Wedding Blanket

My best friends brother Scott was getting married last October. I've known him since he was 3 years old and giving him and his sweet bride Angela money for a gift seemed too impersonal. I decided I would weave a blanket. And I decided to weave it with hand spun yarn.

Now I only have a rigid heddle loom and a decent size blanket was going to require sewing two panels together. Did I ever mention that I'm allergic to sewing? Hate it with a passion and have no patience for it. My good friend Glenda was a doll and helped me do the sewing, which turned out, after all, not very painful. And the blanket was lovely.



We twisted the fringe with a hair braiding tool to make it a little more fancy.


I had taken a couple of shots in progress but totally forgot to photograph it when it was done. I managed to capture a couple IPhone shots before it was wrapped and shipped out.



They absolutely loved it and totally appreciated the hours that went into spinning the yarn and weaving it. I have another wedding coming up this summer and am thinking about weaving another one. Add it to the list...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Morning or Night Person?

I have always liked the idea of rising early in the morning, doing some reading, having some coffee, some alone time, maybe even knit for a while, and just time to reflect on the day. Reality - I like my sleep.  And when it's cold out, I love sleeping in with my down comforter.  There is nothing more comfortable!  As much as I want to leap out of bed, I stay there and embrace the warmth as long as I can.  More reality - my husband is usually up at 5:00, so there is no "alone" time.  He goes to bed much earlier than me. My alone time seems to be at night these days.  So while I'm getting a lot of knitting done, and enjoying some "me" time, it seems to be happening at night. 

This lead me to think about that "are you a morning or a night person"?  Are you more efficient first thing in the morning, or are you a night owl?  I guess I am both.  In the winter when the days are shorter, I stay awake longer and rise later.  However when the spring arrives, I find myself up early and on my back deck enjoying the view and knitting or reading.  I feel like a slacker for not rising early in the morning these days for some reason.   So are you a morning or a night person? 

While digging through the stash this weekend to find some yarn for the Elowen Shawl I found a sock I had started at least a year ago.  I had gotten the yarn at one of the fiber festivals (do you know that festival season begins in about 8 weeks?  How exciting is that?) and fell in love with the colors.  I'm thinking I had put it aside due to the size 1 needles and the dark yarn (well, at least some portion of the yarn is dark).

It's Zauerball Crazy in color 1511.  It's a good thing I'm on a sock yarn stash busting expedition or I know I would be ordering more.  Maybe I'll just take a peek and see if they have any new colors...

Currents

LISTENING - to the kids laughing in the next room


EATING - just finished some home made pizza


DRINKING - contemplating making myself some tea


WEARING - My comfy green waffle shirt


WEATHER - seasonable - at least the wind finally died down


KNITTING - two pairs of socks, a scarf, about to cast on a shawl perhaps


WANTING - to purchase that shawl pattern I saw on Ravelry


NEEDING - to catch up on my Whole Foods Workshop.  I got behind the week we lost Magnum and I have been on catch up mode ever since


ENJOYING - that I accomplished a lot this weekend


LOOKING FORWARD - seeing Lisa tonight to knit and chat at Moose Cafe

WONDERING - when I can take some better pictures of my finished project from the weekend so I can finish the pattern and post it online

Friday - part 2

Yep - this is part 2.  You never saw part 1.  It got swallowed up in my computer and cannot be retrieved.  Neither can the neat pictures I took.  So I leave you with pictures of seed packets.  The ones I will be ordering this weekend as we plan our garden out.  Hope your weekend is everything you hope for. 

A Winter Spin

We have had an incredibly mild winter.  I'm hearing that this jetstream will be with us for a while, which is nice for our oil needs (or lack of them).  We have been heating the house mostly with the wood stove so it's been a pleasure on our wallet.  However, word is that this mild winter will lend itself to a hot humid summer for us - for which we will be needing electricity to keep those air conditioners going!  Has anybody else heard this?

I usually get at least one weekend during the winter months where I can sit on the back deck and spin.  I require a jacket and a scarf, but I'm out there in the sun and it feels wonderful.  This year I had on a sweat shirt and was comfortable.  There was no wind (which is rare when you live near the water) and I enjoyed every minute of it.

