelry, so check back often. til next time, keep knitting

Dee

New Design released

I've just published a new design. This time it's a baby afghan with cute little yellow ducks. It's called PuddleDucks Afghan and is available here on my blog or over at this link
http://www.lulu.com/content/881195

Send me an email if you'd like to order from the blog.
lamsieATptdprologDOTnet

LamsieDee

My book is published!

I've gathered the 5 Spring Doilies into a convenient bound booklet. It's a bit of a discount from purchasing all 5 individually. It is available here http://www.lulu.com/content/835238
You may purchase as a bound booklet or as a pdf download file.

I'm currently working on several new designs so check back often for updates. If you would like to be on my mailing list please email me with "sub to update list" in the subject line.

LamsieDee

NEW*** Ring Around the Posies

My newest design is Ring Around the Posies. The forget-me-nots and interlocking wedding rings speak of eternal faithfulness and would make a wonderful gift for a wedding or shower or anniversary. June is wedding month...so get started early on those gifts. This pattern is rated Intermediate/ Experienced because of joining the flowers and rings.
You may use Paypal account or credit/ debit card at www.paypal.com or you may contact me to send a money order. lamsie@ptdprolog.net The pattern will come to you as a pdf. so be sure to include the email where you would like to receive the pattern.
Dee
LamsieDee Designs

Just Launched! LamsieDee Designs

I'm up and running. I've been busy designing thread crochet doilies and have had requests for the patterns. So I'm making them available here. The pics are on the side and you can email me if you have any questions. I'm currently busy working on the next in the series. So check back often for the next special pattern.
LamsieDee

Hey! I'm finally back!

There have been lots of ups and downs over the last year and somehow the blog went by the wayside. But now, I'm back and hope to get many more exciting things going on this blog. I'll be posting some new and different things than I used to last yr. I've gotten into thread crochet in a big way and will be showing some of my own original designs!
so see ya all soon
Dee

New pictures are always fun!

I've been busy with life. High school softball is nearly over for DD2 and now she's starting ASA. This is another league of fastpitch softball. It continues thru the summer. Prom is done now. They had a wonderful time and looked really great. I won't post pics without asking her permission first.
I've been knitting away on Sam the Ram. I have his tail done now. That's the little bump on the Left side of the body. Now, I'll knit around and around until I get to the underbody and legs.



I finished knitting and felting the handbag from the Knitter's book. The handbag just needs handles. Then I'll post that pic too.

I also finished 2 pr of socks for CIC. That's a charity that knits socks, vests and sweaters for orphans in Russia. You can check it out more at the Yahoo group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CIC-knit/
I'm still sitting on sleeve island on my FLAK too. I'm beginning to believe those gorilla arms. I did finish the one sleeve and I'm on the final stretch of the second. Then I'll pick up and work down the body. I was feeling that I was falling so far behind on this project. But there are still people starting to swatch...so that made me feel a bit better. Check out the FLAK at the link on the Right of my blog.

Keep knitting!
Dee

Flu and knitting time...

Wondering what I did most of the day yesterday? Well, the family (all 4 others) had the stomach flu all weekend, since Friday. Nasty stuff! But in between caring for the sick and fetching more drinks and doing more of the laundry they were generating....I knit this....

Here are some pics of Sam The Ram in progress. First pic is of the head section of Sam. It's shaped with increases. I'm using Galway 100% wool on a size 3 circular needle with the Magic Loop method. The second pic is of the neck wedge added to the head. This has the start of the aran patterns.

The third pic is of the back strip. This is worked

from the neck sts in a continuing pattern of XO cable. I worked the strip on 2 dpn's because it was easier to handle.

After this strip is completed, I picked up around all the sts and started to work down the body section. I don't have a pic of this yet, because it's not really much longer than this one at the moment.

This is a well written pattern but you do have to be very careful to follow it exactly and count your sts frequently. I've had to back up only a few times to fix things. Usually increases that I missed. But thankfully, the frequent counting caught it quickly and I only had to frog a tiny amount.

DS1 is better today, he went to work. DS2 is still sick, DH is still sick...and poor DD2 is too. She had to miss her band concert yesterday and a softball game today. She's a busy little lady and being sick just isn't in her schedule! I think she's had it the worst of them all. Hopefully, by the end of today, they'll all be on the mend and I won't get it at all. So far so good for me. I think because I work in health care in a nursing home, I'm maybe a little more immune to these things. At least I hope that I am.

Happy knitting to you all and may the bug pass you by.

