Morning Fog

This is a bit of morning views that MyGuy took pictures today. Nice!

Quilt of the Month

The international quilt study center has a quilt of the month. This month it is a quilt called Sock Monkey Jamboree, go have a look: Sock Monkey Jamboree.

Bird Brain Designs - Freebie Folk-Art Christmas tree

Bird Brain Designs - Freebie Folk-Art Christmas tree

Shared via AddThis

Muster Bild

We did make trial pictures last Saturday and this one is the one Patti used for the dolls.

Cake Topper

Remember a few posts down I wrote about place card holders? Well I am getting this cake topper and 15 couples of place card holders for the wedding. Whee! This is a surprise for MyGuy, so I hope he likes them.

New earrings

I got those earrings on etsy from Hotpins:

They are really nice and arrived really fast, too.

Back to sweater Knitting

I finished my latest cross stitch, at least the stitching part. Now I have to think of how to make it up. Photos once I have given it away.

With reading EZ and all the blogs, especially Fillyjonk's I decided to dig out one of my sweaters in progress. This one is from an older Interweave and I will likely need to fiddle with the neck line, but since I only split the body for the armholes yesterday and am knitting in bits and fits, there is still plenty of time for me to think about it.

This morning on the train, I have cast on the second spaghetti sock, too, so train knitting can continue.

Crochet Cardigan

This Junghans Cardigan makes me think of taking up crochet again. Though not in black and white...

Etsy

I found those placecard holders on Etsy, too cute: Placecard Holders

Spaghetti Socks - 1 down

I finished my first Spaghetti-Sock and it weighs in at 43 gramm, with 57 gramm left, so I should be getting a second one too. Puh! I had made the leg a bit longer and gotten worried as they are also a bit longer in the foot being for MyGuy.

Playing around

Bird Brain Designs - Freebie Folk-Art Christmas tree

Bird Brain Designs - Freebie Folk-Art Christmas tree

Shared via AddThis

Italian

So I went and did it, starting in September we will go once a week to adult education class and learn a bit of Italian for when we return there. (Soon I am sure.)

And tonight we will go see "Maria, ihm schmeckt's nicht" a movie about a German guy who goes to Italy with his Italian fiancee and her family. The book was quite good according to my mother, so we will see how we like this.

Knitting Meeting

Our monthly knitting meeting was on Saturday, but I forgot my camera, so you will have to go to our hostess's website: Sylvia

Some Flowers

Just some nice flowers from our area.

Quilt Star

We were in Freiburg this weekend and while we went due to needing to go to the dentist I managed to have some S.E.X. at Quilt Star near the rail road station. I bought fabrics for a quilt in a class in November, but it is a very good thing this shop is not around the corner for me. They have all sorts of stuff besides really nice fabric: paintsticks, Tyvek, bag handles and much much more. Not the last time I was there.

Selbst ist die Braut - The Proposal

Tuesday was Movie Day again and we went to see The Proposal with Sandra Bullock. Nice enough movie, but Hangover wins hands down.

Hangover

We went to see the movie Hangover on Tuesday and laughed quite hard. We had seen some stuff on the previews and were happy to find that we had not seen all the good bits. We knew they had lost the groom, but in the movie that came early too, so it was not a spoiler at all. Fluffy, but fun!

Spaghetti Socks Picture

This is my rvised Spaghetti Sock. Iout the spiral in, because it reminds me of Spaghetti twisted around the fork. I have reached the heel on sock number one and think it looks okay. MyGuy should be getting a new pair of socks sometime soon.

Spaghetti Socks cast on

I have cast on Vollkornspaghetti mit Tomatensauce, but ripped it again, and now am doing them without the knotted rib, using a twisted stitch instead. Going nicely. Will soon take a picture.

Finally a finished object

Finished object after a long long time. These are the socks I started 2 weeks ago at the knitting meeting. They are stockinette stitch as I wanted to get a clear picture of how Betty's blanks would turn out. I love the colors a lot (not that that will surprise people who know me). I have two small balls of yarn left and as I now have two small people in my life: Maja born in January and Liam born in June, I will have no trouble finding a recipient for some kiddie socks.

I am know going to cast on for MyGuys spaghetti socks. As I could not find a spaghetti or noodle socks pattern, I fell back to Barbara Walker and her First Treasury for Knotted Rib combined with broad spiral rib.

Reading

I am currently reading the Origin of Virtue and it is not as dry as I feared. This book is about why humans (and other organisms) cooperate and how this can be explained. Not sure if it is still up to date on all the science, but still fodder for thought. On the other hand it is not exciting enough to keep my nose in it the whole commute, so my socks are slowely growing, too.

