one down and many to go

I finished the calorimetry and I love it! I have worn it many times already and besides it's comfort and warmth it covers my hair on dirty days when I don't get time to shower!! Such a mom reason for loving something. I actually want to make a few more in other colors and definently one in cotton for the summer months.
Of course I can't finish one project without starting another so here's the new one. It is a baby blanket for a friend. I bought some yarn from the closeout section of WEBS. My first time shopping there online. I got some good deals on yarn I am familiar with and then this new to me yarn. It is a wool, acrylic blend so that it can be machine washable. I am such a fiber snob that I have a hard time with the acrylic. I hope that after I wash it it will be softer. I just envision new babies wrapped in cashmere but I can't afford that! I think I would just like to be wrapped in cashmere! Anyway, the colors of the blanket are lovely and it is a basketweave pattern with 9 stitches for the middle and basketweave with 3 stitches for the border. Everything else is on hold while I make this as babies do not wait when they are ready to be born.
I found my first daffodil sprouts this week so I worked hard and removed all the hay bales from around the house. Such a Vermont spring- it snowed within four hours. I was a little down about it all day yesterday but I am feeling better now. I know warm and sunny days are on the way!

WIP's

This past month I just wanted to knit for knitting's sake. I suddenly did a 180 and now i look at my stash and wish I could knit faster as there are so many things I want to make. I have been wanting to make a calorimetry (pattern on knitty.com) this winter and decided I better get to it if I want to wear it this winter so here it is so far...I am using a handspun yarn that I purchased at last years NH S&W Fest.
These are the socks I started on my Florida trip in February. It is made with the Fleece Artist sock yarn which is very nice to knit with. I tried following the pattern on the label to try something new but it wasn't working for me so i switched back to my pattern at the heel. How exactly is it supposed to work with an odd number of stitches on the heel? Has anyone else tried that pattern?
And here are the squares for the Lizard Ridge which are so addictive that I get nothing else done. they are done in repeats of 6 rows and it is so easy to say just one more repeat. I may have to make a second when this one is finished.
I have one other project on the needles for a friend who might read the blog so I can't put up a photo. I am trying a new (to me) Noro yarn that is a wool, acrylic, cotton blend. It is a kind of slubby nubby and I am not sure if I am going to be inspired to finish this one but I know that the recipient will love it so I knit on!
The last photo is of my beautiful three year old princess. The party was very pink and very fun. Quite different than the parties my two boys have had over the years!
Can anyone enlighten me on how to highlight something so that people can click on it and go to that site? (ex:knitty.com) Thanks.

update

I just wanted to show off all of the work my students have done so far. We have about 40 dolls and hope to have a lot more in the next few weeks as everyone finishes. Give me an e-mail if you want to participate! I will have updated pictures of my home knitting after a three year old pink birthday party tomorrow!!

Tamponification

I got an e-mail today sending me to the Seventh Generation website for tamponification. You click on a state and they will send free environmentally friendly feminine products to a women's shelter in that state. It is so worth the minute it will take to type in www.seventhgeneration.com .
In knitting news I am plugging away at my Lizard Ridge squares. I will put up pictures soon. I also finished the first of my March socks for the SAM KAL3. I made it out of the Fleece Artist and it is the first time I have used the yarn. I do love it! I started the sock following the pattern they have on the label but having an odd number of stitches on the heel threw me off and I just switched half way to my own sock pattern. I thought the one on the label was a little unclear. Anyone else try that pattern? How did it work for you?
The comfort doll project is chugging along. We were hoping to have 100 dolls in the next month but we are falling short. I have been trying to encourage parents and others to make one as the kids have put so much into the project. I don't want them to be disappointed. If anyone out here in cyberspace is interested in whipping out a doll (they are really quick) the pattern is in my archive and I will give you the address to send it to.
Sorry about the lack of pictures. I will take some in the next few days and get them up! Peace.

more blocks

The lizard ridge squares are coming along. (pattern can be found at knitty.com ) They are addictive to knit as most things are with the kureyon wool. I have been finding that alot of my skeins may not work as well as I hoped. For each square you knit from both ends. After 6 rows you change ends and supposedly get a sharp contrast in color. The problem has been that alot of the skeins have the same color starting on both ends of the skein. I have been going through all of the skeins I have, which seem to be alot, and it looks as if I will have to purchase more if I want the dramatic color changes i am looking for.
I have also really been needing a garter stitch project so I can just knit and meditate. My children have had so much vacation that I am going crazy and it seems like they may be too. We had our Feb vacation two weeks ago and now we have Mon and Tuesday off too for town meeting day in Vermont. I do not know why Monday when all of the meetings are Tuesday but it is what it is. The children are so needy and grumpy with each other that I have not had time to sit and knit the projects that I have to count for or really pay attention to. Any ideas? I may just start knitting away a big square that I can add onto as I go out of Bartlett wool that I have in the stash and see what happens. Another blanket is always useful and as it takes me a long time to finish blanket projects it may be ready for next year.
My big family news is that I have been accepted into a full time nursing program starting this fall. It is a little overwhelming as it will take alot of time and money but I am determined to keep my eye on the prize and this will help my family immensely in the long run. I am looking foward to all of the great things I will learn. Well, the children are getting to watch a movie today so I am going to use that time to sit next to a cozy fire and knit by myself.