Busy Bees!!!

Hello All!!!

Though I have been a slacker on keeping up with the blog (again!!), I have been quite busy. I have found that I can only use the computer when Hannah is napping, which is also my knitting time, so I am happy to say that I have sacrificed my blogging for my knitting. I guess that means I should show you what I have been knitting...in case you don't believe me!!!

Here's my latest project. It is a neck warmer. I ended up learning three new techniques while making this, even though it looks like an easy knit. I learned how to do a chain selvage, button holes, and how to pick up stitches and begin your work after binding off (still a little rusty on that one). If you are interested in trying one yourself, check out this blog for directions...

Here is my 2nd attempt at the pattern. Let me also say that I am IN LOVE with the color of the yarn I used. It is called Denim Heather and is one of the Bernat Super Value Solid colors!! I keep looking up patterns to use this yarn again...I might just buy some more to look at...haha!!!

This project was my big time stealer...Hannah's sampler blankie. It only took me 2 weeks to finish, which I think is pretty good, considering that I had to take some parts apart a few times. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with the blanket once it was done, but Hannah and Ella have claimed it. I want to wash it to try to soften the yarn a bit, but I am still a bit nervous that it might all come apart in the wash!!! Oh well...

Only the white and purple are from new yarn I bought...the rest has all been sitting in my stash for at least 15 years!!! I had bought it years ago to make my sister a basket out of plastic canvas...and considering that my finishing skills have never been very good, I never finished the basket...at least I made something nice out of the yarn. (It was so old that I bought it at Leewards!!!!)

My other project hasn't taken up too much of my time...yet. I found out about an hour ago that I am going to be the first Vice President of the Western Canada Oddball Knitters!!!! I am so excited!!! This group is currently made up of 32 volunteer knitters from all over Western Canada. One knitter starts a blanket knits 6-inches in any pattern and color (there are some restrictions, but I won't bore you with details). They then send the blanket and the needles on to the next knitter, and they knit 6-inches, and so on until it measures 30-inches. Once completed, they are donated to the NICU at Foothills Regional Hospital here in Calgary, as well as the Alberta Children's Hospital, also in Calgary.

I am due to receive my first blanket any day now, and I cannot wait!!! I am working on the Peter Rabbit blanket, click here to see what it looks like so far.

This project means so much to me, since Hannah received donated blankets during her visits to Maine Medical Center. She has one knitted blanket and two quilts...and she would never part with any of them! When she got them, I had made a promise to myself that I would someday get involved in such a project. A childhood friend of mine told me about Ravelry, an online knit and crochet community, and I found the blanket group on there. The rest is history!! They have these groups all over the States too, so if you are interested in participating, click here for info. They have links to all of the regional groups on their site.

As for Craig and Hannah, they are keeping busy too. Craig has been gearing up for budget `stuff`at work, and Hannah has been busy learning new words and now sentences. She knows that H I spells `hi`and we are working on G O spells `go`. Every day she amazes us with what she has learned.

All three of us are getting ready for our vacation in two weeks to Florida. We haven`t seen Craig`s parents since October, so we are headed down to West Palm for a week in the sun. Hannah is excited to go swimming, and she is curious about these palm trees we keep talking about!!

Well, I better get going. the house is a mess and Craig and I are going out tomorrow night to the Tim Horton`s Brier...gotta have the house clean for the babysitter!!!

I hope you are all doing well!!

Have a great week!!

Love,
Sharon