I'm such a lemming!

I can't help it though.



Where the heck are you people from? I'm curious, you know. :)

And for knitting content... stay tuned! Tonight I'll be posting an update on Mom's French Market Bag and her scarf. (Both Christmas presents, but I don't think she reads this thing... plus she requested both and picked out the yarn. She's not much for big surprises.)

Thanks for all the compliments on Owen's sweater! I'm so stinking proud of that thing, I almost showed it to the mail woman yesterday. I showed restraint, though!

Now I'm trying to pick out my next "big" project. Perhaps something for my hubby dearest, or for myself? Still in the decision making process. Any suggestions?

A holiday in pictures... my Thanksgiving

My wonderful son, Owen, who loves to pray throughout the meal. Apparently the food needs blessing every couple of bites. Amen.

Jared is 11 now and was very excited about having us spending the night with at their house. I was excited because Owen loves playing with my brothers which gives me a little break.

Isaac lost one front tooth the day before Thansgiving and lost the other one the next day. He spent most of the day saying lots of words that contained sssssss. Hopefully this sweet six year old will sing "All I want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth" for us!

My two boys were taking a nap together and I got some very beautiful pictures of them. This one is my favorite.

And the picture I'm most proud of! Owen's sweater is complete! Mom helped show me how to put it together (the benefits of taking Home Ec and having to learn to make clothes!) and I had it sewn up in about an hour and a half. The Knit Picks Wool of the Andes really softened up a lot after washing and blocking. I would definately make this sweater again, but perhaps with a different neckline and with some color added to a couple of areas.

Yay!

The child is still sleeping! Quick! Let's blog!

Warning: This post is high on word and photo content. For those of you with slow internet connections.... get DSL!
Bryan, Owen and I got together with my parents on Saturday to hang out. Bryan and Dad ended up taking Dad's new ATV out for a spin and Mom and I spent our time knitting together. Owen became Jared and Isaac's shadow, as usual, and spent his day feeling like a big boy.

Mom finished her beautiful scarf/shawl just a day or two before and I got to see it for the first time. She was kind enough to model it for me.....

and very quickly got into it! She cracked me up with some crazy poses, some of which you'll get to see in a day or two. I love the tassels on the scarf. They're done with ribbon and lace weight yarn. Mom did a great job!!!

While the men-folk were out on the ATV, Mom also taught me how to make a pie. It was a ton of fun! We had so much fun talking over this thing that I couldn't leave without a picture, or 10. More sharing of that later!


Here is the progress on my Irish Hiking Scarf! Isn't it beautiful? I love this thing and it gave me a chance to show Mom how to cable. I'm not sure if all cabling projects are like this, but I see more cables in my future!

We're driving down to Branson tonight and will be spending tonight and all day tomorrow with my family. Tomorrow I'll be helping with the food prep and hopefully Mom and I will get a chance to assemble Owen' s sweater because I finished it today!!! Can you believe it? It's the only thing I've been working on since Friday night and I finally finished it! I'm so stinking proud of myself!!! My first big FO. Woohoo!

Must run, Owen will wake up any time now and I need to get my cheesecake into the oven!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!!!

A beautiful picture...

taken during my first Tornado watch while at home by myself. That's right across the street from my house, my view from my desk and front door. I love that!

Will I ever get used to tornadoes?

The cables, they are a flyin'!

Is it possible that I have already finished a little over 12" on the Irish Hiking Scarf???

YES!

They just seem to be flying off my needles! I love the cabling, by the way. Hubby dearest and Mom are both terribly impressed with me.

Speaking of Mom, she called me this morning with her first FO around her neck! The scarf is complete and keeping her warm and cozy. She is going to be starting on her next project tonight and is so excited about it! I'm so stinking proud of her!!! We're going to be spending Saturday with them and so I'll get some pictures of it and post it here, just so I can brag a little bit more. (The boys are going out to try the new ATV at the land my parents own... 650 acres of untouched land. They'll have fun. And the two of us girls are going to be knitting to our hearts content! It's a good day!!!)

