A Day in the Rain

A Day in the Rain
Originally uploaded by catherinekerth.

Its been raining in the greater Houston area for a couple of days now.. I finally gave up and let them run free!


Knitting News
I have started the second sock and trucking right through! I was busy reading my bloglines and realized what it is I like to read about and see on others blogs... So I am going to try to get my blog worthy of what I read! Monkey see Monkey do!

Look What Terry did! She is on the Rockin' Sock club KAL and she posted her club socks for the month of MAY! I can't wait to make mine :)
They are beautiful! Go tell her you love them ;)


First order of business, DEclutter my own blog.. I read my own blog and realized it wasn't easy to read... The words were small (or I'm just old) and it just looked cluttered to me. NEW simple blog skin? Check

2. Then I read my content to see what you like to read about, what posts got the most comments? Personal stories and FO's , thats what! So I herby declare more intersting content... Umm, my life is pretty boring but I will do the best I can ;)

3. I have always wanted to share other things I do but thought it was against the rules to talk to about other interests on a knitting blog... Afterall thats why it is called a KNITTING blog right? Nope, not anymore! You guys asked for it ;) I plan to have a "what I read on the web" section after all posts to keep you on your toes... this section will include pictures to keep it interesting. I like bright shiny objects, don't you?

4. BRIGHTER PICTURES! There's a thought, get eye pleasing photos of projects! I like to look at pretty things too!

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"What I read on the Web"
Knitty Gritty Thoughts: Took a poll on what content people prefer on a blog... go here to see the results.




Yea,I knit: Dani got some really cute goodies, I want some of those!

Yummyyarn: Some really good links on her post this month go check them out! Not to mention Gorgeous Shawl FO's!

Lolly: We say goodbye to the color green this month, but I think she is getting prepared for the first of June, BLUE!

Kimberly NY: She was in Parenting Mag! look here to see her published creation!

KnitWitMamma: Jenn (aka my best friend) She had the only adult case of hand ,foot, and mouth that I have ever heard of! And she has a link to this, it is really funny! READ IT! this is how you burn a seller on eabay :)

Clothesknit: Has a new look! And her wee royalty is on the mend ;)


Have a fabulous week!

Rapunzel! Let down your hair.

I couldn't wait to get that yarn on the needles ladies, and look what happened with a little luck & effort! I call her Bad Rapunzel.






I am doing the Badcaul pattern and it is working out great! I have changed the pattern up a bit to suit my "sock knitting habits". The yarn is lighter than fingering weight so I used a Sz 2 needles instead of 1 like the pattern calls for. The sock has a great fit and feel... I am very sure this sock will be done by tonight! Can you believe it ONE sock in 5 days, thats a record for me! I think that the second sock should be done by next Monday.....

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Other knitting news: Knitalong has voted for their next project and it's something I have wanted to do for awhile, so I will be apart of it. Remember my Leaf Lace shawl I did back in march was for this Knitalong as well.

My sock Posse socks have been put on hold for the time being. I have decided to do it in Jaywalker. I went to visit and have lunch with me friend Martha, and she is in the sock Posse too. Her yarn is very different from mine! go check out her sock! She is doing it in the Mata Hari pattern... It isn't to late to sign up for the sock Posse from Yarntopia!

Picovoli: umm, do I really have to update? I am another inch into it! ughhh! this is taking FOREVER!!!! I guess my heart really isn't into it...

I am starting chris' fathers day gift this week sometime.. Felt Clogs! I think he going to love them ;)

I will update when Bad Repunzel is finished!

Autism is a business

We got back last night from our trip to Baton Rouge to see the DAN! Dr.



What is all that stuff? Well, vitims, minerals and even more supplements! Not to mention injections and other supplements not shown b/c they are resting in the fridge.

So what did she say? Everything I have read about DAN, that autistics are depleted of certain minerals and vitamins that help make the brain and body function "normally". Not to mention that he may have a huge amount of heavy metals in his body as well. Hillard had blood drawn, and urine collected. We have a Chelation treatment to give him in a few days to see if his body will release some of the metals and toxins. We will collect the urine once again and send it to them pronto. When we get him "operational" on the gluten free casein free diet and include his regimine of supplements, we will continue for 6 months and see what happens.... It's a gamble, some people see amazing results some see little to none. What will we see? who knows, but it's worth a try........

So what do I think about all this? I thought it was a bunch of hooey and didn't want to waste time and thousands of dollars on false hope. But, I want to try it and give 100% effort. If we don't expect a miricle mabe we can get some results and not be disappointed.

I still don't put a whole lot of stock in it, if this was the cure wouldn't all austic families be doing this? So yep I am skeptical but hopeful.

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In knitting news I have this...




isn't it wonderful! it's from All Things Heather , called Repunzel.... I can see myself getting more of this when I go off my much needed yarn diet!