Yesterday we were at the movies where we watched Pelham 123. I always love Denzel Washington, but thought John Travolta was a bit overdoing it. All together a pleasant evening and an interesting movie. If the weather improves we might go see Gran Torino in the open air cinema on Friday.

Formula 1 Socks

No not because of the color, but because I knit most of the first one while watching the qualifying and the race at Nürburg last weekend. Now I have reached the heel on the second one, so they should get finished at some point soon. Better start balling the Spaghetti yarn.

Colorful

These are the results of our recent knit meeting when we were dying sock wool.

This one does not have a name, but I really like the turquois, so all is well. It is pure wool.

This one I call Sarah Kaye, because it reminds me of those figures in my youth. It contains cotton.



This one is called Spaghetti with Tomatoesauce. Includes cotton, too. This one will likely be the first I knit and likely go to MyGuy as he is a wonderful cook

Pattern on Etsy

I really like this pattern that I saw on Etsy: Boca Blessing. Reminds me of recent Judy pattern, though they are different enough.

Reading

I am currently on a reading jag and have now finished 3 books in the last week: Bavarian Crisis by Eric Flint, Stepsisters Scheme by Jim Hines and Alcatrez vs the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson. The first one is the latest installment of the Ring of Fire series and I keep enjoying them. Stepsisters is a new take on fairy tales and having enjoyed Jim's Goblin books I am pleased that I liked this one too, though the cover art is bad. Alcatrez is a youth book and I have preordered the second one, so antother enjoyable read.

This morning I have taken up The Origin of Virtue which should prove more of a challenge as it is a non-fiction book on why humans cooperate. I have only read the preface so far, as I decided to knit a bit on my socks during the second leg of my commute.

Lago Maggiore

New Knitty

As always I like the little cardy: Annette in this case.

Free Quilt Patterns

Whip Up has some nice links to free quilt patterns.

This is my reading dragon, once without the backstitch, once with it. Now it needs to be washed and framed.

International Quilt Study Center

The May Quilt speaks to me: those colors and I just love the prickly curves.

4 patch 9

I love what I found at Calidore for Scraps: 4 patch 9

For the German Speakers

Wir brauchen dafür besondere Sachen? Zum Kritzeln?
http://www.junghanswolle.de/shop?S=nl_archiv&ID_NL=1171&ID_NL_ABONNENT=e8gVpeB3UQBEd9uP7PRgTPD6HhbVoai9

Bumble Beans: Challenge#links

This is such a fun idea, I would like to do that:
Bumble Beans: Challenge#links

4 years

It's four years today since MyGuy and I got together. This picture was taken last fall and while we recently both had bad colds, we still laugh together like that.

Easter Chicks

Look what San did for easter: http://angelsan.blogspot.com/2009/04/after-words-pictures.html
I might yet convert to the cute side with those.

Roses

This is a link on how to make roses out of strips of knit fabric like T-shirts: http://sewtakeahike.typepad.com/sewtakeahike/2009/03/knit-rose-tutorial.html#comments

Mojos

I have started a pair of Mojos, but am not sure if I will make them same or different. They are going to be for MyGuy.

Card Holder Link

This is a link to a three dimensional flying geese quilt that can be used as card holder. An idea for christmas.

Stricktreff

As you can see we had a good crowd at my place on Saturday. Much talking, much fun, not so much knitting. However Ramona's vest was fnished and modeled for us and Monika brought along some beatiful stuffed animals. The green Easter Bunny was too cute! Betty had some more of her beautiful sock yarn and a few of us had a little s*e*x.

We missed Cory and hope she is feeling better soon. Sylvia and Britta were also absent and missed.

MyGuy had a field day with the ladies and his new lamp and made portraits from everyone. Much hilarity ensued, but everyone thought her photo was okay.

Ladies, I hope I can make it next time!

Stash Quilt

Finally a picture of my stash project from Judy's pattern.

Hat Redo

The ladies who were at the Stricktreff yesterday will be pleased to hear that I ripped the hat and redid it, so it is now long enough to cover my ears. So we can hope to get spring tricked into showing up, as I now have winter wear.

Tiger Socks finished

Another pair of socks done. The socks were literally finished on the platform waiting for the delayed train home.

Zig Zag Quilt Instruction

This is just to keep the link for myself. And for you to enjoy.

Train Socks done

I have over the weekend finished one pair of socks, and have proudly worn them yesterday, however a crisis under the sink prevented us taking photos.

Snow

If I catch whomever ordered snow for the first day of spring all hell will break loose! I want some spring here.

