I DID IT!

Socks...I finally made it! I've been bucking the idea of making socks for the longest time. Well, obviously I gave in...and I LOVE THEM! Now I'm planning my second, third (I think you get the idea), I think the next pair are going to be Jaywalkers (I can't believe I'm following trends). You can tell these are my first because the stripes don't match...right now I don't care I'm just glad I did it! There is a bit of an optical illusion, the stripes make one look a bit longer than the other, and there exactly the same. I made these from Trekking XXL I bought at Earth Guild in Asheville. I'm so happy with myself....big pat on the back!

Cat denial???

Cats!?!

Who can figure out cats....too cool to enjoy something WE know they will LOVE!

Last year we bought our "Little Buddy" a new cat bed which it took him almost a month to get in...and once in it he doesn't leave...unless it's dinner time! So...with the rearranging the living room furniture last spring I placed the couch just under a heat vent. Mr. Ace found he had 2 favorite places to sleep...anyone ever heard a cat snore? Well, when he gets in one of his favorite places...let me tell you he can cut some zzzzz's!
Since he loves sleeping under the vent, of course, it left a lot of hair...that I should collect up and spin but I'm not ready to go there yet...I decided to make him a "pad" to put under him. Instead I found felted cat beds at Wendy Knits so I made him one! It's taked 3 weeks for him to even begin to show some sort of enjoyment from it. Now "Fat Cat" hasn't yet fully enveloped himself in the bed and I'm not so sure that he will but at least he is laying ON it!

Changes...

Okay...so I'm changing my event! The idea for a recycled silk shawl has turned into a project I'm sure I can't finish in 16 days, partcially because I've decided to make a cuff to cuff "Best Friends" jacket from "The Knit Stitch" by Sally Melville, with some modifications of my own...SO with that in mind I've decided to make my neice a poncho (in purple, the color she has requested) with recycled yarn and some really cool Filatura Di Crosa Baby--Bon Bon mixed in.

If I wasn't working during the day I probably could finish my original project in time!

(Thanks for the button Mysterious K)

COUNT ME IN!

I can't believe I'm doing this! Oh yes I can!

I bought some recycled silk and have been trying to decide what to make...so why not use it for this project!
I'm going to make a shawl with it...at first I wanted to make a jacket from sleeve to sleeve but I can't find a pattern that suits me (in other words I'm going to have to draft the pattern myself).

I have so many project in the works I really had a hard time deciding what to start...but since I'm allowed 16 days to start and complete the project I don't think the Aran sweater is the thing to start!

Anybody else game?? Chicken??

I'm still here!!

Okay…so I’ve been lazy about blogging these days…BUT I have been busy!

I’m so proud of myself, the one item I’ve been going on and on about NOT trying is socks…well, I have one sock completed and one halfway finished! And I must say that it’s not so bad, in fact I’m planning my next pair.

I’m still working on the felted backpack (all I have left are the straps and an inside pocket), my Oat Couture Celtic Cardigan is almost complete…I’m finishing the sleeves now.

Next on the list is to make my ‘Rogue’, do something with all the recycled silk I bought and make a sweater for my youngest son…who by the way has gotten his first apartment!

I’m so very proud he has grown into quite a nice young man. I see great things in his future. I guess all parents do…In the last year Chase has lost 4 friends he went to school with, recently 2 of them within one week, both in car accidents. As a parent you always want to keep them under your wing and protect them…they are a gift from God and he has a plan for their lives, though we may not know what that is and even may have to give them up from this life. Trust in the Lord! My sympathies go out to the Burns and the Miller families.

About my spinning…I’m working on the last of the ‘Llanwenog’ and it’s telling me it wants to be a shawl! So beautiful and lofty! I’m not sure that I’m going to dye it. I really don’t like dyeing my roving before I spin…since I allow the fiber to tell me what it wants to be! I have plenty of fiber so I’m not sure what I’m going to spin next…merino, wool/silk blend, mohair or Jacob. I need more hours in the day to complete all my STUFF!

Well, better get back to work…before someone catches me on the internet (Ha! Ha! That’s a story in itself) To put it briefly…I work part-time (5 hours a day) and the entire time I’m at work my supervisor is on the internet, while the work stacks up around her! So maybe it’s not so bad that I post to my blog…what are they going to do? Fire me? Something tells me...I don’t think so!

Happy Fibering!

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Merry Christmas one and all...
Yes, I'm a few days late in posting this but as we all know the build up to the holidays leaves some things on the back burner!
Santa was very good to me, of course...I got things to promote my hobbies...a brand new spinning stool and a beautiful wooden swift (now Jack's arms are free to persue his hobbies..HaHa!). Being the Dallas Cowboy fan that I am I received a "Roger Staubach" jersey...#12!!, XM Radio, a book that we can use to enhance our travels, a beautiful sweater with matching turtleneck, Jack made me a beautiful salad tong set from Dogwood, there are many other things that are just as wonderful...there's just not enough time to list each and every one of them. I hope everyone else had their wishes and dreams come true. We have family coming in tomorrow, this is the first time since our wedding that they have been here. They've never come for this Christmas before so we are both really excited about this time with them.


Again...Merry Christmas to all and have a Happy New Year! I need to start thinking of my New Years resolution (besides losing weight).

Great Holiday Cartoon!

Our cat Ace would do this if he could!

Wristwarmers made from my own handspun North Ronaldsay wool. Now...these are for ME!!

