No New Knitting...in other words, a bad blogger.

I haven't done much knitting lately. Where does the time go? Miss Maggie tore a ligament in her "good ankle" in phy.ed yesterday!!! Some other student tripped her and tackled her while they were playing "touch" football!!! This same student hurt two other kids before Maggie and was still allowed to continue to play!! I am pretty angry about the whole thing. She will be out of phy.ed as well as softball for another two weeks at least. She is now using crutches to walk. The left ankle that she sprained 10 days ago is better but getting sore using it to support her walking now. I think she needs to take a year off from sports to let herself continue to grow and not get hurt. The dr. thinks she is growing so fast that her muscles and tendons, etc. can't keep up with the bone growth and this makes her more likely to get hurt.

My Patrick turns 10 tomorrow!! I can't believe how fast these past 10 years have gone. All my babies are in double digits now!! Hard to take sometimes. I hope you all have a great Mother's Day (if you are moms). Happy knitting!!

PLAY BALL!!!

We are busy with softball and baseball games. I'm not sure how much posting I'll be doing, but I will try to post at least once a week. I love going to the kids games!! Miss Maggie sprained her ankle last night at practice, so she will be watching her team play for a week. She is so accident prone!! We have a very good relationship with our chiropractors and her orthopedic surgeon!! Every spring for the past 5 years she has had an injury!! Knees, shoulder, wrist, and now ankle!!

I am plugging away at my sweater back and some socks. I am loving the mitered squares for the blankie too!! I hope to post some pictures this weekend. For now, Happy knitting!!

NEW YORK CITY

We had such a good time in NYC! Boy the time just flew by. The seats we were able to get for both the shows were great. We were in the 5th row from the stage for The Lion King and the 4th row from the stage for Wicked. Our friend's son had a walk on role in Wicked and we all just had tears in our eyes while he was up on stage. He is 16 and I know this won't be the last time he is on a Broadway stage!! We all got to go back stage after the show. It was great.

Maggie just loved the city. I may lose her to a big city some day. She really had fun. We did a ton of walking!! We did some shopping as well as sight seeing. We went to ground zero on Saturday morning. We rode the subway on Friday night. While we were waiting for our train, I noticed a man that looked familiar. It was Gil Rogers from Guiding Light and All My Children!! After Tom and Maggie talked me into it, I went over to him and asked if he was on Guiding Light. He said yes, and I was so excited. I told him I have watched that show since I was 5 years old!! He was so nice and we even got pictures taken with him. I'll try and get it posted soon. I am still trying to figure out how to get the picture from my new camera onto the computer. Somehow I get them loaded on but when I try to upload them to photobucket, it doesn't work. My hubby and I went to Tiffany's!! He bought me a bracelet. I am so lucky!!

I wasn't able to check out any of the yarn shops I wanted to. Just too many things to fit into the short trip. We were with 7 other people, and it gets a bit hard to do everything that all of us wanted to do. We may go back next year and take all the kids. The boys were pretty mad that they didn't get to go, (even though they didn't want to when we made the reservations back in December!)

I need to get dinner started. Hopefully I'll have some fun pictures to post tomorrow. Happy Knitting!!

NEW YORK CITY!!!!

Tom, Maggie, and I are off to NYC tomorrow morning!! I can't believe how fast April has gone! The boys are staying home and my niece is staying with them. We will be seeing The Lion King and Wicked! So exciting. I'm taking some socks along to knit and hope to check out some yarn stores if I am lucky. With the hubby along, who knows!!

Have a good weekend and Happy Knitting!!

OFF FOR THE WEEKEND

We are going to Milwaukee for the weekend to take in two Brewer's games. The kids are very excited. I think we'll try and get to the Milwaukee Zoo tomorrow too. The weather is suppose to be beautiful!! Finally!

I am still plugging away at my sweater back, and hopefully will be finished in time for class on Tuesday. I have started a mitered square blanket too, and is that ever fun!! I made a Crayon Box Jacket a few years ago, and I get a ton of compliments when I wear it. These mitered squares are addicting.

If anyone out there in blogland has any sock yarn bits and pieces that they would like to donate to my blanket project, you can email me at jaciquigleyATcharterDOTnet and I will give you my snail mail address. I would appreciate it very much. Check out Shelly's blog to see the inspiration for this project. The link is at the right of my post. I am still trying to figure out how to make links in my posts, again, I am a bit of a computer incompetent. I think I have come a long way since I started blogging six months ago!!

Well, I'm off to finish up some laundry and get packed. Oh yeah, I forgot one other thing! Send good thoughts for my oldest son. He has been struggling with some issues and he isn't gaining weight but losing!! He has lost 12 pounds! At 5'8" he only weighs 95 lbs. We are taking him off one of his medications to see if that helps, seeing another doctor today before we leave, and just trying to get him to eat high calorie foods. Keep us in your thoughts, I would greatly appreciate it.

