Squeakerman

Birthday 2011

2011-03-30T17:59:00.005-05:00

With Spring comes my birthday. Like Spring, having a birthday is a time of reflection and renewal. The last few weeks I have been cleaning out the house; checking out corners and dusting high above where I can see. I am thankful for my wonderful husband, children, and bird. I am thankful that I get to live in a nice place, have a stable job, and most of all people that I love and that love me. Spring and birthdays are like that. Life begins again as nature awakens the dirt and decay of winter. The fragrance and sight of flowers is heart warming. And not only that, summer is only one marking period away! Yeah!

A new year begins. Hopefully with good health, love, and happiness. Spring is definitely my favorite time of year.

Happy New Year

2011-01-02T12:33:00.003-05:00

New Years Resolutions...Lead a healthier lifestyle...Knit...Maintain a positive outlook...Post more frequently than one a year......

Happy Birthday

2010-03-26T18:18:00.002-05:00

Sometimes doing the right thing is very difficult......

2009-09-20T17:37:00.002-05:00

Graduation Socks!

2009-05-30T11:42:00.008-05:00

It was a long trip from Maryland to Boston....and then back to Maryland from Boston....long enough to finish a pair of socks......Basic pattern from heavy weight Socks that Rock.....sorry but I cannot remember the colorwave. These socks were started and frogged twice. Each time I tried to put in a pattern. However the weight of the wool and complexity of the pattern made them too bulky. I am happy that this is one less project I have to finish this summer.

I cannot believe...

2009-04-18T07:14:00.008-05:00

I cannot believe how long since I have submitted a post. Perhaps it reflects how many directions I have been going…..Time to list all the unfinished projects I am working on: 1. A Scarf from Twinkle Weekend Knits (Thanks Rebecca for the yarn from Spain); 2. Top down February Cardigan of my own design; 3. Herringbone socks from last year’s Blue Moon Fiber Sock Club; 4. Green Gable Hoodie….and the stash calls….and the Maryland Sheep Festival is the first week of May….and the stash keeps getting bigger….working is interfering with my life…..

My Kaleidoscope Life

2008-07-15T18:40:00.006-05:00

Last night my night blooming cereus blossomed. I always hoped that life would become less complicated as I got older and my daughters left the nest. However, it becomes more and more crazy and I feel that I am caught in a swirling kaleidoscope. I’m tired and beginning to feel like my night blooming cereus whose bloom lasts one night and then it is gone.

Let me describe my day. So I got up at 6:00 and ran around the house taking care of odds and ends until I left at 7:15. Through July I am teaching summer school from 7:45 until 12:15. Then I left work and did errands for an hour. Came home and cleaned one of the family room couches and the stairs. Made a cake to take to my daughter's apartment this weekend. Froze the cake. Then did more laundry and paid bills. I repaired the soap dispenser in the kitchen with the part that Grohe sent. Then went to the basement and exercised. Then cooked Chinese beef and vegetables stir fry. I have just cleaned up about half the dinner mess….and this is my break…….When I finish checking my e-mail on the computer, I will go back to cleaning the kitchen, making lunches for tomorrow, and cleaning the bird cage. Then I will probably go upstairs and iron clothes. If I am lucky I will watch TV and knit for an hour.

The scarf was knit in Noro Kujaku in color 5. The pattern is "Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf", which is a free download. The scarf was done on with 46 stitches on a size seven needle. I used five skeins of Kujaku. It reminds me of a kaleidoscope.

Monkeys in Spain

2008-07-06T07:56:00.012-05:00

Number 2 Daughter is back in the United States from Spain. These are no purl monkey socks, knitted in Socks that Rock, Philosopher's Stone in Mediumweight. It was great fun watching the colors stripe.

Monkey Socks

2008-06-07T06:41:00.010-05:00

These Monkey Socks were knit from Socks that Rock Medium Weight in Philospher's Stone. It was really nice how the colors stripped and pooled.

An aside, my favorite goldfish died ten days after I posted his picture. Sort of reminds me of when we visited the Pandas at the National Zoo and the male died the next day.

Volcano Socks

2008-05-17T07:45:00.009-05:00

This is a bonus shot of my favorite goldfish. He is at least ten years old. He was a feeder fish I bought for a nickel.

These socks are knit from stash. Unknown light weight Socks that Rock. If you look carefully in the pattern you can see little volcanoes. The pattern reminds me of Hawaii.

Blue Moon Fiber Arts: Serendipity

2008-04-27T09:23:00.004-05:00

I am so proud of my self. I indulged myself and joined the Blue Moon Fiber Arts Sock Club. I played and played with needle size and sock size to get the yarn to strip and not pool. I did it. I finished the project within a reasonable period of time....only two months behind at this time. Not only was the stripping cool, but I really loved the star toe and the method of shortrowing the heel.

The Maryland Sheep fesital is this weekend, a very dangerous development for me; but the most fun! http://www.sheepandwool.org/

Rhonda Meets the Yarn Harlot

2008-04-11T18:55:00.006-05:00

Last Monday the Yarn Harlot spoke in Annapolis. Lou and I made the journey. This is picture of me and Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. She is holding my Rainbow Socks and I am holding the sock that she photographs through her book tour and my autographed copy of her latest book.

Stephanie got very excited about the Rainbow Socks that I finished. She is going to make a pair for her friend. However, she will not publish the yarn on her blog until she purchases it, because everybody else will buy and the yarn will be sold out before she can buy it. This is a picture of me and the socks that appeared on her blog. I am now famous!!!!!!