I guess I am cranky because I had the flu and could not sew. I did knit a bit on my two socks in progress, the train and the TV sock and they are both approaching the heel of the second sock, so photos and completed pairs may yet happen this month.

Sundown on Lake Constance

Still no pictures of my sewing, so at least MyGuy has provided a lovely picture of yesterday's sundown over Lake Constance.
I have cut the purple pieces for Jared takes a Wife (at least I think I have) and am looking forward to some time with the sewing machine.
I might have to wait a bit longer as it seems I have caught the flu that MyGuy had the whole of last week. Eeek! Did not need that at all.
I bought some additional sheets for the spring season, can't wait to take the flannel sheets off and have some spring ones on!

Got my patchwork mojo back

but my photography mojo is still somewhere under all that fabric... I finished my stash project from Judy. But too late to enter the draw for the scissors, so congratulations to Sue. I also finished the center of my boy's baby quilt. MyGuy really likes those colors, but it is too small for him. I guess I will have to make a larger orange and blue quilt soon. He certainly deserves one.
But for the moment I have started cutting pieces for Bonnie's green challenge: Jared takes a wife. I always wanted to try a purple, green, orange triadic color scheme and this one might just work. Not sure about the star centes yet, but for now I have cut 360 green 5.5 cm squares. Purple is next: 240 squares and 240 rectangles.

New Knitty

The new Knitty is out.

Sewing on the Stash Project

Judy had a Stash Project and I could not resist. I sewed an additional 7 blocks to make it longer and put in the setting triangles this weekend. No picture as it is terribly crumbly and needs ironing. I am trying to decide on the borders now. And I will certainly make it again in bright colors with I SPY centers.

Crochet a good thing?

Look at this photo on Betty's blog (needs no words):

Crochet

Verlobt - engaged

More Poetry

William Blake. 1757–1827



The Tiger

TIGER, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder and what art
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And water'd heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the lamb make thee?

Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

Silent Poetry - a bit late

Herr von Ribbeck auf Ribbeck im Havelland,
Ein Birnbaum in seinem Garten stand,
Und kam die goldene Herbsteszeit
Und die Birnen leuchteten weit und breit,
Da stopfte, wenn's Mittag vom Turme scholl,
Der von Ribbeck sich beide Taschen voll,
Und kam in Pantinen ein Junge daher,
So rief er: »Junge, wiste 'ne Beer?«
Und kam ein Mädel, so rief er: »Lütt Dirn,
Kumm man röwer, ick hebb 'ne Birn.«

So ging es viel Jahre, bis lobesam
Der von Ribbeck auf Ribbeck zu sterben kam.
Er fühlte sein Ende. 's war Herbsteszeit,
Wieder lachten die Birnen weit und breit;
Da sagte von Ribbeck: »Ich scheide nun ab.
Legt mir eine Birne mit ins Grab.«
Und drei Tage drauf, aus dem Doppeldachhaus,
Trugen von Ribbeck sie hinaus,
Alle Bauern und Büdner mit Feiergesicht
Sangen »Jesus meine Zuversicht«,
Und die Kinder klagten, das Herze schwer:
»He is dod nu. Wer giwt uns nu 'ne Beer?«

So klagten die Kinder. Das war nicht recht -
Ach, sie kannten den alten Ribbeck schlecht;
Der neue freilich, der knausert und spart,
Hält Park und Birnbaum strenge verwahrt.
Aber der alte, vorahnend schon
Und voll Mißtraun gegen den eigenen Sohn,
Der wußte genau, was damals er tat,
Als um eine Birn' ins Grab er bat,
Und im dritten Jahr aus dem stillen Haus
Ein Birnbaumsprößling sproßt heraus.

Und die Jahre gingen wohl auf und ab,
Längst wölbt sich ein Birnbaum über dem Grab,
Und in der goldenen Herbsteszeit
Leuchtet's wieder weit und breit.
Und kommt ein Jung' übern Kirchhof her,
So flüstert's im Baume: »Wiste 'ne Beer?«
Und kommt ein Mädel, so flüstert's: »Lütt Dirn,
Kumm man röwer, ick gew' di 'ne Birn.«

So spendet Segen noch immer die Hand
Des von Ribbeck auf Ribbeck im Havelland

Theodor Fontane

Finally a photo of y latest socks

As the wool was quite bright I chose to make them just stockinet socks and have been wearing them to fight of the dreary weather.

Knitting Sheep

I just came across this page with free patterns and just loved the knitting sheep. The rest of the stuff is not so much my taste.

Socks the first FO of 2009

This is the first pair of socks that I finished in 2009. They were started on the 30th of December 2008 and finished 2 weeks later. They are now making their way to an aquaintance who had to have a tumor removed and might need some nice socks and good thoughts.

