Bro flies out and I spin around
· posted 06/16/2008
Here I am drop spindling some alpaca/shetland blend (from our flock) with my laptop on my lap. Yeah, that is me – geekess (it was either that or geekette). I have been spinning more lately, especially on drop spindles.
Seriously.
I’m really looking forward to our Third Saturday Spin Along at the shop. It hits on June 21st this year, the first day of summer and the longest day of the year. I think that’s excuse enough to make a party out of it! We’ll have snacks and some other extra fun going on that day.
My brother was here for a 2 week visit. It was great for us all to see him and spend time with him. He’s such a teddy bear. He may not look like it but he sure is on the inside! It was particularly interesting watching him with my 3 1/2 yo nephew. My brother hadn’t visited for 2 years, so T.J. doesn’t remember my brother. When he first saw him, he ran to me, and jumped into my arms and wouldn’t let go. He resisted my brother’s attempts to interact with him. But within a very short while – maybe an hour or two, he was all over his uncle. I’ve said for a long time that young children, even babies, have incredible instincts about the true character of a person.
Between the shop move, and brother visiting, life was certainly out of order around here. I saw the allergy doctor for testing before the craziness started, and then I saw him for the follow-up last week, after the initial chaos had settled down. It turns out that I am allergic to EVERY-TREE-IN-THIS-AREA – except one. I am also allergic to half of the grasses, half of the weeds, dust mites, dogs and cats. I am so glad to have a great doctor though. He didn’t tell me to get rid of our animals – they ARE a part of the family anyhow. He did suggest some ways to deal for now, and I will be starting the long road of weekly allergy shots next week. I’ll have to go in every week for about 6 months, and then monthly for around 5 years. At that time I should be resistant to all of these allergens and have my life back. Well, that should happen even sooner, actually. I’m SO looking forward to that, as this being the worst pollen year on record, it’s really kicked me down. I’m all for short-term pain/discomfort/trouble in exchange for long term gain, so bring it on. It’s just so nice to have hope at a better quality of life I can’t even express it in words!
I’m still experiencing what I can only call Knitting-A.D.D. at this point. Yes, I’ve started a few smaller projects, but only for charity, or dishcloths, which finish fast and don’t count. I find the hardest thing when I finally sit down to knit at night during my wind-down time is choosing which project to work on first.
I did manage another speaking engagement. I can hardly believe it, though. It is SO TOTALLY not my personally style to get up in front of strangers and talk. But thanks to another wonderful customer friend setting up the outreach, I spoke in front of a local Lion’s club luncheon. They were an awesome audience, that sure helped. They had great questions. And I survived. Surprise, surprise, there was a reporter there from the local paper and she did a story about my speech. You can see the text here and I may someday scan in the photo. Maybe. Regardless of me or my photo, it is great publicity for the shop and our charity projects. Our new charity project, now that the preemie hats for the NICU at our local hospital was such a success, will be knitting/crocheting scarves for a local group called Matthew 25 AIDS Services, to be given out to patients for Christmas gifts. We have a few nurses from the clinic that have been coming to knit/crochet with us at our Thursday night Yarn Alongs and they are wonderful people that we are enjoying getting to know.
I know that I have more to say, that I want to say, but I am getting tired, so I’ll stop for now. Oh, how I do look forward to getting my life (and my brain) back!
Previous: My View 20080602 ~ Next: My View 20080617
* * * * * * *
Neverending Socks, Spinning, and all sorts of Babies
· posted 04/30/2008
I haven’t finished his socks not even for SAM5.
I have been out to see Mama C’s Twin girls, who are thriving.
And Mama Romney’s Twin boys are doing great, as well.
I’ve been dyeing and spinning Frankie Lee and other bits of wool, etc.
And I’ve been clothing and cuddling the sweet, baby nephew as much as possible.
(That’s the BSJ that I finally found buttons for and finished off for him.)
Otherwise, life goes on, as busy, hectic, wonderful as usual.
Care to comment? [1]
* * * * * * *
Not casting on, really, well, sort of
· posted 04/09/2008
I didn’t cast-on for this:
I did finish it in one evening though. I’ve wanted to try filet crochet for awhile. I didn’t have any crochet thread (not sure I’d like it if I had it) so I just used some sock yarn and a size E hook. It was quick and fun. This project on ravelry.
I didn’t cast-on for this either:
But it did become another WIP somehow. My crocheted star project on ravelry.
I did finish this:
And the explanation for the odd colors, is that I decided since this was really just a test knit I would also use it as an example to show everyone how much better cables look in lighter colored yarn. I really didn’t like this hat, I only designed it for a customer who had chosen a WAY complicated cable fiasco out of Vogue Knitting to do so she needed a more simple cable hat pattern for her first cable knitting project. It’s knit flat though. I have worn it around a bit and I don’t hate the hat anymore. I just didn’t particularly enjoy knitting it. I have so many other things that I could have been knitting instead. Faye’s Hat Knit Flat on Ravelry.