I worked on my fleece that I washed and have been hand carding.

It was beautiful to be out there. 

The cool breezes started in the evening and I finished the last bobbin inside.  I even got to ply it up on the Louet (my plying machine).  It has alot of texture, which is fine by me.  I am imagining it being a big bulky sweater for myself with little design element so I'm happy with the result.

(photo credit - my daughter Nicole, who insists this offset picture would earn her an A in her photography class).

Next to black cat for contrast.  It isn't quite black, but it's not a grey either.  The colors change here and there but I haven't been able to capture that in pictures.

It depends on the light.  In this picture it looks very grey.

I have about 4 more pounds to spin, so I'm sure I'll get better pictures at some point.



1 Down - 29 More To Go?

The first of my 2012 socks are complete.  They seemed to take a long time for me.  I don't really know why.  If I continue at this pace, I will never use up those 30 skeins!  These socks are very spring like, which was fitting considering how beautiful the weather was this past weekend.

I actually got some outside in the sun pictures.  They came off the needles and went right on my feet.

It was even so warm I was able to do this outside.

SPIN!  I sat on my deck, listened to podcasts and enjoyed my spinning wheel.  More about how that turned out tomorrow.

What's Next?

I finished my socks this weekend.  Yay for me!  I will post about them tomorrow but in the meantime I have a problem.  What do I cast on for next?  I was busy winding yarn balls yesterday in preparation.

This is more of that Blue Moon Fiber Arts BFL.  I got it on my trip to WEBS over Christmas vacation.  I want to make a shawl out of it.  I have no clue which one yet. 

I'm not sure if this wants to be socks or a Lacy Baktus.

I always like to have a pair of socks on the needles ya know.

Remember this?

I'm thinking about a Honey Cowl.  I wound that up into a ball too in preparation.

Then I have this from New England Fiber Festival

It's 548 yards of fingering weight bargain yarn that I was planning on making a little shawlette out of. 

I think I need to spend some time of Ravelry today.  And grow another pair of hands.

Friday - ahhh

This seemed like the longest week ever. But the weekend is finally upon us. While I'm not making a long list of what I want to get done this weekend, I do have some ideas floating around on my head. We will see what God has in store for us. In the meantime I leave you with one of my favorite pictures of Nicole & Magnum.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Yarn Bowl

For the last year I had been admiring those yarn bowls.  At first I couldn't understand why you would want a bowl with a cut on the side, but then I figured out what an ingenious idea this was.  My dear friend Lisa apparently has been listening to me (she's good that way). Here was my Christmas present.

How cool is that?  The colors are especially cool.

And even cooler than that.... it was made by our friend Heidi. 
                  

I haven't used it yet.  It's sitting on my antique table right now.  I think I'll break it in over the weekend.

Allisons Mittens

Thank you all so much for your sweet comments, emails, facebook posts, etc... about Magnum.  I am loved.  And I am blessed.  You guys are awesome!

Onto some knitting, huh?  My god daughter Allison had asked for some "hobo mittens" for Christmas.  Do you think I just went on Ravelry and found a pattern and knitted away?  Nah..  That would be too easy.  And so unlike me.  I finished a couple of days before Christmas and I think they came out pretty nice. 

It was self striping yarn - and of course I don't remember the name of it (I can't remember my own name lately) but it worked well.  I have to re-write the pattern so it makes sense to somebody besides myself, then have it test knit, and then I can share it with you.  I'm hoping to have that done within a month or so. 

I am making a pair for myself next out of my hand spun.  I think the "removable" portion of the mitten will make it more functional for everyday use.  I love my mittens, but I have to take them off to drive and that leaves me with cold hands.  These should work out perfect. 

Goodbye

Sorry for the blog absence yesterday. Sometimes life has other plans than the ones we have. The weekend plans totally changed.  We got the news on Friday that we our sweet dog Magnum was in the last stage of kidney failure.  We were blindsided.  How could this dog that had been running around with his toys a week earlier be at the end of his life now?  We were told to enjoy the time we had left with him and take it day by day.  The weekend was spent with friends coming and going to visit our buddy for the last time.  He had very alert times where he would still fetch his toy when a visitor came to the foor (which Labs usually do).  As each day progressed you could see him struggle a bit more.   Each person got to spend their special time with him. It amazed me how many people loved this special dog. 

