Sky Show 32

Last Saturday we went to San Diego for Sky Show #32. Sky Show is a yearly fireworks "thing." They used to be after a Padres game but now they are after San Diego State University's football games. It normally is a sell out but this year the crowd was much lighter. But, what is a football game without a little pregame tailgate?

The boys had to toss the football around. Of course, if SDPD catches you, you'll get a ticket. But, playing catch after a game seems to be okay.





My eldest daughter made sandwiches.









Youngest child was feeling a little carsick & had a bit of a cold. She spent alot of the game lying down on the concrete trying to go to sleep.








I worked on my Entrelac Tote. I almost finished it but it was a little bulky to take into the stadium. I worked on a more portable project in the stadium.





As an ex-blonde cheerleader, I feel the need to point out that the cheerleaders couldn't spell the name of their school - the flags say SSDU instead of SDSU. Someone talked to them about it & they were much more careful the rest of the time.



ROTC did push ups for each SDSU score. They did many of them because the final score was 52 to 17. Thankfully, SDSU won.





They blocked off about 1/4 of the parking lot for the fireworks. They also use these cranes to shoot off the fireworks.





Here's me & my goofy guy.







They brought in searchlights & additional firework & gas plume platforms into the stadium.





The fireworks lasted for about 25 mintues. Sky Show is listed as the largest firework show west of the Mississippi. 101.5 KGB fm (a hard rock station that now places classic rock) started it 32 years ago. It seems to get bigger & bigger every year. The music started with Money for Nothing but instead of "I want my MTV" the words were changed to "I want my KGB." That's when they sent up fireworks that exploded into the letters KGB. It was perfectly timed to the song. I've never seen fireworks like it. Can you believe it, fireworks that exploded into letters! I couldn't get a picture because it happened to fast.

Here's a few of the best shots:





It really is hard to describe the scope of the event. Like all good concerts, we couldn't hear very well after on the drive home. All of us are looking forward to Sky Show #33.

First Waterfall Sock Finished

I had a really awful migraine last night. I was still feeling it this morning so I stayed home from work. I got to finish a sock. I'm lovin' knitting with sport weight. It only took 12 hours from start to finish.

Yarn: Miss Babs Yummy Superwash Sport in Waterfall
Pattern: Waterfall by Babs Ausherman modified to knit using Magic Loop instead of DPNs
Needles: Size 4 Knitpicks Harmony tips on a 32 inch cord

I saw the Harlot in person!

Yes, I know that this is an awful photo. I picked it because if you go to the Yarn Harlot's blog, you'll see the other side of this picture. Yes, my knitting group was a background for the traveling sock! If you visit her blog, our group was in the front row straight behind the sock. I am sitting in the middle of that row in my odd colored Dr. Pepper shirt. I didn't think about getting a picture of the Knotty Knitters but Darcy got one of us. I had a great time. Hopefully, I too will be able to combat C.H.O.K.E. I don't know why Stephanie hates her hair so much. I would love to have wavy/curly hair like that. I think that everyone wants what someone else has. I can keep my hair in rollers for hours & it will be beautiful for the 30 minutes the curl stays. Within 2 hours, you can't tell I ever fixed my hair.

I spent Sunday working on my progress report grades and only spent 30 minutes out of the day knitting. When I got home from work today I was greeted with two packages of yarn. The top package was from my favorite yarn pusher - The Loopy Ewe. On the last sneak-up, I scored Yarn Nerd (Peat Bog), Cider Moon (Blue Ridge Parkway), & a Wendy Knits (Making Tracks Toe-Up) Pattern.



I also got my first Woolgirl Sock Club package.


The extras that came this month are awesome! Included with the yarn (more about that later) came a color coordinated stitchmarker, chocolate mint lip balm, a sock journal with attached pen, a a pretty pattern. The theme of the mailing was waterfall. The yarn itself is purples, teals, & blues by Miss Babs. I'm going to cast this on tonight. It's sportweight & my other socks are fingering weight.

Well, I'm off to ball my yarn & swatch. Now that you see it, I hope you understand.



TTFN

Kniitting Lack of Focus

I guess it's not that I'm unfocused - I'm very focused on knitting & not on school. But, I can't seem to focus on one project. I want to be the sort of person who can concentrate on one or two projects & stay with them until they are complete. Right now, I want to knit everything right now, all at once. So, I am bouncing around from project to project. This week I cast-on three more projects bringing my WIP to 8. This doesn't include one that I frogged, or the one I'll probably frog & another I don't think I'll finish.

Update pictures of what's on my needles:

Mystery Stole 3 - this is the one 1 think I'll frog. I enjoyed knitting it but I don't think I'll wear it & I don't know anyone else who will. I've not been able to get a good picture because it is black lace. I'll keep trying.

Pomatomus - I've swatched 4 times before I found a combination I like. I'm knitting two at a time on Brittney Birch DPNs (#1.5 - 2.50mm, 5 inches long) with J. Knits in the Cincinnati colorway. I'm still on the cuff but I think this will be great. I love these DPNs because they are smaller & I haven't bent them yet. I always bend the smaller size bamboo needles.



Sax Sox Appeal - This is my generic toe-up, 2 at a time pattern. They are out of a new sock yarn by Knit One Crochet Too called Soxx Appeal. It has 96% Superwash Merino wool, 3% Nylon, 1% Elastic fibers. I like working with it because it has just enough elastic to make it feel different. I've had to learn to knit a little looser so I don't stretch the yarn too far. They aren't done yet because I'm bored with the sockinette stitch. My son loves them so much - they might get gifted to him. He plays the sax, thus the name. It's odd wearing the same size socks & shoes with my 12 year old son.


Entrelac Felted Tote - I've wanted to try Entralac & this looked like an easy way to begin.


One of my first felted projects was a music bag for my DD#1. The designer named it Two Measures of Joy but I call it Ode to Kitty for DD's nickname. Instead of embellishing it with Ode to Joy, I was going to embellish it with her recital piece. This is a project I don't think I'll finish.

Blocking on a HOT day

Warning - this is a picture heavy post

Earlier this week I finished my Monkey Socks. These are the first socks that I've made with DPNs and sock weight yarn. I really like how they turned out. The yarn is Cherry Tree Hill in Martha's Vineyard. I don't normally block my socks but the lace pattern in Monkey needs to be blocked. I washed the socks & put them on blockers in the backyard to dry.



Then, I went to The Yarn Palette's Grand Opening with Youngest Daughter. The Antelope Valley finally has a LYS! They seemed to have a little of everything and are using suggestions from customers for other yarns to stock as well. We saw other members of the Knotty Knitters (hello Ann, Diane, and Darcy). Youngest Daughter & I made a couple other stops on our way home. By the time we got home it was 104 degrees.

The sky was starting to get dark & I remembered to get my socks before they got wet. One of my blockers were undamaged but the other one



warped in the heat. I thought that I might be able to flatten it with one of my teacher's editions. But then, I noticed that part of the blocker was over the wall.



I got some more books & put them on the patio. I was hoping that the combination of heat & weight might flatten it back out.



The sky continued to darken and the temperature dropped so I brought the blocker & books back in the house after 30 minutes. The blocker still looks as warped as it was.



Shortly after I brought the stuff in, the sky opened up to give us needed rain. It poured for about 30 minutes & was raining harder after these pictures were taken. We got really gusty winds that swirled around - not strong enough to be a tornado but it was still interesting.



Our power went out 4 or 5 times but never for more than 15 seconds.

OTN: Little Sky Sock from New Pathways for Sock Knitters (by Cat Bordhi) & Forest Canopy Stole. My other projects are on the backburner for now.