And here are 2 more things that I finished (please ignore that neither of them entered my WIP line-up, but they were quickly on and off the needles and both have ‘time’ issues:
The first is an afghan square for a dearly departed fellow Raveler’s daughters. I’ve been thinking of the two young girls so much while I knit on this square and the second one that I have started. My heart really goes out to the two of them as well as their Mom, Joel’s wife. The store is HERE on Ravelry. Such a tragedy. I’ll also be doing 2 or 3 smaller squares for the other young girls that were in the other car during the accident and knitting on a shawl for Joel’s widow that is being passed around. Sometimes it’s all we can do to just knit.
The second is the “Monthly Dishcloth KALhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/MonthlyDishcloths/ cloth for the beginning of April. It does scream spring.
Check out the shoe that one of our regular customers friends at the shop brought us from Holland, Michigan where she hails from when on a recent visit back to her home town. She is a sweetheart!
In Chicken Pox news I am happy to report that we are on the downside and counting down mere days to the end of our epidemic. Fever reducers are no longer being dispensed. Oatmeal baths are done given. All children are sleeping soundly. Thank Goodness!!
All of my ramblings I bring to you as I distract myself from the tragedy in my life to focus on the pleasant blessings. I hope it distracts you from tragedies in your life, as well, and reminds you just how much you have to be thankful for – it sure has done so for me.
Previous: Double Sheep Again This Year! ~ Next: Goodbye Pox, Hello Pollen
* * * * * * *
Diagnosis - Late Stage Castonitis a.k.a. Startitis
· posted 04/04/2008
I am a sick gal. Please send any suggestions for treatment, A.S.A.P.!
This is embarrassing:
Click here to see how bad off I am
That is the day last week that I dragged in all of my WIP ‘s and told Mom that I needed intervention. I announced that I was finally going to, gasp!, count the numbers I was up to at this point. It was 13 on the needles that day! Mom said I was not to cast on any more projects. Then shortly thereafter Mom headed out to take Sister to the pediatrician for my new nephew’s first doctor appointment. When she came back, Mom looked at the knitting in my hands and said something to the effect of, ‘That was not on any of your needles when I left.’
Busted.
I even had a good excuse for this one. A customer had come in to get help with the knitted cast-on method. So what did I do? I cast on a Tribble. Heart Coaster
I’ll report back on my critical condition.
Care to comment? [2]
Previous: Guess who's here! ~ Next: Double Sheep Again This Year!
* * * * * * *
Guess who's here!
· posted 03/16/2008
Here is his sweetness and glory, and he just happens to be wearing the Bananahead Hat that I made for him!
Isn’t he just adorable?
I am working on my nephew’s first “boots”. They are Old World Green Serf Booties, although, obviously, they will be Blue Serf Booties. I started them the day sister went into labor, and worked at them in the hospital overnight that night. I did put them aside for a bit, as I’m working on some wee thumbless mittens for him, that match his hat. I’ll post a photo and probably the pattern, since I’m making it up as I go, when I am done. I have one done, and I’ve started the 2nd one. They knit up so fast! I did ribbing to hold them on his tiny, little hands, and I’m doing seed stitch for the main part. Seed stitch on baby items – how can I resist?
I finished a project that’d been sitting around the shop. It’s a Slipped Stitch Brioche Rib Scarf, and I must admit an underlying motive. I’m SO over winter! I figured it was worth a shot to tempt ol’ Murphy by working on cold weather items, in hopes that this would encourage Spring to appear, therefore rendering my beautiful, big, warm, fuzzy scarf useless until next winter. Ah, well, we shall see, but so far so good.
My new nephew is the most exciting thing going on around here, but in silly stuff, here is the new ‘skin’ on my Blackberry. It’s a lily design. Fun stuff, you know.
The shop has been crazy-busy, well I’ve been crazy-busy, the shop has been, off and on. Business is starting to pick up with the weather not so nasty, though. I’m just spread in so many directions. Re-writing patterns, writing patterns, updating, ordering, planning, etc.
Good news so far as the Chicken Pox that Nicci came down with – none of the other children, mine or sister’s, have come down with them, so far. It’s amazing, but true! I know there is still a chance, as she was contagious for a good week, but we’re hoping to avoid this whole scenario right now. Especially with sister busy with a new baby – she doesn’t need to be taking care of 4 children with the chicken pox on top of everything. And I had a hard time not being here with Nicci when she had hers, though I was with her through the first couple of days which were her worst. I don’t know what’d I would do if the other girls came down with them – just cope I suppose.
Well, I’d better get back to work – I have a anticipated pattern to write for the shop, and I have a dear friend working on test knitting it for me. It’s supposed to be ready for release in 2 days. I’ve got to get it knocked out. Especially since I would like to take SOME time off tomorrow.
I’m thankful for my nephew, a good labor experience for sister, my sister, the opportunity to take part in my nephew’s birth, the ease of sickness around here, my van back since he now has his own car, having my nieces and nephews stay with me for a few days during sister’s hospital stay, the many encouraging friends we’ve made at the shop and the weather finally getting nicer!
