Where to start?

So much time has passed and so much has gone on that it is hard to know where to start, but here goes! 

Let's talk about happy things first!  Friday before the storm I mailed my Secret Prayer Swap package to Ranveig.  What a honor to be able to pray for her over the last few months!  Here are a pic of the socks I sent her (which fit--Yeah!)  They are the Hedgerow pattern (can find it on Ravelry)

She also asked me to pray for her sister (who is pregnant) so even though I showed you the bootees before, now you know who they belong to!

I also made her a DPN case!  I just sort of mimicked others I've seen.  Do you recognize the fabric?

 

I'm still waiting to receive my package, but with Gustav things are a little slow here too!

Okay, on to less happy things:

We did get power Saturday night (Praise God!)  Many will be without for weeks, so we are trying to help others as we can!  Here are pics of the nearby tree that fell on the power lines and the street across the road from our apartment. 

 

Baton Rouge is still a mess...many without power, broken traffic lights, trees down everywhere.  Now we are trying to prepare for Ike too!  I pray we aren't hit again!   School is back in session today, so we are trying to get back to normal, but it is a challenge and will be for a while.  Just so you know, we are currently without internet at home (I can't complain about it though)  so if I'm a little quite in blogland that is why!

DH and I weathered the storm playing this:

and I was so thankful to get back to my coffee!  Have I told you about my new mug?

It is a Joe Mo Time Capsule Mug and does an excellent job keeping coffee (or tea) hot for a long time!  So I did get some knitting/spinning done too, but will tell you about that in a later post.  It is amazing how hard it is to knit in low light and spinning makes me warm, as does wool, so it isn't as much progress as I would have liked!   Thanks for all your prayers!

Training nearing an end

Well the time is drawing near....the Olympics start tomorrow....so the ravelympics start tomorrow at 7:00am (local time).  I think I'm readying.  I have wound my yarn into a cake (800 yds of laceweight took awhile).  I do need to find my pattern again.  I'm in the Shawl Relay and making another swallowtail shawl (but a little larger)

My Secret Prayer Swap Socks are almost done (just 1/2 a toe more to go, then hide ends, block)  It feels good to have those done!  There are a few other projects I want to put in the package but they should be easy to get done!

I started a plain vanilla sock for Knit Night (although I missed this week).  It doesn't involve thinking so it is perfect for visiting!  I'm loving watching the colors change!  So fun!

So today's goals:

1. Finish Swap socks
   
2. Finish skirt (I hope this is doable....I think it is thanks to Jennifer!  She commented in the last post asking if my machine had a hem stitch.  Who knew?  Not me!  No hand hemming for me.   A little practice and the hem was done in no time and looks so much better than if I had done it by hand!  Thanks Jennifer....got to love blog friends!)
   
3. Now if all that gets done I will try to work on the last little goodies for my swap package...Can't wait to show it all to you!
4. Rest up for the games!  Go team Baton Rouge Red Sticks!!!!

Public Service Announcement!

For all you giraffe lovers out there....ravelry has a new group: Tall Blondes!  Of course for giraffe lovers.  I had looked there for a giraffe group before and had never seen one, then J found this one that just started!  So if you have a passion for giraffes join up and I'll see you there!

In knitting news:  I got my yarn for the Pray Partner Sock Swap!  I love it!  Unfortunately no pictures until after the swap because it is supposed to be a secret!  While I don't think my partner (who I'm praying for) knows who I am, I don't want to take any chances!  I ordered it from the Yarn and Fiber Company.  They had free shipping on my order of just one skein.  Wow!  I ordered in Thursday and it was here Monday (I couldn't believe it was that fast with free shipping)  I ordered Dream in Smooshy! but the colorway is secret.  I'm excited to get started with it, but still trying to settle on a pattern.

Now a sneak preview for tomorrows post:

This is what I've been working on!

Confession

I have a confession to make (which I had forgotten to tell all my dear blog friends). In yesterdays comments the general consensus was that the STR would have plenty of yarn to make a pair of socks, so no need to worry unless the socks are really large. (hahaha) Well, have you noticed most of the socks I've made aren't modelled? Well that is because they weren't for me and I have a very large foot.....I suppose it could be larger, but my mom and my prayers worked and my foot did stop growing at size 11 (men's 9). Don't worry, I'm tall too so the don't look that big. (at least that is what I tell myself) We PTL because finding shoes in stores would be even harder if my feet were any larger. As it is, when shoe shopping I find it best to go in and say....I'm looking for a black pump with short heel bring me what you have. If I'm lucky I'll have 3 shoes to try on. Designers are starting to make it easier, but .....I've thought someone out there should design shoes for "plus size" feet. You know shoes designed on size 6 blown up to 11 don't always look proportional, because they don't always blow up the buckle size as well. Anyway, if you've gone shoe shopping with me you would understand. Now my mom always said they were a good foundation. I hold no animosity towards my feet, I've just learned to deal with them! So when making socks for myself (as I definitely want to do with the STR) I have to consider my "special" circumstances! Often I can make the cuff a little shorter and be fine (which is probably what I'm going to do in this situation) Even when buying store made socks I have to buy "plus size." Yes they really call them that, and yes standard women's socks won't stay of my foot. Okay...enough about my feet! :)

I've joined my first swap! (recall my hesitations about joining the Pair-A-Month-Challenge) When I heard about it on ravelry I just couldn't resist! It is SECRET PRAYER SOCK SWAP II! You can sign up via the Christian Knitters and Crocheter's group. Here's how it works:

• You get a secret partner
• You knit them a pair of socks
• and (the best part) they give you prayer requests and you pray for them while knitting the socks!
• Someone does the same for you!

I think this is an awesome idea! I do it a lot when I knit anyway....especially if the project is for someone, I can't help thinking about them and praying for them! So I can't wait to get my partner and work on their socks and pray! (Last time they did this, someone got saved as a result! Talk about awesome!)