And I got my cute little bag from Trekcelt! It's wonderful! I used it on my trip and I can tell right now I may want more of these suckers...... It fits a ball of yarn and a small project. It hangs beautifully on your wrist too :) little plug there for ya Trekcelt!



Thanks for all the congrats on winning the contest.. I feel really lucky and I enjoyed my 15 mins. in the spot light. Thanks again to the ladies at Blue Moon Fiber Arts!Have a great week!

I WON!

I can't beleive I actually truly won! I went to meet the mailman and saw a priority box with the "Blule Moon" sticker on it in his truck.... I wondered to myself we aren't suppose to get packages until next week, could I be the winner? I was jumping up and down, my mailman thought I was insane! ;)

I stared at the package as I unpacked my groceries, then called my best friend Jenn... She was on the phone with me as I opened it! We jumped with joy :)

Look for yourself!!!!! The first hank shown is the one i named :fairgrounds: actually alot of people suggested the name I was the lucky winner. Great minds think alike! We named a Blue Moon colorway ladies!!!!

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I LOVE the ladies at Blue Moon!

Ouch! My aching feet!

I wasn't sure what yarns I have accumilated over the past 18 mos. So I did a little reorganizing, and I feel overwhelmed! I can't believe I have this much stuff... a yarn diet is needed in the worst way. I remember the folks that sent some as gifts, what I bought with gift cards, and sales that couldn't be passed up. I have to finish atleast 8 projects before I can even think about buying anymore! I do stress buying for MYSELF! I joined SP8 and look forward to sending gifts to my pal, and recieving too! Lets not get that confused with the so said "diet" ;)

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Are wondering whats with the title? Yep thats right I was bathing Hillard last night and My feet hurt (ankles) like they always do and when I looked down at them, I had CANKLES!calfs/ankles! My right one was a lot bigger then the left and both were very swollen! gees its never been this bad. Well, thats not true but it made me really take notice that I am to young to ache, get stiff and hurt! I swear I am not a hypochondriac... but my twin sis has RA and I certainly don't want it. She has been telling me for months that I probably do by the way I describe my pain and swelling. Crap!

So I think I will make myself some little anklets to hold heating pads... Anyone have a pattern? Or am going to have to make this one up ;) ?

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Trekcelt makes the cutest sock bags and she doesn't sell them, she SWAPS them! yeah, right up my alley... So I wrote her ASAP and I will get one in the mail soon. What did I swap? Brown Sheep worsted.. Pink and brown, she wants to make a felted bag. So no harm done we both got what we wanted and it was fun to swap with her again :) She really swaps great stuff. First the sock yarn and now the cutest bag... Go check them out on her blog!

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Picovoli
She is doing really well, I hope to finish soon. Here is progress pic! I have to admit it is boring me a little, but I will press on!

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I read on Angela's blog that she did a Pod Cast, WOW! how did she do that? Too cool! And Heather, got a new webcam and struted her stuff in her first broadcast as well. You guys are making the knitblogs so advaced. Thanks for the inspirations ;)

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We see the D.A.N.(autism) Dr. in Baton Rouge on the 22nd wish us luck ( thats the bran-man's b-day too!)

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saw this on dani's blog and tried it out! it had me pegged!Love Micheal j Fox as a kid in the 80's ;)

Your 80s Heartthrob Is

Michael J. Fox

Who's Your 80's Heartthrob?

Photo Op's!

Hi everyone, and happy mothers day to all of you ;) I had an excellent mothers day weekend! This moring Chris went to get breakfast and came home with flowers and a card.....He is so romantic:)

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I actually finished a few projects but only got to photo this one! These are my mother-in-law's socks.. No time to block them b/c I finished 10 mins. before we left the house to visit her! Thats what I call last minute touches ;)

Pattern: big time Revised "Day lilliy Socks"
Yarn and needles: Cashsoft, and Sz 4 US.

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Mothers Day was perfect and I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day! We visited my mom after breakfast, and then visited Chris's mom for dinner. In between we just sat and had fun around the house. Like I said perfect! Thought I would throw in some photos of the kiddos. They are growing like weeds!







Oh and Hillard really isn't picking his nose in that picture, he was scratching his face...ummm, do ya really beleive that one? ;)

Hope your week is a safe one.....

Feather and Fan!

My Sockapaloooza Socks have arrived and they are beautiful! Oh the words can not describe how perfect my pal is! I really appreciate her getting to know me well enough to know I love that pattern... and if julie guessed, it was a good guess ;) Go to her blog if you have time and give her a big hello! and you can see my socks in the making! She also sent jelly beans from a Maine lighthouse, but Chris made sure they were eaten in record time. He did share with Brandon and me so we are all guilty of that candy pleasure! Lastly she sent a nice card that has a pattern on it, how cool is that?