My SP sent me a sweet card in the mail. I tell ya', I love this girl! I needed a pick me up yesterday, and she did it. I think I might have an idea of who she is, but I'll have to wait for confirmation until after the first of December, because that's when she mailing out my final spoilage and revealing who she is!

Speaking of SP6, I've been compiling my final package for my so-deserving Sp and it is almost ready for mailing. I'm hoping to stop by my LYS late next week to pick up a couple skeins of yarn to add to the package and then we'll be ready to mail it out! My SP is going on a fabulous trip next week and I'm terribly jealous, but I hope that she has a fantastic time and will enjoy her gift when she gets back.

Tonight I cast on for Owen's sleeves. We got in Friends: Season 10 and Scrubs: Season 2 so there is plenty to watch while I knit into the night! Last night we watched the first disc of Friends: Season 10 and two episodes of Scrubs: Season 2. I laughed so hard that my abs hurt a bit, but it was a great night. I needed to laugh.

You hold your breath in, You pull your needles out

You tuck your chin in, And you rip the yarn right out. You do a lot of froggin and your mind spins all around. That's what its all about! Hey! That's my version of the Hokey Pokey... but retooled for knitting. You like?

Time to follow the journey of Brianne, as she mutters to herself about paying attention while frogging large portions of projects. Today's project is the Debbie Bliss Stockinette Sweater that has been a work in progress for quite a while. Brianne made the mistake of starting on the sleeves at 1am on a night when she was so emotional that she had no right to be working with pointy objects, lest she poke an eye out while using a kleenex to wipe her eyes. Due to puffy eyes, she didn't clearly read the directions, which led to the eminent frogging of both sleeves.


These are the sleeves in question. They were both worked at the same time on size 7 needles. They were beautiful, if you don't count that they were only increased on one end of each sleeve instead of on both ends of each sleeve.


These are the sleeves post-frogging. I love the color of this yarn, its Wool of the Andes in Chestnut from Knit Picks and it has been nice to work with. This pile scared me just a bit. Those were once sleeves, you know.

This is a bit more manageable to look at, not quite as overwhelming! Hello yarn which will once again be sleeves!


And this is Pepa's Christmas scarf! It's the Irish Hiking Scarf done in Elsebeth Lavolde Silky Wool. What I'm the most proud of is that it has CABLES!!!!!!! I CAN CABLE!!!!!!!!!! I'm the most talented knitter in the whole entire world!!!! (Or maybe just the most talented knitter on the block... but definately the most talented knitter in my house. That's for sure.)

Mom and I met up for a post-op follow-up appointment with my doctor yesterday and afterwards we went to my LYS, Simply Fibers, to look around and I of course had to bring the scarf with me to show off my newly acquired skill of cabling. I love the ladies there because they pretended to be incredibly impressed with me, which made me feel fabulous.

I realize that I didn't blog at all about the wonderful birthday package that my SP6 spoiler sent to me. She was so thoughtful and even included a Halloween cookie for Owen that he loved and devoured immediately! I've been so blessed by her, and not just because of the spoiling packages, but also because of her emails to me and her prayers. *Hugs to you, SP!*

So back to the scarf! Owen will only be asleep for another 30 minutes and I'd love to get a few more repeats done on this puppy!

Have a doubt? Check it out!

If only I had done this before I actually started knitting the sleeves for Owen's sweater. Because if I had done some checking online about how to knit sleeves.... I wouldn't be looking at having to frog 8" of sleeves (for a grand total of 16" since I'm working them two at a time). I'm so frustrated but glad that I've learned the lesson.

Here's where I made my mistake. I read the instructions and where it said "bar increase one stitch each end of the row at the third and following 6 rows". So of course I only increased at the end of the row. Do you see where I have a problem?

I don't have the heart to frog the sleeves tonight... so I think I'll start on the Irish Hiking Scarf that will be Pepa's Christmas present! Thanks, Jen, for the suggestion! I've never done cables before and I think that I'm up for the challenge!