Yesterday morning it became evident that he was nearing the end.  And the decision to put him to rest was the most confusing and difficult thing I have ever had to do.  We just didn't want to say goodbye, but knew it was time.  The emptiness we feel now is indescribable.  We know that he is at peace and it's good to know he isn't fighting anymore but it's hard for those of us left here without him.  I know each day will ease the pain and time heals the wound.  But right now - it hurts.

It's Friday

The week flew by and it's already Friday. No complaints here.  I'm looking forward to getting some organizing done, maybe read some more of this

which was an early Christmas gift from hubby.  We will visit with friends and enjoy some snow that is apparently heading our way.  I'll hopefully finish this sock

so I can work on the brown scarf and then move onto the Lacey Baktus. 

What are your plans this weekend?

Getting It All Done

With the lack of daylight in the winter I start to feel  like a mole - I leave the house in the dark and come home in the dark.  It's nice to see the sun still out after 5:00 now and I know it will only get better over the coming weeks.  The positive side is that I light my candles alot and it's really cozy in the evening (I even light them at work for some coziness).

My productivity in life seems to fizzle in the winter.  I attribute it to the darker days but I wonder if that is really it.  I leave the house at 7:30 AM and don't get back home until 5:30 PM.  That leaves me approximately 5 hours to get things accomplished.  Most nights I don't have to cook dinner (Im lucky that hubby likes to do that) but clean up has to happen.  Then there are the things that need to just get done - like sorting the mail, paying bills, taking care of the pets, straightening up the house, tending to whatever the teen might need (study help, drama, you know.....).  Where is the time to knit or spin or even read?  I marvel at these women on blogs who craft and cook and garden and get so much accomplished.  I realize a lot of them don't work outside the home and that does make a difference.  I feel like there is SO much I want to do - then I pass out at 10:30 PM feeling like I have failed. 

I have been making strides to keep things as simple as possible and if something is not high on the priority list - it just falls off the list for another time.  I have learned to be flexible and to be realistic.  Everything cannot be done without sacrificing something else (I'm willing to sacrifice sleep but my body said NO).  Yet I still have pangs of guilt. 

So how do you "do it all" or "not get it done". 

Some Yarn

I did a fair amount of spinning on the retreat.  I really wasn't sure what I felt like spinning.  I had my fleece to hand card and spin, but I was craving more color than just brown.  I brought the fleece, the shetland, the rasberry roving, my drop spindle and roving I have just for that (did I mention the blanket I'm making from my spindle spun yarn?  We'll get into that insanity another time).  My car looked like the Beverly Hillbillies when I drove up to Sacred Heart.  Before I left on retreat, I had started spinning some shetland I found in the stash with plans of knitting a scarf with it, but it didn't end up being soft enough.

I am going to add it to my "natural colors" stash for now.  I plan on making a shawl with all my natural colored yarn that I have spun.  I still don't know if I am going to knit or weave it yet.  Nothing has caught my eye.

Check out how this spun up.  From this:

 To this:

It spun up almost a chunky weight.  That merino really puffed up after it was washed.  I have no idea what it wants to be.  I'm sure it will speak to me soon.  In the meantime, it's back to that sock stash.

2012 Goals

Time to check up on how my goals are coming along for 2012.  Let's consult the original post:

1.  Keep schedules better.  I have been doing well in this area.  I have been putting appointments and reminders into my phone as soon as I can.  I have been sticking with Informant since I already have it set up on the Iphone.  I'm sure there is something better but for now it's working.

2.  Take more pictures with my camera.  A definite score here.  Since hubby got me my memory stick I can shoot till my hearts content.  No worry about running out of space.  I still need to take more each day but it's progress for sure.

3.  Read more.  Well I guess if you count blogs I have accomplished this.  I don't seem to get that much alone time lately, which doesn't lend itself to reading for long periods of time.  I have gotten through about 1/3 of 1000 Gifts which is probably more than I have done in years. 

