Monday, August 25, 2008

Two FOs, Two Half FOs and 7 Beading FOs!

Here are I promise with details of FOs that I have been neglected to share with you in past two weeks.


I completed one sock three weeks ago and have not finished the second one yet.
Pattern: Diagonal Rib Socks
Yarn: Sock It to Me Collection - Essential 4 Ply yarn
Needle: Size 2 - 12" circular


I knitted the cowl on the day we left on the road to Wisconsin on July 30th. Took me all morning to finish it.

Pattern: Gloria Cowl
Yarn: Hand dyed Worsted Wool - 100% Merino Wool . I brought it from one the vendors at the Stitches East last year
Needle: Size 8 - 16" circular



I completed Ravelympics Cowl Jump on August 11th. I started on August 10th - on the day my DH and I were heading back home after two weeks vacation. I spent all afternoon knitting and completed it next day. I really love Malabrigo yarn so much!!!

Pattern: Zigzag Cowl
Yarn: Malabrigo worsted yarn
Needle: Size 8- 16" cicrcular


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I completed one sock yesterday while watching Olympics Closing Ceremony last night. I lovelovelovelove that yarn so much. Soooo soft!!!

Pattern: Cable Twist Socks
Yarn: Wullenstudio Designer yarn
Needle: Size 3 - 12" circular


Non-Knitting Related FOs....

Ever since I learned how to make bracelets and earring from Sharon at Crazy Crowd Craft gathering last month, I became obessesed making more bracelets. I could not believe that I actually made 7 bracelets and 2 necklaces while watching Olympics men's basketball all afternoon last Saturday.





I brought the beads at Michael's few years ago and brought more beads when they were on big sale few weeks ago. Words of advice...use 40% coupon from every Sunday newspaper if the beads are not on sale. That's how I spend on discount beads.

OH. MY. WORDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!


My jaw dropped when my worker brought me something from Finland. He went to Finland for two weeks last month. He is very crafty person and could make old "beat-up" chair into very abstract and modern look. He could make anything that look very hip and funky. He knows how much I really love knitting. He tends to buy me some yarns when he was nearby the yarn shop in other states. I begged him not to do that but he did it anyway. He was in the town outside of Finland visiting friends at the farm. He saw all the wools and thought of me. He told me that he could not resist and brought too many wools. He gave me 8 different colors - (four solids and four multi-colors) I have no clue how much he spent on me and I didnt want to know. He was sooooo thoughtful person I ever met. I told him that I know nothing about spinning. I spent all weekend fondling the wool and want to learn how to spin to make yarn. Any recommendation where should I sign up for spinning class? I'm so ready to learn new things!

Happy Monday! Happy Knitting!

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Vacation photos!

Sorry that it's been a week since I posted. I never feel soooooo TIRED due to lack of sleep!! Back to work last Monday was very hard. I ended up working overtimes all week getting ready for new students. Watching Olympics every night is also the blame! I glued to every games, especially Michael Phelps! I'm so happy that he has 8 GOLD medals!

I downloaded all the pictures in my laptop and was so surprised that I took 1,314 pictures in 12 days!!!! I picked out few to share with you.

We left here at 3 am and took us 15 hours to arrive Milwaukee, WI. I spent all day knitting and completed one sock and one cowl (picture will come up soon).


I was so happy to see my family and forgot to take any pictures!!! We only stayed there overnight. We left at 6 am to go to Sturgis, SD.

I knitted second sock on the way from Milwaukee.

Bad storm in Minnesota - good thing it lasted an hour.


The trip to Stuurgis took us FOREVER!!!!

Beautiful sunset in somewhere South Dakota.

We arrived at 9:30 pm and unpacked our stuff to make a home.


My DH added the air conditioner in the trailer. Aren't we that spoiled? Good thing that he thought of that because the temperature was 90 to 100 degrees during the day.


We rode harley to Mount Rushmore.

I spotted the four famous faces right away from the road.

Close up of four presidents' faces

Trip to Devils Tower in Wyoming
I told my DH for years that I alway want to go to see Devils Tower ever since I saw " The Closer Encounter of Third Kind" movie in 1978. I was so thrilled that we went there. It was only one hour away from the campground. During the travel, I kept looking around for the odd shape and saw it right away from 20 miles. Goosebumps feeling!!




Really beauty!!

Breathtaking view!! We spent three hours walking around the tower.


We were sooooo glad that we were there to see it.

It was so hard for me to leave and took the last picture of Devils Tower through the mirror.

We stopped the Sturgis main street. The town is very SMALL but a lot of motorcycles parked on the street.

We spent all day riding around the country. The scenery was so amazing beautiful!!! It was the best therapy for me!
We stopped the town of Deadwood.

We checked out the site where Wild Bill was shot in the saloon.
Bikers and bikes were EVERYWHERE!!!!!
Small town of Hill City

Crazy Horse






Needle Parkway

Amazing needle!!



Holy cow..... a herd of buffalo blocked the road. We waited for 10 minutes to get the road clear up.



Beautiful rainbow!


The weather was so unpredictable. It was so cold and windy. Good thing that my DH added the trap around the caopy.


Our little portable hearer


I knitted during down time.
And watched TV at night!

Rode around Custer State Park



Elks
Prairie Dog
Buffalos
Donkeys


View of Mt. Rushmore from the cave

Another cave
Closer view of Mt. Rushmore

Badlands National Park - 75 miles away from our campground





BREATHTAKING VIEW!!!!!


We stopped Famous Wall Drug store.
Back to Sturgis Main Street at night. Watched bikers passing us.
Rode to town of Spearfish




Saw Steven Tyler at the Thunder Road Bike Event
We stopped at Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota on way back to Milwaukee.
Really cool - all the artwork are made of CORN COBS!!!


We arrived back to my family's house again and spent a day with my family. My godmother and uncle stopped by. It was sooooo good to see them again. I wish we could stay longer.
We stopped Harley Davidson Museum in downtown of Milwaukee. The museum opened few weeks ago.
My DH was soooo thrilled to see the original design of 1903 motorcyle.

On long way back to east, I knitted the sock.

We arrived home last Sunday at 7:15 pm and took us two hours unpacking our stuff. It was so good to be home safe. Wish the time went very slow so I can enjoy every minutes of my vacation. We were so glad that we went!! It was the best time of our vacation.
Awwww..... what a warm welcome sign waited for me. Guess my colleagues missed me so much!!!


I have not knitted anything all week!!! I was so busy catching up reading blogs and watching Olympics. I will be working all day tomorrow for new student orientation. I will be very busy all week! More likely I will be back to share with you the update knitting progress this weekend.
Have a GREAT weekend and Happy Knitting!!!

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