Oh, and dove chocolate truffle eggs – my bad this season.
Previous: Snow Storming Decisions ~ Next: Diagnosis - Late Stage Castonitis a.k.a. Startitis
* * * * * * *
Look who just FLU by
· posted 02/19/2008
Yes, bad pun, but a terrible strain of the flu, yes that one, the one that everyone seems to be getting lately, hit our home with a vengeance this past week. I wasn’t even able to escape it. Though my instincts tell me that my immune system was not at it’s strongest what with all of the heaps of goings on going on around here.
Sad news: we lost our Alpaca. I mean he passed away. We have no idea why, nothing stands out, he was just lying on the ground when The Boy went out to feed the animals a week ago. It’s so sad. And now I worry about Durango the Llama – since him and Kokomo the Alpaca were buddies. They never went anywhere without the other – not even to opposite sides of the pasture. I’m going to look into adopting him out to another llama farm in the area – I hear there are a few of them.
The other animals are doing fine – or so I’m told. I haven’t been able to visit them for a couple of months now. Wow, there goes that time flying by my head again. I’ll see them soon, though. We will be moving them back down here across the river soon. They’ll go back to our friends pasture where they stayed temporarily when we first brought them home almost 2 years ago now. We will be thinning the flock during the transition. It’s necessary – part of the business of farming. But not fun no matter how I try to solve the logical puzzle of the best way to go about it.
I’ve been knitting, of course, but not nearly so much as I’d like.
I did finally finish (after re-knitting) the latest Man’s Hat.
And right now I have a special little project that I’m just about done with, that needs to be done and soon. I’ll release details soon. I’m taking a break from it at the moment, in fact. I’ve been knitting really fast because it appears that I will most likely run out of yarn before it’s complete. And we all know that knitting faster prevents one from running out of yarn before a project is over, right? Righeeeet. This is out of special hand-dyed-by-me yarn, and all there is is all that there is to be had. Either it will magically make it or I will have to get really creative and fast!
I feel like sighing much of the time these days. That letting go thing is still bumming me out quite a bit. But with faith, and love, I’ll trudge on through it. Funny how this is one of the absolutely rare stages of anything to do with my children that I have ever wanted to ‘get through’. Almost every other aspect of their growing up I have wanted to go ever-so-slowly, since in reality it all passes much-too-quickly.
Well, back to speed knitting that wee project – wish me extra lengths of yarn luck!
Previous: No time to blog, really ~ Next: Leapin' in here
* * * * * * *
No time to blog, really
· posted 02/01/2008
I won’t even begin to list the things I need to do, because if I have to one more time to one more person I may just seriously lose something!
I finished Angel’s pink sweater and she’s been wearing it since! Here it is blocking. I’ll try and get a photo of her in it tomorrow.
I acquired a GORGEOUS sweater of my own!! Mom made a hooded sweater out of the Gertrude Ederele colorway of Schaefer Miss Priss – and it was a tad too big for her in one way – but it fits me perfect!! My bad luck ;) For once not being as petite as Mom and Sister was a benefit! ;)
I’ll try and get a photo of it tomorrow – it’s blocking right now. I did wear it right off of the needles, and it is so comfortable and beautiful and amazing! Yay!
Our two teenage daughters have their first stage performance tomorrow with their elite ‘triple threat’ class tomorrow night. I’m so proud / nervous / excited for them!
The first sweater that I knit, which I did for the Yarn Harlot’s Knitting Olympics a couple of years ago was lost. But it’s been found! Boohopper and I are ecstatic! I had recently ripped and lengthened the sleeves and undid the cast-on, picked up the stitch loops, and grafted on ribbing to extend the bottom of it. She wore it right away yesterday, and for some reason a bit of the grafting came apart, so I am repairing that for her now. She’ll probably wear it again tomorrow.
I’ll be spinning every Saturday afternoon for at least the next month at the shop. A great customer, more importantly great friend, will be bringing a different type of weaving loom into the shop each Saturday in the month of February, and maybe into March. She will also be joining me at the local tourist commission office for a demonstration at their Pioneer Exhibit on the morning of the 3rd Saturday this month, and then in the shop that afternoon. Such fun!
Our Block-a-month afghan out of luscious Malabrigo Merino Knit Along at the shop is in full swing and we will be hosting a “Dishcloth Mystery” at the shop ( and on the website ) starting next Tuesday. I’ll give out a ‘clue’ 3 times a week, on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons that will consist of 6-10 rows of a dish cloth pattern (with a suggested color of cotton to use) that will be finished within 2 weeks. There will be 2 of them a month. I think it will be a blast!
I have so many things to be thankful for in my life. And as I often say when I am in the shop in response to the question, “How are you doing?” – How bad can it be, I’m surrounded by beautiful yarn!
Previous: I just moved down the cyber street ~ Next: Look who just FLU by
* * * * * * *