A second pair is on my feet now, they were knit around this one, with one sock before and one after the traveling pair. They are very colorful and another pair of "Sti-Nos" (stockinette socks). No picture yet, I am behind with photo taking.

Stars and Bars

This is the center of my Ohio Stars and Railroad Fence Quilt that was my summer project. A bit late for summer, but I finally finished the blocks. You can hardly see Betty Boop in the picture, but she is at the center of the blue stars. I am now thinking about a border, but am not sure what to do. MyGuy thinks it needs to be lightened, but looking at this picture, I am not so sure. Maybe just a red binding. Let me know what you think.

Stitchery BOM from Gail Pan

This is going to be christmas BOM, but the first one would do nicely for Valentine's day, too.

Snow

This is the view from our balcony this morning.

And these are a few of our lights on the balcony rail.

Photos by MyGuy who is on vacation while I still have to work.

Tribute to Dewey the Blogger

I can not think of a better tribute to an addicted reader than a reading challenge, so I wanted to let everyone know about this one:

Dewey's reading Challenge is about reading books reviewed by Dewey.

Lost in Translation

All of these will double for the TBR challenge. Sorry, the translation is TO German as that is my mother tongue.

1. Das Lied der Könige by Batya Gur (Hebrew)
2. Der Besuch des Leibarztes by PerOlov Enquist (Swedish)
3. Underground oder Ein Held unserer Zeit by Wladimir Makaninen (Russian)
4. Der Eroberer by Nedim Guersel (Turkish)
5. Erogene Zonen by Philippe Dijan (French)
6. Der schönste Tango der Welt by Manuel Puig (Spanish)

Series Season 3

While I have not participated in the previous two seasons I will have a go now:

1. Faye Kellerman's Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus series (I only read book one, so this alone is a challenge) which could also be counted toward the Jewish Challenge I guess, but I will need to whole year to catch up

2. Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody series (can only take a book at a time, but they are in my TBR pile)

Both of those series can count against my RYOB for quite a while as I have a couple of each to read in my shelves.

Jewish Challenge

These are the books for my Jewish Challenge, they are mostly in German by Jewish authors. The first of them will also be in the A to Z challenge:

1. Mein Leben by Marcel Reich-Ranicki
2. Gerettete Zunge by Elias Canetti
3. Denn die Seele ist in Deiner Hand by Batya Gur
4. Mr. Sammler's Planet by Saul Bellow

Numbers Challenge

I have decided to take the numbers challenge. These books will double as some of my TBR challenge.

1. 1421 by Gavin Menzies
2. Die dritte Tür by Patrick O'Leary
3. 1st to die by James Patterson
4. Seven Ancient Wonders by Matthew Reilly
5. Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich

The last one means I have to find book 10 that I had last week and can not lay hands on this week and read it.

Reading Challenges

Must be the winter weather, I am considering more and more reading challenges. These are the ones I am contemplating in addition to the RYOB, TBR and A to Z challenges I have already decided no:

- 9 for 09
- Latin American Challenge
- Jewish Literature Challenge
- Well-Seasoned Reader Challenge
- Lost in Translation
- Numbers Challenge
- War and its Impact
- Series Season 3
- Orbis Terrarum
- World Citizen Challenge
- Read your Name
- What is in a name?

Dewey

My Dewey Decimal Section:

919 Geography of & travel in other areas


Class:
900 History & Geography


Contains:
Travel, biographies, ancient history, and histories of continents.



What it says about you:
You're connected to your past and value the things that have happened to you. You've had some conflicted times in your life, but they've brought you to where you are today and you don't ignore it.

Find your Dewey Decimal Section at Spacefem.com

Scherenschnitt

This blog is incredible, I am not normally that fond of papercutting or Scherenschnitt, but some of those things are Art! Not the newest post, to me, but the ones like The Wound are wow!

Another one without pictures

As I am not getting around to taking pictures I thought I'd at least let you know what I have been up to.

I knit a scarf for MIL and it needs to be blocked. Inspired by the Yarn Harlot I started a "Noro" Scarf. Mine is made with two color ways of Lang Mille Colori that I got on sale. Unfortunatelly the sale is due to the going out of business of a LYS. I also plan to knit a hat for FIL and a pair of socks for MyGuy. I missed this month's Stricktreff, and feel sorry for myself. On the other hand:

I spent most of the weekend in my hometown. On Saturday my mom and I went for a sewing day with her quilting group. The theme was the storm at sea pattern that I have been eyeing for the longest time. I love the traditional look, but decided on something else for now. I just hope it turns out remotely like what I have envisioned. Due to the lack of preparation on my part I only got to cut and mark foundations, cut a bunch of fabric and sew about 3 units. I have since added a couple more, but with only 15 out of 315 I still have a long way to go. But since I received Bonnie's book at least I feel like sewing again. Actually this morning I really wanted to stay in my sewing room for a while. But that way lies madness, no sewing at 6am on a work day! I also restarted sewing on my Ohio Stars and Rails that was my summer project and am doing the missing stars as leaders-enders.