By the way, I restrained myself and didn't bring any knitting at all to the conference! It was great though, because it allowed me to actually talk with people and by the end of the conference I had 5 new friends! Yay for me! Brianne has friends in this strange new land!!! *grins*

Warning! Pictures ahead!

This is going to be highly picture involved as I realize that I've been bereft in providing pictures lately. For those of you who care complained to the management.... this post is for you!

These are the projects that are up and coming on my project list. From left to right: Heather's Christmas Present, Pepa's Christmas present and 1/2 of Mom's Christmas Presents.










Heather will be getting the Soleil tank from Knitty.com. It is my first foray into any kind of knitting that requires yarn overs. I'm a wee bit nervous about it.










This is my so soft knitting therapy scarf that I did last week. And this is my back door that leads to the back yard.
















Even Owen's chair loves the scarf! It's the perfect color of denim blue and Owen's denim chair has found it's (fraternal?) twin.











This would be the scarf/shawl type thingy that I started working on . I basically did it because I was looking through my stash and found these yarns that I couldn't really do much else with... plus I was avoiding Owen's sweater.

I took a ribbing pattern that Mom was using and altered it slightly.

P2, K6, P2, K6, P2, K12, P2, K12, P2, K6, P2, K6, P2

Thankfully, I finished the stupid thing last night as I was more than tired of it! Honestly, there wasn't much purpose in knitting it and I'll probably donate it someplace. I have some missionary friends in Romania who I've been knitting baby items for that will now find a scarf/shawl thingy in their box as well!

I'm still working on Owen's sweater. Yes, I know. Had I not done the scarf/shawl type thingy I would have been done with Owen's sweater and on to other things already... but I couldn't help myself.

The goal for the day is to finish the increases on the sleaves. Thursday night, all day Friday and Saturday morning I'll be at the Women's Conference at James River church with my Mom. I know I'll be bringing knitting with me for the breaks... would it be sacreligious to knit while the speakers are talking? Meh. I won't chance it! I think it'll be the perfect time to start Pepa's scarf. Now to find a pattern! Any recommendations?

Facing facts

Yarn therapy is not cheap. It's not something that you can just throw a couple of bucks at and be done with. Especially if your therapy is moving you through two days of doctors appointments. And also especially so if you are bringing your crafty Mom with you, who doesn't buy cheap stuff in general and who snatches up obsession with a passion. This means that on Monday and Tuesday you will spend an astonishing amount of time in local yarn stores fondling all kinds of yarn. This also means that you get to spend much of Monday night, most of Tuesday and some of Wednesday morning helping your Mom learn to knit.

This is why I love my Mom and why she is perfect to have around in times like this. Say you're in an ultrasound room waiting for the technician to come and do your ultrasound and you're really anxious. This is when my Mom will say, "How do you make buttonholes in knitting?" when she really has no interest whatsoever in buttonholes but knows it will make you think about something else. Say you're still in that ultrasound room waiting for the doctor to call back with your news. This is when my Mom will say, "Tell me about the different kinds of yarn. Is acrylic softer than alpaca?" when she knows from much time spent crocheting that it is an absurd question.

And when you get the news that your baby isn't alive anymore and that you're going to have to talk about what to do now... That's when my Mom says, "Do you want to go home?" and when I respond, "No. I need to hold some yarn." And she didn't blink an eye. Of course. Yarn. How simple.

So we went to my favorite LYS, which is now her favorite LYS, and we held yarn. She also made her first knitting purchases. 7 skeins of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino and a pair of Brittany needles. (I told you she wasn't cheap!) I found some ridiculously soft yarn to make a ridiculously soft scarf from because I knew that I'd desperately need some therapy knitting to take with me places over the next few days.

I finished my so soft therapy scarf on Wednesday night after my Mom left my side for the first time since Monday morning. We had worked on our projects together on Monday night, while crying at my house... on Tuesday morning while watching Little House on the Prairie reruns and ignoring the afternoon agenda... on Tuesday afternoon while waiting at the doctor's office and at the hospital waiting for my pre-op exams... and on Wednesday morning while waiting to be called to the outpatient ward, while nurses asked questions, while techs drew blood and put tags on my arms.... and then Mom knitted while I was in surgery and was knitting when I woke up from the general anesthetic.

