Are you OK?

Every conversation since Wednesday afternoon has started with that phrase.  Conversations with relatives, friends, co-workers, and even strangers.  And it is always spoken with the greatest concern.
Thursday morning at work was a busy time trying to locate everyone and just making sure they and their families were OK and if they had damage, what could we do.  Between the storms early on Wednesday morning and Wednesday evening, everyone has a story to tell. 

The situation for many is dire.  They've lost homes and family members.  There lives are forever altered because of the storm.  The damage was widespread as the storms ripped across the state.  The news stations are doing a good job.  As a matter of fact, for many, the radio was the first news they had of the severity of the situation because power was out in much of the state.

About two miles from me, the storm cut a swath through a pasture uprooting and ripping apart trees.  And caused sagging power lines.  That was the second question: "do you have power?"  But no one was complaining about no power since we still had our lives and had our homes.  Actually, no one is complaining about anything:  no power, long lines at the grocery store and not being able to buy certain items because the power was out there too, long lines at the service station, not being able to buy ice, etc. 

Our power went out Wednesday morning but then yesterday evening, these guys from Lake Wells, Fl showed up! 

My power was restored at 6:50pm!  Thanks guys!  And thanks for spending time away from your families to help ours! 

Another thing heard over and over this week:  "the grace of God".  For many, it is by the grace of God only that they have their lives. 

I've Got A Plan

First of all, an update.  Remember how in my last post, I was swatching for THREE different projects?  Well, I came home that night and didn't finish swatching or start any of them!  Instead, I worked on my Joseph's Blankie of Many Colors for Walker and then I cast on this:

The Nordic Cowl, a free pattern from my LYS in Cascade Eco Duo, one of the softest wools ever.  The best thing about this pattern?  No gauge-no swatching!  I have to admit that I was rather nervous if it would go over my head or not.  I do wish though, that I had cast off in pattern.  I did complete the baby booties and I've started the Multnomah. 

Now......back to the Joseph's Blankie of Many Colors and my plan.  I am down to the borders!!  Check this out!  One side is complete and I'm working on the second side.

So.  The plan is to get up a few minutes early every morning and complete one row.  Just one row.  My calculations show that if I do this, I should finish by the end of May with time to spare.

Other projects on the needles or in line:  Peapod and diaper covers for Elizabeth's photograhy business, a Joseph's Blankie of Many Colors for Tristan, Multnomah for me, and Linny Wrap for me.

Betwixt and Between

Swatching.  That's what I did yesterday afternoon while sitting on my parent's sofa.  I couldn't decide between what I should be knitting/need to be knitting/want to be knitting.  So I swatched for all three!
The dark green was for Multnomah, the pink for Little Bit Baby Booties, and the mango for the Mitered Blanket from Mason-Dixon Knitting.

After all that swatching, what I ended up knitting on last night was Joseph's Blankie of Many Colors for Walker.

I'm down to the last log on this colorful log cabin blanket and all I've knit on for a while is half row here and a half row there.  Granted, each row is like going to Kentucky and back, which is where this blanket will be going when it's finished.  So, at least some progress was made last night.

I'm still betwixt and between tonight so I think I'll work on the log cabin again for a while.  Maybe as I'm doing endless garter stitch, I'll be able to decide what I'd like my "take along" project to be.

What Have I Been Doing?

Knitting.  And knitting.  And more knitting.  Specifically, I've been knitting photo props at the request of my cousin, Elizabeth, for her business Liz Thomas Photography.  I've made baby cocoons and hats.  Here's my favorite of the cocoons:



And check out this pixie hat!

I've made some beanies too and the Purl Dreams Hat from Heirloom Stitches.  Actually, I've made two Purl Dreams Hats.  One for Elizabeth and one for my sister-in-law to give as a baby gift.

In other knitting news, last night I finished Barb's Koigu Ruffle for myself. 

Now, back to knitting!



Cast On Mania and a Recipe

I'm not really sure what was going on this weekend but I have cast on for two projects, still casting on for another (more on this in a minute), and swatched for yet another!  I cast on for a hat for my friend.  I had made her children hats.  When she called to thank me, she asked if I'd make one for her for next Christmas.  Now, as a knitter and a friend, I couldn't make her wait until next Christmas!  I also cast on for a baby blanket for a co-worker and I started the cast on for Barb's Koigu Ruffle.  I swatched for the Pashmina Cowl from Last Minute Knitted Gifts in Classic Elite Fresco but quickly realized that trying to count 26 stitches in black sport weight on a cloudy day was just too much for my eyes.  I'll have to wait for a sunny day for that. 

The hat and blanket are coming along nicely but I'm still casting on for the Koigu Ruffle.  There are only 648 stitches to case on for the Koigu Ruffle and I'm on 201.  So, still a ways to go there. 

Now for the recipe (sorry but no picture).  My Mother made this wonderful Banana Pudding for Sunday lunch yesterday.  It is my aunt's much beloved recipe:

Banana Pudding
1 big box Jello Vanilla Instant Pudding
3 cups milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
dash vanilla
1 large bowl Cool Whip
Vanilla Wafers
Bananas

Mix pudding and milk together until slightly thick.  Add sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and Cool Whip.  In a bowl, layer wafers, bananas, and pudding in that order.  Top with vanilla wafers.

Now, for those of you not familiar with banana pudding, it is a much loved dessert here in the South.  Since the advent of instant pudding, there are two camps:  instant pudding with Cool Whip and cooked pudding with meringue.  And everyone thinks their Mother/Grandmother makes the best (and rightly so).  My choice?  Personally,  I prefer the cooked pudding with meringue.  But I will happily eat either one.

January Knitting Tally!

Just wanted to recap my finished projects for this month.  They include 6 hats, 1 pair of worsted socks, and 1 pair of mittens.  On the needles are a wrap and a blanket.  And I've got a To Do list a mile long!

And out of curiosity today, I counted my finished projects from 2010 - 46! I knew I did a lot of knitting last year but didn't think it was 46!

And now for my favorite picture from January:

My great-grandparent's mailbox.  My grandparents and then my parents used this mailbox until about 10 or so years ago.  Now this one sits on my parent's front porch. 

Playing Catch-Up

Christmas was exciting this year! We had a white Christmas for the first time that I can remember. I was reminded of song from Alabama "Christmas in Dixie. It's snowin' in the pines"

On January 10, I awoke to this! Almost 3 inches of snow! Well, actually a snow sandwich. There was a layer of ice, snow, and then more ice. Work was closed that day so a lot of knitting got done!

Knitting Content

Everyone who received a hand-knit Christmas gift really seemed to like their special handknit.

So far, this month,

- I've started a Linny Wrap, a house pattern from my LYS (In The Making), and ripped it out and restarted it several times. Hopefully, there will be no more ripping out. It's from a gorgeous crimson cashmere/silk lace weight that I bought on sale at In the Making and a cranberry mohair. Wonderfully soft!

-Made 3 overdue Christmas Hats for a friends children from Berroco Comfort. I'm using the wonderful House Hat Worksheet from my LYS.

-A pair of worsted weight socks using scrap wool and a pattern from Ann Budd's Getting Started Knitting Socks.

-Started another Joseph's Blankie of Many Colors from Mason-Dixon Knitting using Peaches & Creme. This will be my take along project until it gets too big to take along.

-Made 2 baby hats this weekend from Berroco Comfort and about to start on a third for a baby shower next Sunday. I would have liked to have made a blanket for her but I didn't receive the invitation until last Thursday.

Looking at my list of knitting, I see that I've done more than I think!