Back to Life....

Yep, I'm back!!
Seems so long since I've been on here-so much has happened and yet so much is still the same. Weird??
This year comes with many hopes in all things yarny-one of which, is really fun and what I'm excited about. I'm hoping to hit one LYS in my area a month-yep, you read right-one different LYS a month and I'm going to review it each time I go. I will write about my likes and dislikes and hopefully, I will tempt you to visit one or all of these fine stores. This is to support my LYS's the best way I can b/c as so many small businesses are having trouble these days, it's important to support what stores we find so important to us.

On the needles right now: A cowl-neck tunic for my daughter in size 10, a toy airplane and hat for a new baby (daddy is a pilot), and two bunnies for my girls-their special request. Also hoping to get some thrummed mittens on soon for myself, thanks to the tempting shout-out Yarn Harlot gave them awhile ago. Which brings me to another conversation she just wrote about: startitis While I of course, subject myself to this sometimes, instead of satisfying my need to start the umpteenth project right away b/c I have no patience, it actually makes me quite anxious-not in a good way. I'm one of those weird-o's who prefers to tackle one thing at a time-knit-wise, and so I rarely cast on for more while working on another project. I know, weird, right? What do you do?? Are you a startitis victim or do you plod along, no matter how boring, until the task at hand is complete?

Just when I thought I was back...

I'm going to be gone for a little bit-well, until further notice to be exact. We are at the beginning stages of moving (!) to another state and I just don't think I'm going to have the chance to blog in between packing, throwing out, finishing up school stuff with the girls and yep, packing and unpacking my yarn stash. So, thank you for reading and I'll catch up with y'all sometime this summer!! Have a good one!!

Just.keep.knitting....

You know you hate repeating patterns but you also know you have two girls and they need sweaters for Easter b/c in NEPA, it's most likely going to be freezing on that holiday! So, quit procrastinating, stop daydreaming about the umpteen other projects you'd like to work on and just.keep.knitting....

So......

spring cleaning has begun!! It's a beautiful day outside and what am I doing??? Purging yarn I haven't touched in years~~ Yep, I'm filling up boxes to send (really hoping flat rate shipping is CHEAP!) to Interim House Inc. 333 West Upsal St. Philadelphia PA 19119. This is a great place where they use knitting/croceting to help women who are struggling with substance/alcohol abuse. I sent a box there last year and think that it's great to get rid of yarn and give it to others who will work it into something other than the pile on my shelf.

Do you have any yarn that you think these ladies might put to good use??

Casting off...

By Nicole R. Dickson-best Knit Lit book I've read in awhile! Seriously, what a great read! Perfect for these bleary, cold, wintery nights! I found it on the shelf of my good friend's mother's Vt. house and since cracking it, I haven't been able to put it down. This book appealed to my knitting side, as well as my interest in history-art/craft history in particular and of course, the Irish are rich in their history. Here is the Barnes and Noble synopsis, in case you're looking for a new read:

"On a tiny island off the west coast of Ireland, the fishermen’s hand-made sweaters tell a story. Each is unique — feelings stitched into rows, memories into patterns.

It is here that Rebecca Moray comes to research a book on Irish knitting. With her daughter, Rowan, accompanying her, she hopes to lose herself in the history of the island and forget her own painful past. Soon, the townsfolk’s warm embrace wraps Rebecca and Rowan in a world of friendship, laughter, and love.

And it is here that young Rowan befriends Sean Morahan, a cantankerous old fisherman, despite his attempts to scare her off. As Rebecca watches her daughter interact with Morahan, she recognizes in his eyes a look that speaks of a dark knowledge not unlike her own. And when current storms threaten to resurrect old ones, Morahan and Rebecca find themselves on a collision course — with Rowan caught between them — each buffeted by waves of regret and recrimination. Only by walking headfirst into the winds will they find the faith to forgive without forgetting…and reach the shore. "

This book makes me want to go to this island, meet all of the people involved and take a long holiday, soaking up knitting history and beer along the way. If you are looking for a book to read when your knitting fingers need a break, this one is sure to captivate you. I loved it!

Lye-eee...

Yes, out of all the things I have knit for my daughters, this ratty, holey, yucky looking thing-she-calls-a-blanket is what my youngest loves. I had originally knit this blanket for my oldest when I was pregnant with her. I didn't know who I was having, boy or girl, hence the yellow color of the yarn. I wanted something soft and cushy and came upon this yarn at an LYS in Manchester, Vt. I loved the little bits of yarn on the strand and thought my baby would too. Well, I was right, but not right about which baby would love it. Baby #1 wanted nothing to do with it, but Baby #2 has yet to give it up, named "her" LYe-eeee, and refuses to go to sleep without her. She holds a really ratty corner of Lye-ee, in between her two fingers and thumb and sucks her other thumb. Rubbing this ratty corner while sucking her thumb is what gets her to sleep-it is so adorable to watch and warms my heart everytime I see her do it. At the age of 4, she refuses to give up Lye-ee and I have no intentions of making her do it. I figure when she's ready, she will and she's only going to be a child for so long so why should I force her out of this love???

So, what is it exactly that makes her love this blanket? It started out as a 2X3 rectangle of crochet (I even forget how I did it-it was early on in crochet for me) and I don't even recall the name of the yarn. It was before the days of Ravelry, so I can't even look it up. It is really soft cotton though and right out of the wash, it smells wonderful...after a couple of nights of cuddles with my girl though, and that's another story. She impatiently stands by the washer when Lye-ee gets her bath and I have to pull it out for her when it's nap time. I always thought my firstborn would be my yarn-lover as she is the crafty one right now, but I think it just might be my Lye-ee lover instead...

Totally OT, but if you're from NEPA, you need to go here!

Ok...so today was pretty mundane-housecleaning, playing Memory game with 4 year old daughter, errands to run and whatnot...but in the back of my mind all day, I've thought about....pizza!!!! Nope, not the regular, italian plain slice, which for most of the time, suits me just fine (Basilico's in Dickson City-hands down, is the winner of the area)-oh no, today, I've been obsessing about Kay's Pizzeria in Lake Ariel-specifically, their hot wing pizza with bleu cheese dressing. Ok-seriously, this pizza is to.die.for.-no really. If you live in the area, you MUST try this pizza-my local friend, who grew up in Lake Ariel, brought it to a friend's house when we were having pizza and since then, I've been trying to recreate the hot wing sauce at home-to no avail. I can't figure it out, but I can tell you that each time I have this pizza, I love it more and more. I've heard of two other dishes that they serve at Kays with the sauce: The buffalo shrimp (OMG!!!) and buffalo wing hoagie-yep, that will be next week's menu choice...for sure....

The sauce is tangy, hot, sweet, and sort of grainy??? I'm originally thought bbq sauce was used in it somehow, but no longer-I'm thinking it's hot sauce, honey, butter, and maybe brown sugar?? It tends to be on the runny side (that's why I thought honey) but it takes all of my willpower not to lick the inside of the cardboard pizza box when we're through....and as I type this, I'm not even slightly embarrassed that I admitted this to cyberspace!?!

If anyone has tried this pizza and would like to weigh in on how you think the sauce is made, please do so...if I crack this recipe, I think I will be using it on everything!!!!