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On the dieting front things are going well, 6 more lbs melted away over this past week and weekend leaving me right near 170 and 169! 15 lbs down! I found this really neato diet calculator.... put in your info and it tells you how many calories you should eat in order to maintain your wieght or lose wieght. It also gives the calories your body needs for your metabolism to function properly...Talk about a cool toy to play with if you want to stay healty right?

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Okay I am admitting to you guys I have totally lost my blog reading Mojo! I don't know what it could be? I have been in a funk and I am trying to crawl out promise... I am missing such great FO's and gossip! Aughhhh!

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Knitting Spirit Winner!
Debra!

I put the names in a hat and randomly chose the winner. Congrats Debra and I will be getting your addy soon.
Thank you Sarah, Denise, and Cindy for all participating in my little contest :)

Futures Market! SP8

So You may ask Futures? Well, my dad is a day trader, and if my husband had it his way he'd follow in his foot steps.. So what are my knitting futures? Odessa, Mermaid Mesh and Felt Clogs! Is that enough? Oh lets not forget the progress of my Picovoli lately...I have tried it on and it looks great! Just have to finish below the bust ;)




I have purchased all materials needed for these projects and I am awaiting the delivery of the beads for Odessa.
I have the cotton yarn for Mermaid Mesh, it is a lovely shade of blue. It is Elsebeth Lavold Cotton Patine'...mmmm, yummy...

*Yarn Porn here* Sorry guys camera ran out of juice! next post!




FO!!!! Here are my moms socks ready for Mothers day..





Here is my Mother-in-law's socks in the make! I modified this pattern a bit ...Okay ALOT! I moved up 2 needle sizes and just kept 1 of the repeats to drape the intep for show...I needed to make sure this would be ready in time! So the stitch count was decreased dramatically... I was thinking of writing the pattern up if you guys want it? Just comment if ya do then I will post.

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I Joined SP 8 b/c my best friend Jenn is one of the hostesses! my questionaire is below.....

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Knitting Spirit!
We have Spirit yes we do, we have Spirit how bout you?

http://www.trekcelt.blogspot.com
Http://www.knitchat.com
Sarah's Blog
Debra Chin


I have extended entries until the end of the weekend. So post about your knitting spirit and tell me so we can all look at your blog. Be entered into the contest to win something from Yarntopia!

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I am kind of proud of this so I will mention it..... I have been counting calories (1200-1300 /day) for the past 14 days and guess what? I have lost wieght! I have lost 6 pounds and still continue to lose...I have gotten to the point where I can keep focused on the goal and can control my cravings... I hope this continues! It has carried on to Chris too, he can feel the pounds dropping off too:)

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SP Questionaire
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I like anything but 100% acrylic... and some of them are acceptable if soft enough, like microspun by Lion Brand, love the stuff... My favorite yarns for summer are cotton blends, and I like wool blends for winter.....some of the stuff in my stash: Cotton ease, Jaeger Trinity, GGH samoa, socks that rock, trekking, Silk blends, Alpaca......I like Plymouth yarns also they are cheaper ;) I don't care for novelty yarns... Knit picks is great too. Right now I am really into Jaeger Trinity! Love that stuff! It is affordable lots of yardage for the price,and cotton & silk, what could a girl want more?!.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I have a case.. but the circular needle case is doing double time! it is way full!!!! a hand sewed one would be great!

3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
umm, depends i guess intermediate, b/c i don't know intarsia....

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
yep! i need to update it by the 15th ;)

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
Lavendar all the way!

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
i like salty things the most. like olives ans stuff... and i am a sucker for pop rocks!
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I like beading....

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I like punk music and top 100 alternitive music... you know the stuff they play on the radio.....

9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
I love pinks, purples, lavendars... and i like earth tones, and i like, rich, bold, true colors... NO NEONS!

10. What is your family situation?
Do you have any pets? no pets but i have a husband and two young boys :)

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
lace scarves and shawls....

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
shawls,socks, tank tops... right now atleast ;)

13. What are you knitting right now?
Picovoli, socks, and lace tank top....

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
yep ;)

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
i Love bamboo and addi turbos.. i also like brittany birchs.... I use magic loop method so i really don't use DP's....

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
i own a swift but not a winder... that would be a great gift if you could find one used?

17. How did you learn to knit?
i taught myself one night...online..

18. How old is your oldest UFO?
um, cough, cough.....um, a year old ;) irish hiking scarf.. poor thing will get finished one day :)

19. What is your favorite holiday?
halloween, b/c it starts my favorite time of year... fall!.....in the south that when fall starts :)

20. Is there anything that you collect?
besides yarn? nope....

21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
interweave knits... no specific books.. could always use a book for summer stuff...or cardigans...

22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
toe up socks

23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
i LOVE knitting socks! my measurements are heel to toe 9" circum. 8" round..... average womans size 7 US...

24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
02/04