She's called every day since then and we've talked about how I'm feeling, and of course about knitting. And she's already planning another visit to the yarn store.

I don't want to make this too long

If you'd like a full update of what's going on you can go to my Live Journal and view my long entry there with all the information you'd want. The button is on the right side and is named Being Brianne.

For the short version, here goes.

We went in for an ultrasound on Monday and the results weren't good. At that time I was 9 weeks 3 days pregnant and the baby was measuring at 6 weeks 6 days. They couldn't find a heartbeat, which at that age the baby would have had one. The doctor told me to come back in a week for another ultrasound and to come in when I started bleeding.

Right now I'm basically waiting for Monday, for another ultrasound, since I haven't had any bleeding. At that point they'll see what's going on and then we'll go from there.

It's been an incredibly difficult week. I've had two other miscarriages, one earlier this year, and each time it affects me more and more.

I've been doing more therapy knitting. It's a blessing right now. The therapy blanket from the move is still in the craft closet, but Owen's sweater is coming along nicely and is perfect for therapy knitting since it's straight stockinette stitch. I'm doing the arm shaping right now and am almost done. I'm planning on doing both sleeves at once, which Bryan was very impressed with. Hopefully I'll have it done after this weekend.

I'll try to keep the blog somewhat updated with what's going on. If Monday goes how the doctor's think it will, Bryan will probably update again for me. I can't help but hope for some kind of miracle from God, but I also can't help but face reality.

Sad News...

Hello everyone. This is Bryan, Brianne's husband. We just found out this afternoon that our baby that we have been expecting is likely miscarried. Needless to say, it's a tough time for us all, and Brianne may not be posting for a few days. She asked me to post just in case anyone would be concerned. Thank you all for your prayers over the next few days.

The goals! They are accomplished!

Oh, how I love saying that. It's like a babbling brook dancing at my feet. Like a cool breeze of wind carressing my skin on a hot day. Or it could just be a FO that I'm so thankful is done and ready to be shipped! Either way, it's wonderful!

I finished the twirl throw yesterday afternoon and promptly finished weaving in ends (which wasn't hard since I do it as I go) and then gave it a bath. May I just say that it was a bit of a nervewracking experience. The only other FO that I've really had to wash was the French Market Bag and that was felted. There hasn't really been anything else that needed washing and blocking, so it wasn't on my worry radar. Now it is. I admit that I hesitated before putting it in the water, but steeled my nerves and did it anyways.

3 tubs full of water later I finally got clear water! Uh, that was unnerving!!! I almost cried when I first started swishing the alpaca around and creamy stuff started coming off of it. Owen thought it was absolutly hilarious that there was a blanket in the tub and started putting his bath toys in with it. Surely the throw would appreciate a tug boat that toots it's horn when put in the water!

After much gentle wringing the throw was laid out on the guest bed (which first covered with a heavy quilt) and blocked slightly. It was then that I noticed how much bigger the thing had gotten! It seriously added about 2 full feet to the width! Not a problem. We're still cool.

By this afternoon, after about 24 hours in a smallish room with a ceiling fan on high, the throw was completely dry and beautiful! I was thrilled to fold it up, place the lavendar sachet in it's folds and get it ready to mail out.

It's a great day here! Tell me about your newest FO!

And at risk of making this way too long, I have a question. I think I have this figured out, but I'd love confirmation.

I swatched for my sister's Christmas tank top and though I'm right on for stitches I'm too big for rows. The gauge is 33 rows and I'm at 29. I know there's not really a way to fix the rows without completely messing with stitches, but I can change the rows in the pattern. Here's how I think I do this.

29 divided by 33 gives me .87, rounded up to .9 . If I take the number of rows in the pattern and multiply by . that should give me the amount of rows I need to work. So rather than doing 10 rows, I should do 9 rows.

Is my math right???

Is it done yet?

Please? Let the blanket be finished! Oh, I'm on the 10th skein now? Just 1/2 a skein to go and then washing and blocking? Okay. I think I can handle that.