Have a good weekend and Happy knitting!!

This is the sweater I have been working on. I need to finish the back by April 24 which is when the next class meets. I like how it is turning out. I am also working on my Monkey socks. I'm glad that I started over. I am enjoying working on two socks at once. Scout's yarn is great for the Monkey pattern! Maybe I will be able to post a picture sometime this weekend.

Patrick has baseball practice tonight and Maggie has softball practice on Sunday, so I can get some knitting in while they are on the fields with their teams. The sun is shining and we got above 50 today!!! I hope we don't get anymore snow this spring!! I am so ready to open up the house and get the warm fresh air in here!! Happy knitting!

Secret Pal 10

I got my package today from my secret pal. This is the first time I have done secret pal. I also bought a new camera today, and the battery is charging, so I will post a picture of my wonderful goodies as soon as I can. I got a cute Easter Bunny toy, some great smelling lotion, a wonderful skein of sock yarn, and a cute matchbook flower garden. You take the "match" sticks out and plant them! Isn't that a cute idea? Thanks SP10 for all my wonderful stuff.

The kids and I just got back from seeing "Blades of Glory". We all thought it was hilarious!! Some parts were a bit over Patrick's head, which I am glad!! If you like Will Farrell then you will love this movie!! Tom went to Milwaukee yesterday with some friends to attend a Brewer's game at noon today. He called and said it was freezing down there!! We had snow this morning!! It think it is colder for Easter than it was at Christmas!!

Okay, so I ripped out my Monkey sock and started over. I have cast on both socks and am going to do the pattern toe-up on size 0 Addi's. Hopefully I will like the fit. Size 2 was just too big, so maybe I will do size 1 for the calf part. Pictures to follow soon!!

I started my STR sock and now have one complete toe. I am waiting for my Addi #00 to come in so I can work on the sole and instep. I did start yet another sock, Monkey, from Knitty. I am using some yarn that I got from Scout's Swag. I worked it on size 0 but ripped back to the ribbing and now am working on size 2's. I don't like to swatch for socks, since the amount of time swatching can be used to just make part of the sock and rip back if I need to.

Do I have a problem? What do you think? ALL I WANT TO DO IS KNIT!!!! I hate housework!! I would rather leave dishes in the sink and go knit while the kids are at school!! I find that when they are home and working on homework or watching their t.v. shows, then I feel like working in the kitchen and folding laundry. I make a terrible housewife!! Oh well, hubby is very helpful with the chores around here, he actually likes to clean!! I think I will just let him so I can knit more!!!

Hope everyone has a nice holiday weekend!! Happy knitting!!

I delivered the finished baby sweater today. I didn't take a picture, but the twins mama told me she would take one for me. I don't think the girls will be wearing them until this fall!! They are 8 months old and are still peanuts!! They weigh around 15 pounds. Maggie and I had fun seeing them and watching them roll around. I started my socks for the STR club last night. The colors aren't my favorite, but I need to go outside the box and that is why I chose to sign up for this sock club.

I don't have anything else to blog about, so I'll close with Happy knitting!!

FINISHED MITTENS AND A NAUGHTY PUPPY!

These are Maggie's mittens that I finished almost four weeks ago. I must get this camera fixed or else buy a new one!!!

Mr. Todd got into my yarn while I was working on the baby sweater this afternoon!! Did I scold him right away? No, I ran to get the camera!!! I am not a very strict mama!!
Todd and Richie are really good friends. Todd doesn't understand why Richie isn't very playful right now, but the vet said that by this weekend, Richie will be more like himself.

It's Spring!!!

The weather has been beautiful! Yesterday it was in the upper 70's. Today it is also going to be warm! I went to St. Paul, MN yesterday to check out a yarn shop called The Yarnery. It was worth the trip. I got some bamboo double points for my friend Chris, some Cascade 220 to make felted slippers for my hubby, a sock book, Knitting Vintage Socks, by Nancy Bush, and of course some Koigu sock yarn!! Maggie went with me and after the knitting store we met my niece, Joanna, for lunch. She had a birthday on March 22, and I didn't call her!! What a bad auntie I was!! We all had a nice lunch and it was good to see her. I hadn't seen her since Christmas.

Maggie and I then went to Woodbury Lakes to shop for clothes on our way home. We are going to NYC the end of April, and I needed some dressy clothes. The tornado sirens went off while we were there!! No one seemed too concerned, so after Maggie tried on some clothes we went to my sister's house in Hudson to wait out the storm. Nothing serious even happened near us. We got home around 8:00. I really needed a change of scenery and just to get out of the house. It has been a long winter!!