We went to see James Bond on Sunday and I have to say I was not terribly impressed. It's not bad, but neither does it feel like Bond to me. But I could not tell you what makes a Bond movie, so that is not much of a review.

I am reading quite a lot lately too as you might have noticed looking at my Library gadget. I have found all the books from David Weber that start with Insurrection and am now reading Crusade. Seems to be set before Insurrection, so I might be reading them the wrong way round, but as they are not the same characters it does not trouble me too much. I am thinking about TBR 2009 and what other challenges I might participate in. Novel Challenges is listing them and there are a few that appeal to me. Read your own books of course is much the same as the TBR, but there are Library books and there is the Lost in Translation challenge.

I have adopted some dragon eggs on the net and am waiting to see if I understood enough to get them to hatch.

What to do with HST

Surfing the blogs I came across this post at Kim's Cozy Quilts and wanted to keep the link here so I could return to it. I love scrap quilts and the two layouts that Kim did look fantastic.

More morning pictures

This is another view of the Rhine taken on Monday. The weather was set to change, so we had a couple of great sunups and downs the last couple of days. Unfortunatelly they take place while I am on the train.

Winter come and gone

Just so everyone would put their winter tires on we had snow at the end of October. This picture shows the view from my office across the Rhine last Thursday. By now it is warm again, but it was pretty while it lasted.

Sunny Greetings

This one MyGuy did from two pictures he took. I says Sunny greetings from Karin. He keeps complaining that I have my eyes closed in all pictures. Unfair, I say!

October meeting

This time it was a really small Stricktreff just Betty, Britta and me. Britta was our hostess and we enjoyed spending some of her childfree Saturday with her. (Smile.) Britta, I think I did not too badly with the photo this time?
















Betty once again managed to leave with more stash than she arrived with, but some of the stash she arrived with went home with me, so I am not complaining. Lovely brown yarn, the one with pale ice blue and white and brown is already balled up. Thanks Betty!

Finally something Finished

Finally I have a FO, even though these are simply my train knitting socks I finally finished them and can get on with completing some of the other WIPs.

Quilter's Horoscope

My mum will roll on the floor laughing when she reads this:

Virgo – August 24 to September 22
Virgo is meticulous and fussy when it comes to patchwork and quilting. They never rush any project but pay scrupulous attention to every detail from cutting, to piecing, to quilting. The downside to their fastidiousness is that they always notice mistakes in other quilter’s creations no matter how minor. If you want to know the exact amount of fabric required for any size quilt, ask a Virgo. They have an uncanny knack for making such calculations. Virgos tend to take up quilting at a younger age then other women. They don't have a problem balancing their lives and making time for career, partner, children and quilting.

I am a casual piecer and love working with scraps so I don't have to figure out any yardage requirement, but still I am virgo. Go figure.

Just a bit of my vacation

A view of a damed lake in the Black Forest where we went with MyGuy's parents.












A view from Col du Chat in Savoyen where MyGuy spent a fun time taking pictures of mountains including Mont Blanc.













And a couple of grapes photographed near our favorite weekend retreat, Bad Bellingen.

FO

This is my finished tree, the first of my UFOs for the Cross Stitching Fingers. I turned out great and MyGuy kept insisting on me showing it to people. Actually I am pleased with it, but wonder what sort of frame would look good with it...

Saturday was Knitday

Bettina is showing of the photo from the bridal stole she knit for a dear friend. Stole and bride were beautiful!




This is Bettina's new WIP, a mystery shawl. Her jewels for this meeting were the blue beads in it.


Anouschka is studying Esther's Water socks that looked great.


Inspired by Esther's socks Betty decided to try something new and casts on Italian, Anouschka is assisting by keeping the yarn taut.




And here we have our gracious hostess, Esther. We did enjoy
visiting her in Switzerland! Esther, we will be back!

I got my knitting mojo back, at least a bit and am now ready to turn the heel on the melon colored Doedelsock I had going on Saturday.

Still no craft pictures and no vaction pictures

So I figured I'd show you what we did on the service day from work:



Before

During


After

Back

I am back, had a lovely time (and was sick on my 40th birthday). I finished my tree, didn't do much other crafting or reading, but enjoyed spending time with MyGuy.