I worked for 2 hours on the twirl blanket yesterday and for an hour this morning. I am just determined to have this thing done by tonight! For one thing, the wedding is on Saturday, and though I know it won't get to California by then, I'd like for it to be there by the time they get back from their honeymoon! And secondly, I'm so tired of this blanket that I could scream. If I hadn't spent over $100 on the yarn I would have scrapped it long ago and bought them a set of bed linens or something. Finally, I'd really love to get back to workin on Owen's sweater. Though the weather hasn't cooled to where it normally is at this time of year, I know it will shortly and I'd love to have him wearing that sweater!

My goal: Finish knitting the blanket this afternoon during Owen's nap. Wash and block. Keep the fan on it all night and probably all tomorrow as well. Ship the stupid gift on Friday while I'm out at my OB appointment and running errands.

I think I need a cheerleader or something!

Happy (Belated) Birthday to me!

Yesterday was my birthday!!! It was a good celebration weekend and to show you why (and to distract you from an unfinished twirl throw) I give you pictures!

We went to Silver Dollar City for the first time on Saturday and spent the day walking around. I found displays and demonstrations on spinning and weaving! It was incredible!



Mom and I both couldn't help but spend a great deal of time hanging around those booths. Mom even picked out some hand spun, hand dyed 100% wool from one of the women. It will become her Christmas present, also known as her own French Market Bag. It is 8 oz of wool, and I'm thinking that I may need to find a coordinating color, just in case it requires a little more than what I have.

Silver Dollar City was very scenic and I loved the views. It is my first time in the presence of fall color and I'm very much entranced by what I see!

We're making progress!

Why am I saying we? I think I automatically pluralize myself when I'm pregnant! LOL!

So Baby and I are making good progress on Ashley & Glenn's Twirl Throw. We've almost finished skein 8 and will be starting on skein 9 tonight. My goal is to have it finished and ready to mail by Monday morning. I know I'll have the knitting done by Saturday night, but I'd like to wash and block it so that it's ready for use as soon as it's received. I purchased a wonderful smelling Lavendar sachet from Bath & Body works to put in the package. Yay!

Thank you, Heatherly, for the great references on dpns! I'm going to frog the start of my sock and start over once I've finished the Twirl Throw. I'm really looking forward to mastering the art of dpns and actually being able to knit in the round with them!

I'm also very ready to get back to work on Owen's sweater. With the deadline of the wedding gift looming I've been forced to set it aside. So it's been sitting in my very cute French Market Bag just waiting for me to pick it up again.

Oh, and speaking of deadlines! Mom let me know that my sister, Heather, is going to be coming to visit for Christmas... but an early Christmas. Yikes! It looks like I'll be starting on her Soleil tank sooner rather than later. Though now I've uncovered my Cool Crochet book and it has some great tanks in there and crochet is definitely faster than knitting for me. So I have some decisions to make now! (And quick.)

One last thing... can I say just how thrilled I am that Mr. Drew Emborsky, The Crochet Dude himself, is reading and commenting on my blog?! Hello, Dude!

As promised and long overdue

Pictures.

Ah, but where are they???? Blogger has decided that it doesn't want to post my pictures, even if they are of yummy yarn and finished projects. Harumph.

So today I shall be asking the age old question...

How the heck do you knit with dpns? I somewhat successfully cast on a pair of socks last night. (Yes, I had that big talk with myself about finishing Ashley's blanket. Yes, she's getting married in like 2 weeks and I need to mail it to her before that. I just can't look at that blanket for a day or two. Don't judge me!) It was like trying to eat with chow mein with too many chopsticks. I have no idea how to do this! I kind of improvised and somehow got the right number of stitches onto each needle and then started the top ribbing.... but it doesn't quite look right. I have a bit of the ladder thing going on between the needles and the stuff that I cast on is really loose.

Does anyone know where I can find a really good tutorial on this? Would anyone like to make a really good tutorial on this and then tell me it's on their website? Would anyone like to make my son breakfast so I can do some laundry? No one? Off to the kitchen, then!