The Super Long Scarf

2008-03-01T15:27:00.005-05:00

This wonderful scarf/wrap was made by casting on 160 stitches onto a 10 1/2 needles and knitting a garter stitch until out of yarn. At the beginning of each row I cut the old yarn, leaving an 8 inch tail and tied on the new yarn, leaving an 8 inch tail. It was great not having to attach fringe and I love the slanted ends. The scarf is about 7 feet long and 13 inches wide....and soft as a cloud.

The Scarf Series Continues: Super Long Scarf Wrap

2008-03-01T15:20:00.003-05:00

This is a close-up of a Super Long Scarf Wrap made from a Multi-colored kit in the Pansy Colorway that I bought from Three Waters Farm at the 2007 Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. It consisted of three different yarns: Alpaca wool, alpaca boucle, and mohair boucle. I colors are blues, purples, and yellows.

Pictures that make me happy.

2008-02-12T16:32:00.001-05:00

Where did the time go?

2008-02-12T16:24:00.000-05:00

Where did the time go? I have not posted in a month. Today is primary day in Maryland so I have a bit more time.

One of my goals this year is to knit a sock a month. However, I had to rip out my half completed February socks because of a fatal error. I misread a cast on chart. I have not yet had the energy to begin another pair. Hopefully I will get it together within the next few days.

This is a picture of a scarf that I knit using a Mistake Stitch. It is made of Kureyon colors 194 and 154, which I switched every other row. I love how the colors move.

Second Project of the New Year

2008-01-06T09:55:00.000-05:00

Another scarf. This one was alot of fun. It was made from a novelty yarn in my stash on size 15 needles. It is slinky and I love the color.

First Project of the New Year

2008-01-06T09:41:00.001-05:00

My first project of the year was this pair of Jaywalkers in Opal Yarn called "In Variation nach Hunderwassers Werk (637A): Wartede Hauser. The colors and pattern are based ona painting by Wolfgang Zwerger and Frederic Zwerger. The repeats are so long, it was impossible to make them identical. The socks were done on two circular, double point needles. My daughter is the proud owner.

Another $3.00 Scarf

2007-12-29T11:00:00.000-05:00

This is another three dollars scarf made of peacock courtesy of the dollar bin at my local yarn shop. I used a random strip generator to do the stripes. And decided to know and not weave in ends. It makes me smile everytime I touch it.

LYS

2007-12-27T10:12:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I went to the LYS which as having a sale. In the dollar bin I found three balls of Peacock (color 04) which resulted in this $3.00 scarf. Three Balls. Two hours. Size 17 needles. Garter stitch. 13 Stitches.

Fingerless Mitts

2007-12-25T08:29:00.001-05:00

I finish my projects after everybody else on KALS has moved onto other things. At least I get the benefit of being inspired by all the postings. These are only four days late, so that is s record for me.

These are Fetching fingerless gloves by Cheryl Niamath, published in the Summer 06 issue of Knitty.com. They are made in Debbie Bliss cashmerino aron in color 300610, deep red. I used two circular size five needles because my hand is small and I wanted them extra dense for warmth. Two cable repeats were added at the wrist, four extra rows in the body, another cable repeat by the fingers, and an additional four rounds at the thumb. They are warm and toasty and I am very pleased.

With warm regards to all,

Rhonda

New Years Resolution: Use Stash, Use Stash, Use Stash

2007-12-24T08:31:00.001-05:00

I have not taken an inventory. I don't really want to know. Maybe my New Years Resolution should be to have less in my stash then when I started. Maybe it should be to buy no new yarn and knit, knit, knit what I have until the Maryland Sheep Festival in May.

Although I plan to use my sock stash...I also intend to concentrate on the rest of my stash. Usually when I get sweater yarn, I have a pattern in mind. However, I am sure that I am not the only person who can't remember what she intended to do with some yarn...not a clue...nada...when she finally was ready to knit....This year I began putting a copy of the pattern with newly acquired yarn.

Another plan is to convince my daughters to adopt and knit some of my stash....a win win situation.

I have been going through books, my patterns stash, and the internet pulling out sock patterns I like. My next plan is to pair yarns with patterns. I like the idea of making my own kits.

Right now I am trying to finish 5 projects before beginning another.....and hopefully begin and finish my January socks by the end of the month......

Ready to begin.

Jaywalkers

2007-11-10T07:52:00.000-05:00

This is my first pair of jaywalkers. The socks are made from Socks That Rock lightweight in the "Fire on the Mountain" colorway. I made the socks smaller to fit my foot by putting only 6 stitches between the increase and decreases. I am very pleased with the outcome and had alot of fun making the project....now to my other unfinished works in progress.

The Beck is abroad

2007-10-15T17:00:00.000-05:00

The Beck has departed for two semesters abroad in Spain. Of course she is within a 15 minute walk of the fashion district in Madrid....only the Beck. She is having alot more fun than any of her immediate family members......may her luck always continue. And may she have a Wonderful Time!!!!!!!!!!! And may she keep her "ningas" out of my computer...hence the attached photo.....ha...ha...ha...Love ya Beck!

Empty Nest Revisited

2007-08-16T13:24:00.000-05:00

My daughter is officially a medical student. I miss her, but there is a certain freedom in having an adult child move out...again. We are so excited and proud!

Work starts again on Monday. So I have been spending my time trying to get my house in order and my knitting projects finished.

Second Daughter is still home for another month and I have to say that I feel joy sitting and just talking and knitting with her.

My Man Squeaker

2007-07-16T08:31:00.001-05:00

This is Squeaker. He is a blue and gold macaw.

I tried to put it in my last post. But hark, I now know how to post an image. Will wonders never cease.

Being a Novice

2007-07-16T08:26:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe that I have started a Blog. Everytime I think my computer skills are up to par, I find something new to explore. Learning how this "thing" works is my next challenge and adventure. I am excited to see how this thing progresses.

This Blog is named in honor of my man, Squeaker.