Today Todd and I have been on two walks already!! He loves being outside. We will probably train him for the invisible fence in the next few weeks. He just came into the room with a shoe!! Gotta go!! Happy knitting!

Just a quick post today. Our cat, Richie, is in the hospital!! He was throwing up a lot on Wednesday, so I took him in to the vet. They kept him over night, and ended up doing exploratory surgery yesterday. He had a lot of bleeding ulcers in his stomach and an obstruction in his small intestine. He may have swallowed a string cheese wrapper that he found in one of the boy's garbage cans!! They think he may have Inflammatory Bowel Disease!! They took a biopsy of the stomach and are watching him. He may not come home until tomorrow or Monday. What a way to spend Spring Break!! It had only been three months since Mel died, and I am still grieving so my nerves are not the best to deal with this whole new episode! I love these animals of mine so much. Thankfully we have a very good vet clinic who takes very good care of my furry kids!! We have kept the clinic busy since about October when I took Gracie in for a sore on her neck. It ended up being from scratching at her ear which was plugged with wax and she ended up going under anethesia and having it removed to finding out she had a punctured ear drum. Mel had a yeast infection in his ears over Thanksgiving, died in December of cancer, Kipper had a bladder infection shortly after that, we got Todd and all of the vet stuff that goes along with a puppy, I took him in on Tuesday for a bump on his neck, which is a result of all the vaccination, and then was back with Richie on Wednesday!! My husband told me to ask if they are going to add a wing to the vet hospital and name it after us!! Thank goodness he loves these animals as much as I do, and has a good job!! Okay, enough!!

I am off to the Yellow Dog for some adult time and knitting!!! Have a good weekend. Happy knitting!!

The progress I am making on my sweater is wonderful. I am really enjoying this pattern. I am also working on the baby sweater. My kids are on Spring break this week!! They had dentist appointments yesterday and hair cuts today. We saw the movie Wild Hogs yesterday. We all enjoyed it. I went to Border's tonight to meet with the knitting group out there. I needed some time with fellow minded people!! I don't know if I will have time to blog again before the weekend, so I'll just say happpy knitting to you all now!!

This is my son's favorite day! When he was little, he thought this day was just for him!! The first thing my mom said when she met him hours after his birth was this: " Boy he has a sparkle in his eyes, I think he will be your little leprechaun!" He has lived up to that!! He is such a sweet boy, but has made me wonder at times why he does certain "naughty" things!!

I have been working on my sweater from the class I took on Tuesday. It is Sally's Knitting Bag Sweater from Sally Melville's Color Book. I am really liking how it is coming along. I also want to start my socks from the STR club!! We have been watching the NCAA tournament, and I am in first place in the bracket pool that my hubby has with his fellow workers!! I think it is really funny!! I had no idea what I was doing, but so far so good. There is one guy at the office who is a big know it all, and he is in last place right now. I would just love to finish ahead of him!! I sound really nasty don't I? I am generally a kind hearted person, but this guy rubs me the wrong way.

I hope you all have a great St. Patrick's Day! The Quigley's will be having corned beef with cabbage and potatoes for dinner!! Happy knitting!!

I feel like I have to have pictures everytime I post. Since the camera is acting up again, I haven't been blogging. I have now decided that I can still post without pictures. Maggie's mittens are done!! I started another baby sweater, and pulled out a WIP from last year. I am starting a sweater from Sally Melville's Color Book tomorrow in a class. My sock kit from Blue Moon Fiber Arts came on Thursday!! I can't wait to start these socks!! Too many projects, not enough time!! Happy knitting!!

I finally have another completed project. This patterns is from http://www.gardineryarnworks.com/ and is Karen's Sugar-Free Sock Pattern. I think the yarn is Lush, but I misplaced the ball bands, so I'm not sure. I started another pair of mittens for Maggie to go with her ski jacket. I am also anxiously awaiting my package from Blue Moon Fibers for the STR club. I can't wait to see the yarn and pattern!!
//www.scoutj.com/wanted people to post pictures of their tatoos, so here is mine. I love the Green Bay Packers, so that is why I got this tatoo. Some people get tatooed for sentimental reasons, I just wanted to get one for my favorite football team. Simple as that. I thought about getting one on my shoulder of a hummingbird, just cuz I like them too, but haven't done so yet. Do you see that cute little puppy in the right hand corner? Mr. Todd loves to lick toes and then chew on them!! I love this puppy so much!! He has been so easy to house train. Wednesday we start puppy school with him. I am looking forward to seeing the other puppies in the class.

Well, I guess that is all I have for now. Happpy knitting!!