I love my mail carrier!

She's incredibly pleasant... and she brings me wonderful gifties in the mail. Today was one of those days! My order from KnitPicks came in. It was a heavier box than usual because it included some books that I have been dying to get my hands on. I've got "Last Minuted Knitted Gifts" by Joelle Hoverson on the couch next to me and "50 Baby Bootees to Knit" by Zoe Mellor will be on my lap next.

I'm so thrilled!

Oh, and color samples of yarn were ordered and in the box as well. I love being able to see all of the colors in person and feel the yarn. This is great!

Tonight I'll be downloading the pictures from my camera, so there shall be visual goodness for you! Yay!



Okay, on a side note.... I know that there is a huge group of you out there who is totally in love with Cotton Ease and have set aside a skein or two to be put in your casket with you. I must admit that I have tried this yarn, and I don't care for it. Maybe it's just because I tend to knit and crochet a little tighter than some, but it doesn't feel good on my hook or needles.

With that being said, I've decided to offer up my 5 skeins of Cotton Ease for sale or trade. I have 2 skeins of Pistachio, 2 skeins of Pineapple and 1 skein of Sugarplum. Make me an offer! I do so love a good deal!

I'd be happy to supply you with Dye Lot numbers, if you are looking for one in particular, or pictures if that floats your boat!

My Secret Pal Spoiler Strikes Again!

I must say that I've been totally blessed by this Secret Pal of mine. She's just incredible and I'm feeling so spoiled it's ridiculous! Another package has arrived at the Keene household and once again I'm a lucky girl.

Take a peek inside my spoiling! There's Vogue Kid Knits, Dark Chocolate in several forms (I didn't waste any time in sampling), the hooded sweatshirt I'm totally going to make for Owen from the Vogue book, the beautiful hydrangea from her last gift (I loooove this plant!) and some beautiful Rowan Cashsoft Baby in a blue that I can't help but adore and a crochet hook that feels decadent. I've already ordered a little more of the Rowan Cashsoft in order to make something with it... the ripple shawl as posted earlier! And I'm so in love with the look and feel of the yarn, that I bought some of the Rowan Cotton to make a Christmas gift for my sister. (I'm thinking the Soliel tank from Knitty?)

I found the Rowan yarn at The Knitting Garden, which is a beautiful site full of beautiful yarn. They have a great variety including Debbie Bliss, GGH, Jaeger and more. I'd love to try the Debbie Bliss. I love her designs so much that I'd love to make something of her's with the yarn it was designed with.

On the knitting front, I bound off on the front panel of Owen's sweater and have cast on and knitted an inch or so on the back. Overall, this has been rather easy and I enjoyed shaping the front panel. I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out. I know that it's going to be too big for him right now, but it will definately last him through the fall and winter and possibly through next fall. I think that my next project for him will be more of a jacket or cardigan?

There has been no knitting on Ashley & Glenn's twirl throw. I'm much too into Owen's sweater at this point. Yes, I really should be working on it. Yes, their wedding is only like 19 days away. Yes, I need to finish up the skeins (5) I have so that I can order more if needed. Okay! Okay! Enough pressure, people! I'll work on it tomorrow. *wink*

Am I sensitive to Alpaca? I think I might be. Twirl is like 95% Alpaca and 5% cotton and it makes my eyes water a bit and the roof of my mouth itch. Yes, my typical allergic responses to things. Another good reason to finish up this project!

Tomorrow's entry will include pictures of Owen's sweater in progress and a new addition to our family!

I have one word for you...

tasty

I love finding all these different kinds of yarn! It's like my eyes are being opened to what is out there in the world of fibre.

I need to start thinking of Christmas gifts. Yes, I know it's a little late for that, but you try packing up your house and moving 1,500 miles in 12 days and see how much of Christmas you think about. Survival, people. That's all that's on your mind. Surviving with your sense of humor intact.

Christmas, here I come!

Moment of weakness inspiration

I bought some of this in order to make this.

It's going to be beautiful! *uses the sheer power of my will to make my order to arrive quickly!*