Dee

Been busy...update of life,spinning! and knitting

I've been away from "blogland" for a while. Sometimes life gets in the way. I'm still knitting away on the FLAK. I've finished one sleeve and I'm nearly 1/2 way down the other. I 'm beginning to think that I've got "gorilla" arms! It seems like I knit and knit...and the sleeve doesn't get any longer. Maybe I've got knitting gremlins who are sneaking in and "tinking" my sleeves???
I'm knitting a new bag for DD2. It's from the Knitter's dozen bags. The pic from the book is shown here. I'm doing the On Pointe Hand bag in ice cream colors. I have both sides finished and I'm working on the bottem gusset.


I've also been learning to spin. I've tried both top and bottem whorl. I like both ways so far. My first yarn is lumpy and bumpy. It's the brown Jacob shown here. This was spun on a Louet bottem whorl and then plied. It's 2 ply but very thick.


Then I spun some white Shetland top on the Louet bottem whorl. This was a mistake yarn that I fixed tho the shop owner said she didn't think it could be fixed. I spun it ok, but when I plied it...I did it backwards. The result was a really curly yarn that wouldn't "stick" together. So DH and MIL helped me pull it apart and I re plied it. This is the finished result. Pretty good if I do say so!

I also started to spin a Blue swirled Merino.
This is wonderfully soft and spins smooth like butter! I'm using top whorl with this roving.
Both the white and the blue are a much better attempt. They are about a sock wt yarn so far as a single. When I ply, I got a sport wt on the white. I expect about the same sport wt with the blue.
I'm also working on Sam The Ram. As if I need more projects! I started him yesterday, this morning I finished the neck wedge. Now that's fast knitting! He's very detailed and you need to count the sts frequently. The pattern so far is well written and easy to follow. There's a yahoo group doing this pattern as a KAL. And if I could get blogger to work...You could see the pic! But I've tried a bunch of times and the pic won't load. Maybe next time....
That's about it for now...happy knitting and spinning.
Dee

little knitting

I've been a slacker on my blog. I've been doing some little knitting but not posting much.
I'm plugging away on the sleeves of my FLAK, but not far enough to have a new pic yet.
I finished two dishcloth samples for the monthly dishcloth project on Knit and Chat...click the link and go check out this forum. I think it's the best on the web. Friendly, experienced and inexperienced knitters. Lots of patterns and links and many KAL and other projects on the go all the time.
I finally finished my Entrelac socks. They feel wonderful on my feet! The entrelac stretches in different directions all over the sock so they feel nice and snug but not too tight. I also made these a little higher than I usually do. I'm finding that my calfs get so cold sitting at ball games. Tho I did not make them quite as high as the pattern called for...I was afraid that I'd run out of yarn if I did. Good thing too....I only have a little bit left...certainly not enough to have made another round on both socks.
The yarn is Regia Clown knit on size 1's.
I'm sad today...as some of you know...I work in a nursing home in a mostly AZ unit. One of my favorite ladies is very sick and probably won't make it thru the weekend. I'm off this weekend but she's still very much in my thots. It's a case of wishing I were there and being sort of glad that I'm not. If you think of it...send up a prayer for Emily. She's lived there a very long time ( over 13 yrs) and is very old, so in lots of ways..she's ready and it will be a blessing to her to pass. But I know we'll all miss her very much in the unit.
Dee

Spring is springing!

I've been up early this morning...and have a lot done already. This is what I saw first thing . Oh what a beautiful sunrise!
Yesterday, I told DD to watch along the way to the bus...that I was hearing birds singing...This morning, guess who's sitting on the wire???
Yep...the first robin that I've seen this yr. YEEEEs....spring is definately springing...Keep watching for birdie updates...as I start to see a variety at my feeder, I try to post pics of them. I get quite a good variety here...I think some are just passing thru.

Dee

Knitting away

I've been busy knitting but just haven't had time to post since I had to work this weekend.
I worked on the second entrelac sock. It's really hard to take a pic of entrelac like this. I've got the 2n'd round done. The first sock was so lonely sitting in the bag with just a ball of yarn for company!
Now they can sit together and keep each other company.


Next, progress on my FLAK, I've got the sleeves joined into the round and I was working on 2 circulars together the way you can do socks. BUT,,,ran into trouble when I tried to decrease and found that the stitch that had to go was on the other side of the wrong needle...AAAAAAARGH. So now the sleeves are again on seperate circs and waiting til I get over the angst and work on it again. I know I can do them seperately...but I'm always looking for a shortcut...maybe there aren't any in arans!
Here's the back of the 2 Sticks Aran. It had a different diamond in the middle than the fronts did. I'm enjoying the crossing cables on the sides. The trinity has been good practise for the next project.
NEXT PROJECT!!! yes, of course, I've cast on another! Did you think I wouldn't???
Here's the start of my Great American Aran Afghan for the Knit and Chat Forum on Delphi. I'm hosting this great group of knitter's as we work on the pattern together. We're knitting any square that strikes your fancy, tho as a group we can ask and get help from each other. And it's a lot easier to keep on task , if someone is asking how you're doing and what square you're working on. I'm using Encore in Blues and Greens. This is the Ginette Balanger square.
Knit on...and always cast on more!
Dee