4.  Knit my sock yarn stash.  I'm still working on the first pair of socks, but I haven't bought any sock yarn!

5.  Card and spin my fleece.  I carded a little.  I will probably spin a little this week.  I put this in my calendar as a reminder to card every couple of weeks. 

6.  Publish one of my patterns. I have to have my last pattern test knitted and then I can put it on the blog.  I haven't even been able to blog about the project because the original was a gift for Christmas that I still have not given to the recipient. 

7.  Explore the vegetarian lifestyle.  I signed up for the Whole Foods Workshop and am so excited about it.  I think this is going to be life changing.

8.  Take country line dancing.  Lisa has been researching this for us.  It's a go as soon as we can find a class that is convenient.

9.  A place for everything.  I made some strides on the first floor.  I have been just tossing whatever I can when nobody is looking and finding cute baskets and things to keep items contained.  My yarn room is this weekend so wish me luck. 

10.  Change up the blog.  I made some changes but I have more that I would like to do.

I think I am on target.  I'm not expecting miracles overnight but it is progress.  And that is good.

Currents

LISTENING - Recap of the Superbowl on radio (sorry local Patriot fans - Congrats to my NY peeps!)

EATING - nothing yet, but need to get something soon

DRINKING - same as the eating

WEARING - The first sweater I ever knit for myself

WEATHER - sunny but a bit breezy

KNITTING - second of my spring colored socks, brown scarf

WANTING - a day to myself to knit and spin and catch up on my podcasts

NEEDING - to clean the house when I get home from work after the Superbowl gathering we had

ENJOYING - a slow paced week ahead

LOOKING FORWARD - to the Whole Food Workshop I signed up for which starts today

WONDERING - if blogger will format this correctly this week. If not, how am I going to fix it??

UFO Friday

I have a couple of UFO's flying around that I wanted to blog about. The first is my socks. In my effort to use some of that sock yarn I have been talking about, I dug out some old stuff I got from Knit Picks. I'm using the good old picot edge sock pattern by the talented Carole Knits. Nice spring colors, huh?

And look at that awesome project bag my favorite aunt sent to me for Christmas (OK - I showed her exactly what I wanted on Etsy but she is a crafter too, so she gets me). We both tried to stick to local artists in our gift exchange this year and it was a lot of fun. While she is amazingly talented with stained glass and painting, I enjoy my fiber and I have the greatest time when I get to visit her in NC and hang out in her studio. I am now determined to have seperate bags for each of my knitting projects, so I have a feeling I may have to break out that sewing machine and spend some time with my mom so she can teach me what to do. I also cast on a simple basket weave scarf for Nicole's boyfriend (with yarn from my stash - can I hear a "YAY" for stash busting?).

I apologize for the Iphone pictures. The weather has not been very photo friendly lately so this is what I am left to work with. Did you notice the Vera Bradley bag in the background? A present from my hubby. He gives the greatest presents, especially when I call him and say "guess what? You just bought me a Christmas present! I'm at the Vera Outlet and yes, I'm going to love it." Makes us both happy.

I don't think I will ever shop anyplace else for Vera except the outlet store. Everything was 50 percent off. I even got a matching cosmetic bag project bag for around $12. Anything to avoid sewing my own.....

Middle Age Jewelry

I am 45 going on 46. I am reminded of my age each time the Superbowl comes around. See - me and the Superbowl are the same age. SB is slightly older though. I don't blow the candles out on my Bday cake until May. I have no problem with getting older. I really don't. I have even embraced this changing of seasons, so to speak. I even need those reading glasses to see my phone, knit and read. If I gotta do this - I'm doing it my way.









Eyeglass jewelry. Made by my friend Lisa. If she had a blog I would link to it but sadly she doesn't. And of course I had to get them in purple as well!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The Weekend Part II

It's easy to show all the productivity but it's hard to convey the laughing we did this weekend. How could you not laugh at Beth in her sheep pj's? Aren't they the greatest?

Sheryl laughing (probably at Kelly)

Because Kelly thinks she is going to win the ugliest yarn contest at the Barnstable Fair by spinning this

She probably will. Heidi finished her shawl with the fiber she spun from her pygora goat, Bubba, who passed away last year.

Pygora is wonderful. So warm and soft.

And one of my favorite things about Sacred Heart - the deer.