MIA Blogger Found

I'm back again. Truth is, I've been stressed, and when I'm stressed and depressed, I react by avoidance. Yep, avoiding everything. I have been knitting, and spinning, and obsessively thinking about dyeing yarn, though.

I remember promising some pictures, and I've finally decided to get off my lazy butt, and show off a bit. To the right are pictures of the awesome quilt my MIL made for my husband and me. It queen sized, and I picked the colors. Actually, they are his faves, if I chose my favorites, the quilt would have been orange (and black). Of course! I love it, though. It's huge, and warm, and she did a spectacular job!




These pictures are some of the gifts that I knit for Christmas. I made so many things this year! I was bad and forgot to take pictures of most of them, though.

I made MIL some ft clogs, but I attached real slipper bottoms (plasticy rubber ones) to the bottoms. I made her sister the blue ft clogs.

I am especially proud of the flip top mittens, though. I handdyed the fiber, spun it, plied it, and knit some fingerless mitts for Oldest Son's gf. Oldest Son said she had been shopping for just the right flip top mittens, so I finished the thumbs, then picked up stitches and made mitten tops that flip down. I found a really cute button (no pic) and voila! She was wearing them every time I saw her before they went back to college. It always feels so great when people appreciate handmade gifts.

The striped gloves were for Oldest Son. I dyed the yarn, hoping for black and white, but the black broke (I guess that's the dyeing term I mean) I love how the black/brown/whatever stripes turned out (full of win) so I like them anyway.

The last pic is of some handspun (by me) mitts I made for Lil' AR.

So, I hope to get on here alot more, and come visit all of my fave blogs. Maybe when winter gets out of here, I'll feel better. I finished a big (for me) knitting project, and as soon as I get some good photos, I'll be back to share!

Knit on!

Picture Meme

I was innocently trying to catch up on some blogs, when suddenly I was tagged by Momo for this meme. Since I have been such a slacker, I decided to play along, so here goes:



Go to my 4th picture folder
Post my the fourth picture in that folder
Tell 4 things about that photo
And tag 4 other people

1. This is Lil' AR, also known as Little Diva, and lately Drama Queen.
2. Our only girl, after two boys, I dressed her all in pink, lacy, frilly things until she was old enough to talk, and said "No more pink!"
3. She is holding her elephant, and handspun mitts that I knit for her for Christmas, and wearing a wristband her oldest brother bought for her for Christmas.
4. This picture makes me realize that my kids are growing up really fast!

And just like I was tagged, by reading a post, so too are you. Consider yourself tagged (if you want to play along)

Next time on Arleta's Motley Wool: a gorgeous Christmas present Mr. Knittar and I got, and maybe some knitting pictures! Keep on Knitting!!

Yes We Can! Yes We Did!!

Is today the most exciting day ever, or what? I feel like such a part of our country today. Proud and excited (and jealous of everyone who was able to go to Washington) I felt even better after seeing this video that was on ravelry. Yay, Obama!!!! I wish I had something red, white, and blue to knit.

I am seriously getting choked up watching the news people interviewing audience members. The miles people traveled, and standing in the cold for hours just shows how important this day is, and how absolutely wonderful this will be for our country. Yesterday, being Dr. King's birthday, and then today, wow! I don't even know what to say, except that today, I am proud to be an American!

Happy Holidays!

Hi! I have got to find some time to go lurk and maybe even comment on my favorite blogs! It's been forever! Thanks for the comments about missing me, Rhoda, Jeanne, LarjMarj, Del, Becka, and Mama Bear! Sorry I've been a bad blogger and blogfan, too!!

So, I finally got a battery for my camera, and I thought "Yay! I can take pictures of the gifts I've knitted for Christmas!" Yeah, I already wrapped them. Ummmmm ~ I will have to remember to get pics when they are opened. I do have some birthday gifts I've knitted that haven't been wrapped yet, though.

Alright train of thought.....I had to take a little break and go build a tent out of sheets and chairs all over the living room. Gotta keep that 10 yr old busy......

Pictures! I have some socks that I hand dyed and hand knit for my hubby's aunt, a pink bunny for a niece, and the tan bunny for my nephew. The inner ears on both bunnies are spun from real bunny wool. So soft! I also finished a throw for us to cuddle up with. I think I started knitting it two years ago, at least!

I want to read blogs and post and all of that, when did life get so crazy busy?? Oh, yeah, when I had kids!

Hope all of your Holiday Knits are done! Mine are, I finished yesterday, as Lil AR and I were wrapping.

Oh, the joys of holiday giving!

Still kickin

I'm alive ~ I swear! Just busy, stressed, and my camera is naughty, so I haven't been able to take any pics of my knitting. I've been knitting like crazy, though, ya know, to help with the stress.

Back soon, hopefully with pictures of knitted goodness! Knit on, all!

Double Digits!

The baby turned ten today! Now all of our kids are in double digits. Lil' AR and Carrie's oldest daughter have been planning an awake over (sleep over - but stay awake all night) since June, and Lil' AR and I decided a birthday party was a good time to do it. I wasn't too sure about six little girls and me, so I invited Carrie and Melanie to stay over, too. We kicked the guys upstairs, made lots of food, and had a party. I always thought having a grown up sleep over would be fun, so I was glad for an excuse to party with my friends.

Surprisingly, I was able to fit ten candles onto one ice cream cone cupcake, and we had presents for the birthday girl (lots of Webkinz). The kids watched dvds in her bedroom, and we mommys meant to watch some Johnny Depp, but we talked all night and never even watched a movie. Knitting was done, though.

The next day was a big one, too. Before everyone left we had some banana pancakes and fruit and mmmm coffee. Then, the family came over to celebrate and give more Webkinz to the decade girl. Staying up until four, up before seven, and then having another birthday party wasn't too smart, but it turned out very well. We all had a great time. I can't wait for another awake over!

Lil' AR loves to bake and cook with me, so she decorated her own cake (and cupcakes for school tomorrow) That's alotta cake!

What a great time, with great friends!

Next post I'll have to tell all about the fo's I've got. They're piling up! Knit on, y'all!

Sock yarn and stuff

Pardon the terrible pictures, (Click on it to look closer) but I took the stripey ones late last night, right before I ripped the sock out, and rolled the yarn back into a ball.

The pattern is really neat, it's called the Treillage Socks, and I found it on Ravelry. I love the way the twisted knit stitches poke out in such a pretty pattern.

The first yarn I was using is Austermann Step with aloe and jojoba oil in it, and although I love the way it feels and looks, the yarn was just too slippery to do the twisted stitches. Especially on my metal needles.

So I ripped it out and started again today with some loverly yarn Rhoda sent me. It's hand dyed from See Jayne Knit. I think it might be an etsy shop. I love the colors, and the pattern is easier to do without the aloe and jojoba making it too slippery.

Well, SP starts his college classes tomorrow. I keep finding reasons to call him. I knew I'd miss him, but it's almost like I forget he's gone to school, and I keep thinking that kid should be home by now! lol I do think I'll have to dye some yarn maroon and gold. I got a bag, that I use for knitting (of course) and a tshirt with the college name on them. I am so going to be one of those parents that gets all of the stuff in her kid's school colors. At least he's only a couple of hours away, and will be visiting during the school year, and he'll be back for summer.

It's late, Lil AR should be in bed, but I told her she could play some mahJongg before bed, so I'd better get going!

Knit On All!!