Ufo's and FO'S or Before I start another Project

I'm trying to finish up some of the things in my bag before I start the Great American Aran Afghan Along on Knit and Chat. This is really hard for me...since I like to start new projects. But I know that I must...when the knitting bag is overflowing and there are other bags surrounding it...then DH asks...do you really need all this here right now????
YES!!! I really DO need all of that there! See this project is for So and SO ...and that is for SO and SO....see? I really do need it all!
Then Why do we have to go to the LYS??? Well....see there's this new project that I want to start...
No....I did need to finish something first. So here's what I did...
I finished this baby sweater for a gift at church. The shower for baby Dorothea was on Saturday and I gave the little hat and a "promise" of a sweater since I was behind on finishing it. Now it can be delivered.
I used a light pink acrylic and a ribbon strand together for the hat and yoke of the sweater. The hat is more of the true coloring.
It is the Precious Layette pattern from Leisure Arts. I like this pattern because it's made all in one piece...no seam to sew. And it works up quickly. There are 4 different variations but you can make up a lot more with colors or stripes. Check out the Babysweaters group on Yahoo for some more neat pics of the PL pattern.

Next, I've been working on the Entrelac socks...and NO>>>I'm NOT running a drawing for these! LOL...I've had so many people ask for them...I wish I could knit faster and faster. I've finished one of the socks. It's a fun pattern to work and I'm enjoying the color changes with the Regia Clown.
The pattern is from Knitter's magazine #75. I'm knitting it on size 1's. It calls for you to work on dpn's but I found that I just kept dropping the "toothpicks" out of my work. So, I've switched over to Magic Loop. This is working well but I have to be careful that I don't get turned around and work the next square the wrong direction!
It was getting late and I didn't want to start anything new last nite, so I worked a few rows on the 2 Sticks Aran...yes...it's still in my bag...No new pic of that yet, it didn't grow enough.
Also the FLAK part for the sleeves has been posted, but I'm being good...I'm finishing something before I get going on that again. AND...some have started their Aran afghan, but I'm being good...
Just keep repeating...no new project til something is done...no new project til something is done....AHHHHHHH no,,,I gotta go cast on something!
Knit on
Dee

You Are Kermit

Hi, ho! Lovable and friendly, you get along well with everyone you know.You're a big thinker, and sometimes you over think life's problems.Don't worry - everyone know's it's not easy being green.Just remember, time's fun when you're having flies!

The'>http://www.blogthings.com/themuppetpersonalitytest/">The Muppet Personality Test

Life is happening...but no new pics

Life goes on....we got the new furnace in and it's wonderfully warm now.
I've been knitting a bit, but no new pics yet. Probably I'll have some after the weekend. I had 4 more tteth filled yesterday, so my jaw and mouth are still really sore. But I had to work today...Can't wait til bedtime when I can take more pain killer and go to sleep.
Most of the family has been sick all week and now my little Birdie has it too. So most of this evening has been sitting cuddling with a sick baby. Poor little tyke has a runny nose and fever...just not feeling well. He keeps trying to get down to play, but feels so bad that he falls into things and keeps getting bumped. So he's sitting on Mammam 's lap with his blankie just waiting til his mama gets off work to go home.
I've added a new tag to the sidebar on the right. I really like this scripture tag.
Knit on
Dee

project CLOG completion

Well...I had a little time and a lot of wool...so here's the completed felted clogs.

Pre felting, they look like they'd fit a giant wearing flippers!



Post felting, they actually fit the feet that they're made for.
The recipient is my DD 1, She had to try them on as they were shrinking...some of the comments...
OOOOhhh. they're yucky feeling, wet and slimy! Will they really shrink enough? remember to take them out, mom....don't want them too small...When can I wear them?
YEAH! I like the last one best! They currently sitting on the kitchen table with newspaper stuffed inside to help them dry.
It may take a little longer because the appliance saga continues....now, the FURNACE has gone out! Late last nite, DH realized it was getting awfully cold in the house and when it wouldn't turn on he went to check the pilot light in the furnace. He wasn't able to relight it so at 2am he came to wake me to ask if I would call someone...well...who's going to come at that time of nite????
So at 7 am I was on the phone with the furnace man. The house didn't get too terribly cold. I had my gas oven on high and a space heater. The furnace man came around 11 am and re lite the pilot and changed a part...but about 1/2 hr later...it was cold again in the house...and guess what??? NO PILOT again.
So he came back and said we need to change the furnace. They'll install one tomorrow.
I'm glad it's not in the single digits and windy...or my house would be very cold now.
OH>>>WELL>>>>life goes on as usual
Knit on thru ALL crisises....
Dee