Get A Cup of Coffee... it's a long one:

Well, let's start off with the most important aspect of the day:
Matt and I have been legally married for 13 years as of today. (we've actually been together for 17 years).

I'm a very very fortunate woman. I found the perfect man for me. He's smart and funny (an odd combination, really). He's supportive. He's caring. He's very sweet. He's generous. He's sexy. He loves me just the way I am.

That last one is a biggie for me. It's wonderful to be with a man who understands who I am and accepts me for being me. We go thru life trying to change the people we love into something we think they should be. I don't get that from Matt and he has made some serious sacrifices for me and my well being that I truely appriciate.

He's still my very favorite person in the whole wide world and there is no other person I would rather spend my time with. So thanks honey for sharing your life with me!

Onto the knitting portion of todays blog:

I've finished all the blocks for the Leisure Arts Sampler Afghan!!!

This is definitely one of my favorite blocks. I love the staghorn cable, so it's hardly surprising.


Matt chose this block. I just couldn't bring myself to chose the last one. He chose 2 blocks for the afghan. Neither are blocks that I would've chosen, but I loved them after I started seeing them develop. This one went very fast (only one day to knit) and has a great, diminensial texture.

So now I get to weave in the ends, try a better blocking method, then I get to sew them all together. The crochet edgings are going to make that pretty easy then a quick crochet border. I may do an other series of photos of each block before I sew it up to see if I can better consistancy in the photographs. The Sampler page looks like each block was done in a different yarn, doesn't it?

Well, apart from the afghan, I've been working on the Skygge Jakke and trolling ebay for more sampler afghan patterns. I will say that knitted sampler afghans are hard to come by. I have several in my collection that I don't consider to be true samplers, either (like the free ones from Lion Brand or the Patons one). If I have to make the same block more than once, I don't consider it a sampler. I want each block different. However, I've been getting a couple of crochet sampler patterns. The other thing I need to remember is that this Leisure Arts afghan can be made 3 times (there's a total of 60 patterns in the booklet).

Oh, and I got back my first part of the Basics, Basics, Basics. What a great program. Lot's of great information and the positive comments (including my blocking... not something that I consider myself skilled in) has made me more self confident on starting the Master Knitter Level I. After I finish up the Basics program. I do think doing the Basics before the Master's program is a great idea. Lot's of useful (and citable) information and great feedback on where you can make improvements!

So here is today's goals for the Holiday Challenge:

• weave in the ends of 5 afghan Squares and block them


• finish the 2nd back triangle on the Skygge Jakke


• go get dog food and water filters


• if time, start part II of the Basics, Basics, Basics program

Hmmm, that's a lot of stuff and we're going out to dinner tonight. I didn't even count in my workout or any time playing Sly 3. Better run and get cracking on these projects!!!