SECRET PAL 10 QUESTIONNAIRE


1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
wool, bamboo, non itchy fiber, I hate acrylic
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I have a case similar to a CD case for my needles
3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I have been knitting for 13 years. A friend taught me how to knit starting with dishcloths. I would consider myself advanced.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? No

5. What's your favorite scent? cinnamon

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Of course, I love chocolate and Haribo Gummy Bears

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I also read and scrapbook, I don't spin

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I love country music.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? Red is my favorite color, but I like fall colors too, rust, brown, greens, gold, purples, blues.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?I have a husband, three kids, two dogs, and two cats.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Scarves, hats, mittens, no ponchos!!

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? I love to knit socks and mittens.

13. What are you knitting right now? W0rking on some socks

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I usually use Addi turbo circulars for most of my projects.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Yes, got these for this past Christmas

17. How old is your oldest UFO? A cabled vest, 11 months old!

18. What is your favorite holiday? I love Christmas

19. Is there anything that you collect? Well, it would be yarn and scrapbooking supplies!!

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I just subscribed to Interweave Knits.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Entrelac(not sure if I spelled it right!)

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Yes, US woman size 8

23. When is your birthday? June 3

Okay, so I don't have any pictures of knitting to post. I did manage to finish the pair of felted mittens for Maggie's friend and her mom felted them. She is going to send me a picture to post. I am almost finished with my Karen's Sugar-Free socks, so hopefully I can post those in the next few days. I have been a bad blogger, but somehow my knitting mojo just isn't around. I still get pretty tired most days. I look forward to feeling normal again. It has been 4 1/2 weeks since my surgery. I really thought I would have more energy than I do. The weather is terrible and that doesn't help. I think I will just keep on working on socks for now. I did finish a baby sweater that I started last fall. After I had to rip out the sleeve because of a wrong dye lot, I put it away. The girls are getting bigger, and I think it will fit them soon. I have to start the other one, so maybe this weekend that will be my goal. Hope this finds you all well!! Happy knitting!!

These are the beautiful flowers that were delivered this afternoon from my wonderful husband. I love tulips and he usually gets me these every Valentine's Day. I am such a lucky woman.
Patrick made this wonderful Valentine sentiment while I have been reading blogs tonight!
I love this kid!! He is the best!!! Do you see what his shirt says? He can be a stinker at times and I have often heard these words come out of his mouth!! He has been very helpful while I have been recovering from surgery. I am so blessed to have this boy in my life.

I have finished one sock and started a pair of mittens for another one of Maggie's friends. These next pair of mittens are felted and I am using Cascade 220. The recipient is my best friend's daughter. I made Chris some felted mittens last year and Kaitlinn loves them. She asked her mom if she thought I would make some for her. Of course I would!! So maybe tomorrow I will have more pictures. Happpy knitting!!

KNIT MITT KIT SWAP AND FINISHED MITTENS

The first picture is of my kit that I received from Vicki for the KMKS. It contained a beautiful felted bag made by Vicki, Cherry Tree Hill Sock Yarn and mitten pattern, Brittany dpn's, three packs of Orbit gum, and a big bag of Haribo Gummi Bears. Notice that one pack of gum and the gummy bears are missing!! Hubby has the gum and I ate the gummy bears!

This next picture is of the mittens I made for Maggie's friend, Lauren. I used a generic mitten pattern from Yellow Dog Knitting and Rowan Kidsilk Haze and Heilo together. We just had terrible below zero weather and it is starting to warm up some. I guess from Friday sometime to Tuesday we had 82 hours of below zero temps! I should have had these done for Lauren before all that cold hit us..but my surgery knocked me on my arse. I hope she likes her mittens!

The sun is shining today and it looks so beautiful outside! The cold is a bit more bearable. I plan to start on a pair of socks for myself. I will be using some STR that I bought around Thanksgiving. Okay, so I need to go rest. It is amazing how the smallest task makes me tired. Happy knitting!!

I know this is a knitting blog, I just don't have a lot to show right now. I am working on a pair of mittens for one of Maggie's friends. I am using Rowan Kidsilk Haze and Heilo. One is finished and the other will be by tomorrow. I hope to post a picture then.

My nausea and headache are gone!!! Each day gets a little better. I started to feel a bit more like myself yesterday. I just have to take it easy and try to enjoy the fact that I have a reason to lay around and not do too much. It is very hard for me to not be going in a million different directions. This will be a good time for me to reflect and see how and where I can simplify my life. I tend to bite off more than I can chew!! I took three knitting projects and eight magazines plus a novel to the hospital with me!! I really thought that on Monday afternoon I would feel like knitting and reading!! Well, the joke was on me!! I just started knitting on Saturday and have only looked at about 5 of the magazines. I guess it is good to be optimistic!

I need to get to bed. Happy knitting!!