Christmas is Coming! Christmas is Coming!

Okay...all completed Christmas gifts are being posted! I'm not naming who they are all for since family may see this!

I love this time of year. I love making gifts for those I care about. Some are easier to make for than others…the men in the family are a little more difficult, so I usually go ahead and buy for them. I’m still working on some gifts for those last minute…OOPS! I have so many things I want to make for myself…I need more time! Funny how work gets in the way of those important things in life.

Rant:

Yes, Christmas time is here and more and more I see the TRUE meaning of Christmas being removed from every aspect of the season. Here lately it’s the controversy of whether it’s a “Holiday tree” or a “Christmas Tree”. There are people out there who want to remove every shred of moral foundation out of this country.
Our country was founded on Religion, prayer and freedom. I don’t need to give a history lesson on why the Puritans left England. In recent years the prayer has been eliminated from our schools (which I understand the separation of Church & State BUT there should be a choice for children to make a choice to pray or not), the Ten Commandments have been removed from courthouses…now, they want to remove “In God We Trust” from being printed on our currency. What next remove all related words from The Constitution?
When I was a child (and I won’t say how long ago that was) my Grandparents pointed out the fact that on Christmas tree stands in order to make a “condensed” sign they would write “Xmas Trees For Sale” taking Christ out of Christmas.

My statement is: *****JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON*****

Wristwarmers made out of Peruvian Alpaca
Thanks to "Indigo Muse" for her pattern taken from the Irish Hiking Scarf design.

Felted Tote bag

Merino & Fluff Scarf

Red Hat Society purse

Felted purse

Maggie's Sweater design by Maggi Jackson...yes, I stated who this gift is for! I don't think my 3 year old niece is going to be on the internet.

Felted Clogs

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Giving Thanks....I'm so thankful for my wonderful husband, 3 beautiful children, 2 great step-daughters, and my family & friends and good health. Oh, and I can't forget my little buddy...Ace, our 13 year old cat...very spoiled cat I might add.

This is a time for family and togetherness BUT, (I bet you knew that was coming) there are certain family members who one just seems to not be able to get along with or does everything in their power to irritate the crap out of you, it would be hard for me to believe that there is one person out there who can say "I get along with everyone in my family!"
When we lost my beloved grandmother this past February my dream was for each individual "sept" of the family to do their own Thanksgiving...nope. There is that one who scopes out the free meal! I know, I know this is Thanksgiving and you are supposed to help the undepriviledged...believe me that is NOT the case here.
SO...I will have my knitting in hand, pun intended, while watching football (which she doesn't like) so as to ignore her.

I'm still working on my Christmas presents...getting closer and closer to getting them finished. It's probably the first time in my life that I have more than one project going at one time. In the past I have always tried to complete what is on the needles before I start another. This method is kind of fun...when you get tired or stuck on a particular pattern you can change to something else. My spinning has been a little ignored lately, I miss it too...another reason to get all these projects done.

Our trip to Asheville was wonderful. I found 4 knitting shops and bought yarn from all but 1, I have a personal protest that I make when I'm ignored upon entering a store. Now, I don't like getting mobbed and followed either but, it's a simple acknowledgement of my presence and wanting me to know that if I have any questions they will be available to help. I am this way because I used to work at a yarn shop that treated people this way, and I'm very proud of the fact that when I began working there I gave customer service! This yarn shop was started by 4 rich businessmen looking for a tax right off and a way to get their wives out of the house. So they would knit all day and could care less if someone came in or they sold a single skein of yarn. This yarn shop is still in business today and the only one in our town...I refuse to go there, I'll buy mailorder first.

Well, this is taking away from my knitting time so again...HAPPY THANKSGIVING...and Remember Our Troops!

Countdown to Christmas begins...

The countdown begins...I'm only counting in weeks for now...6 weeks...and my needles are going faster than I ever imagined! Last night for the first time in a couple of weeks I had to spend a little time with my spinning wheel, it was feeling a little neglected! We are getting ready to go out of town for a few days so I'm busy getting all my projects "ready for travel" making sure I'm not without something to work on AND of course, I've mentally marked all the fiber shops in the Asheville area! My books and camera will be along as well so I hope to have pictures posted later on.
It's very hard to believe how Christmas is pushed further and further ahead of Thanksgiving every year. My father plays Santa at the local mall and believe it or not he started a week ago! I can remember as a child it was the big thing to go the day after Christmas to see Santa ride in either on a helicopter, fire truck or horse carriage...now days it's no big thing. The day after Christmas is 'The Big Shopping Day' which I could do without. Having worked in retail before...it SUCKS! I won't even go near a mall for at least a week after Thanksgiving...my own way of boycotting. The sales don't get any worse...in fact, I have found some things at the same price or better than the "Day after Thanksgiving." The real meaning of Christmas has been forgotten, our societies values are crumbling.

And for more ranting...(just something I need to vent on)

For the most part children are not being taught values. My daughter works in a local retail store...a young lady she goes to school with was hired 2 weeks ago, she was fired Saturday for not showing up to work on 2 occassions. In my opinion this reflects on the fact that children are given everything these days and not taught to work for things they want. I was not given a car...nor has any of my children, they have had to buy their own...and you know what! They have appreciated that first car, so many of the kids these days will wreck their first car because "mommy & daddy will get them another one." I better quit while I'm ahead....Okay, enough of that rant!
Better get to knitting...