Lace Wrap done

It's so nice to feel inspired to knit something. =]



A few weeks ago at knit night I didn't have anything I wanted to work on. Inspiration hit in the form of a new magazine pattern and yarn perfect for the project available for purchase. Gotta love that combination.



A bit of knitting time later and a finished object. Perfect.



This lace wrap is definitely in the very easy category. The lace portion is simple, simple and the rest is straightforward stockinette stitch. This makes for good tv time knitting.



I really liked the bamboo yarn used for the wrap too. Non-splitty, just enough sheen, and a perfect weight to give the wrap drape. A perfect summer throw.

Lace Wrap by Amy Polcyn
from June 2009 Knit 'n Style magazine
US 10 circulars
Sidar Snuggly Baby Bamboo
Colorway: Sage green (071 SH 144, Kit 368)
final size: 74" by 12" unstretched
Cast on May 7, 2009
Finished May 27, 2009

Ravelry details here.

Long weekends are great

Really... great. There is nothing like knowing you have an extra day off before you have to go to the office. This weekend, having that extra day was just fabulous!

So what did I do with that extra time you might ask. Well nothing specific... that's the point... free time!

There was a bit of knitting, as can be seen in my growing Lace Wrap. There was much playing with the chickens.



The girls are all roosting at night now ... they are just too cute when all four are lined up side by side.



And the rest of the time, movie watching (we saw both Terminator Salvation and Angels & Demons -- thumbs up for both), relaxation, baking (lots of gluten free yummies), and running. Yep... even though I haven't blogged about it in a while, S and I have been keeping up the running. This morning, I did a 5K. It is such a great feeling to know that I can run that distance now.

So it's amazingly the end of may, the academic semester has ended, the weather is great, and I don't want to work any more!! Of course, work will happen. But I am plotting some new knitting projects. Let's see what we'll get started next....

As time speeds by

WOW! What does happen with time?! One day we have chicks... and then next, well chickens!

But wait... maybe we shouldn't get back to the chickens so quickly. How 'bout a discussion of the fact that I have managed to do a little knitting since last we talked! I've missed several knit nights given craziness at work, but last time I went I just wasn't motivated to work on the sweater I have on the needles. Well, with knit night in a yarn store, where is there a better place to be re-inspired?

After a look through a new issue of a magazine, Knit 'n Style, and a browse through the yarn on the shelves, a new WIP was born -- the Lace Wrap. A very simple lace pattern that's working very well with the bamboo that I've picked out for it. Thank goodness I've found something I want to work on again.

OK... there's your yarn fix. Now, chickens?

These little guys have been growing, growing, growing! My favorite thing now is to let them out of the house to run around. I never would have guessed it, but I love the way their ticklish little feet feel when they crawl on my legs, feet, and hands.

Are you ready to see my little girls. Here you go!

Knitting... is this a knitting blog?

Yes friends... I'm sure you're convinced I've simply become farmer Liz and that I've abandoned knitting for all time. Some days around here it even feels that way. But lest we all realize that I took a nearly 2 week break from knitting (eeeeks!!), let's look at a silly little project I whipped out yesterday.


Yes it's a swifter sweeper cover... all nice and environmentally friendly. Simple pattern free from Birdy's Knits.

Funny, the last time I knit with cotton like this it was to make a washcloth and it took me days... now this was just a couple of hours... guess my speed is picking up a bit.

In other domestic feats... S decided to do some baking yesterday!


Some of you know that I'm gluten intolerant so breads, cookies, cakes etc are usually limited to home baked (which is rare around here) or cardboard quality from the health food store. Back on St. Pat's day I found a great recipe for gluten free Irish Soda bread at Karina's blog. This is a bonus recipe for me because not only does wheat cause me problems, but so does yeast... soda bread.. no yeast!

S found the last ingredient for me on Friday so we decided to make bread Sunday for lunch. Can you say yummy! Gluten free... try it out. Not gluten free... try it out anyway!! Once S was going he got crazy and made two batches of biscotti too. Wow... we're living high here this week... bread and cookies!


And last of course, I wouldn't be a good farmer girl unless I posted at least a couple of cute chick-ey pictures.

Look at how big my little girls are getting!




Swiffer Re-Usable Cloth by Birdy Evans

US 8 / 5.0 mm

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Colorway: Hot Pink

Cast on May 2, Finished May 3, 2009
Great instructions... since I used size 8 needles (my 7s were mia) I only knit 41 rows to finish her up.
Ravelry details here.

Chickens all the time, everywhere

Hey friends... sorry for the quiet but our little chickens (not to mention work!) have been keeping us quite busy around here! By our fifth day with the little girls, we knew they weren't going to stay contained in our aluminum tub long -- they had already started flying over the edge and taking a stroll around the room we were keeping them in.

Desperate chicken times take desperate measures... time to build a chicken house!


Last Saturday was a build-o-rama day. S made up some plans and the two of us went to work. A few 2x4s, some left over fencing, wire left over from other things, and a number of hours of work and we had a chicken house! It's pretty big, but just small enough to still fit into the back room.


Pretty much fills up the room though. Aren't those tiny little chicks cute in their giant house though.

Our little guys have been growing like crazy too. Here's a picture of them on their 8th day home with us.


Now we're at day 15. It's hard to believe how big they've gotten... they are definitely small chickens now. And small chickens, well they need to drink and eat alot.

Ready for videos?

First up... let's watch the cuties just hang out in their tub so you can see how large they are (they took a little break in there today while we cleaned up the chicken house).



And next... look at how inquisitive the little girls are. S was using the vacuum and they were more than curious. I love watching them stand up on their tip toes. Take a look at the feather growth on the girls too... especially over their breast... there'sbarely any baby fuzz left there or on their backs.



And last... snack time. Garden Genie and her friends think grubs are good pets. Girls close your eyes cause you're about to see what our chicks think of grubs... yum, yum! This is video we took today of Althea having a "snack."



Hours of entertainment my friends... what more could you want out of life!