Play it Forward

It's Pay it forward time. Thanks to Samsara from
http://samsaradesigns.blogspot.com/ , and Ducky from http://www.freewebs.com/dragonflyducky/myblog.htm , I get to play too!

Heres how it works: I will make and send a handmade gift to the first three people who leave a comment to this post on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don't know what the gift will be yet, or when it will be sent....maybe this month or next month, but it will be sent within six months, and that's a promise!
What YOU, the recipient must do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog. I will send internationally, so all you need to do is make sure that I can contact you for your address.
Let's spread some cheer!

On a Roll

I seem to be in a make things and finish them mode

here's my flower basket shawl, from the interweave pattern which is apparently no longer available on the internet - it's blocking on the spare bed, which is a twin/single - and it takes up most of the bed!





currently, i'm working on the puffy sleeve pirate-y looking jacket in the spring 2006 knit.1

Merry Xmas!

to the wonderful friends who have posted here, to my blog... for your encouragement, and friendship, I thank you

Merry Xmas!

i'm impossibly proud of myself

look what I made!

so what was I afraid of?

I can knit. Actually, I knit pretty well. There isn't much I can't knit.

except socks. i've had this stupid fear of socks forever... i love handknitted socks, and i got it into my head that i couldn't do socks.

dumb. really dumb.

the other day, in a craftster swap, I received some self-patterning, self-striping sock yarn and an intro to socks book from the lovely annchen, in sweden.

so this morning, with nothing on my needles, i decided to give it a go. i hate being afraid of things, would much rather face the fear and get over it.

and get over it, i did! check it out... by now, i'm nearly up to the toes on the first sock!





apparently, i can knit socks! how cool is that?

Having friends is a wondrous thing

I've been having a tough time lately. Seems like for ages, actually, though on a calendar, it's probably only the last 2 years. Because of things out of my control, life has been pretty miserable, and it felt like it got a whole lot worse about a month ago.

Feeling pretty overwhelmed, by time and finances, I asked some friends of mine to please call a moratorium on the xmas crafting and sending of presents to each other.

my friend kerstin, bless her heart, ignored me. totally, completely, and i love her for it. she sent me this box for xmas (ok, i was a naughty child and opened it, but hey, hanukkah was over.... like a couple of weeks ago?)

and she made me socks. and send me some more homemade soap (to which i'm completely addicted, i'll never buy soap again). and she found this shawl pin that's a dragonfly, because i love dragonflies and have a mountain of lace weight yarn and plan on making shawls. a LOT of shawls.

and devil dogs. she can't even EAT them, and she sent me boxes of devil dogs.

kerstin, you're a wonderful person in my book. you took care of me when i wasn't even able to dig my way out to take care of myself. you have my love and friendship for your selfless act. thank you so much.

so what do i do now?

i finished the pirate bag. it's in the washer, hopefully felting nicely - i'll pull and stretch it, then throw it in the dryer, and post pictures when it's done.

so what do i work on now? LOL, i've been jamming on xmas presents so much, i don't know... probably the shawl i've been poking at - that's the only thing on the needles right now....

all my packages that needed to be mailed out went out yesterday - i actually feel organized, and not terribly stressed this xmas - granted, i kept it low key, but i always have to do that anyway - life just doesn't permit extravegant holidays.

son was easy - he wanted one big thing. ok, done. daughter said this pirate bag was the only thing she wanted....

parents are done. brothers are done. niece is done. best friend is done. there are a couple of other really good supportive friends i want to 'do' for, but that'll wait till after xmas - i'm trying really hard to not get stressed.

'tis the season

ok, i feel much better about the holidays now - i've had these piles of things, stacks of things, and i knew i had to pack up the boxes and send them on their way - at least the ones for my immediate family.

had to.

and of course, kept putting it off.

i have a stack of packages now, all addressed, taped up, and i only forgot the card in one of them! not bad, i think!

so tomorrow morning, off to the post office - 6 packages, 2 envelopes, get them all out of here and i don't have to think about them anymore!

still knitting xmas present, though - the one last thing that will probably take me right up till xmas eve.... but i'm getting there - maybe 3 more rounds, and then the handles....

and if my shoulder holds out, i may get it done in time for xmas

i hope

... but I'm not a total slug

I've been procrastinating outrageously on the duplicate stitch for these mitts - and I promised them to Leah like....... a year ago? LOL, so then I promised them for xmas.

and I'm trying really really hard to finish up everything i need done for xmas, just in case the shoulder is rotator cuff and needs surgical intervention.

so i just finished the duplicate stitchery on the first of the 2 mitts....

YAY me!!

Update - 6:30 pm - they're done!! I finished the charting on the second mitt, and they're DONE!!

I'm apparently allergic

to the dye they use for x-rays.

some fun.

be back when i stop itching.

Finally Finished the Wings!

I started the Allete wings for my niece, back in October? and really just dragged my feet on the last steps - stitch up the channel, stick the wire in there, make the straps and be DONE with it!

so this morning, I'm working on non-knitted things... apparently, the ache in my shoulder that's increased for the past 7 months may be a complete tear of the rotator cuff.... hmmm injury by knitting? LOL!!

anyway, I finished the wings - yay me!



ok, on to the next unfinished symphony.... this is my weekend to FINISH things, so i can start more stuff!

Thanksgiving

I'm really not the sort of person who gets all preachy about what I'm thankful for...

It's just not my style.

In the past week, I've been aware of things that I AM thankful for...

I'm thankful for Leah, Kerstin, Adrienne and Cheryl - even though I've never been able to sit and have a cup of coffee with them, or give them a hug, they're my friend-net - they listen to me, encourage me, spoil me at times, and for some unknown reason appear to love me even when I feel pretty unloveable.

I'm thankful for Josh - he allows me to be a (sometimes) less than perfect mother, and loves me anyway. Sometimes, he even takes out the trash!

I'm thankful that Ariel is in a safe place - while I may not understand her choices, at least she's somewhere where she appears to be safe and cared for. Sometimes, that's all you can do.

I'm thankful that my parents are still with me - despite some pretty serious illnesses, they're all alive for me to call today, to say i love them.

I'm thankful for my brother Avram - while we're probably worlds apart (i'm nearly old enough to be his mother), he's a good hearted person (now, if he would only stop calling me 'hun')

I'm thankful for the people I work with - they put up with me, they encourage me, they teach me to do my job better, and they even appreciate my show and tell when I bring in things I've made to show.

I have much to be thankful for.

Apparently it's been a long COUPLE of weeks!

Ok, so let's see. I'm now a certified web developer. Yay me!

I finished the knitting for the snowball's chance fingerless mitts, just need to do the duplicate stitching everywhere.

I still haven't finished off the wings - shame on me.

I'm working on a pirate's booty bag - I think I like it.

And now I have a 4 day weekend... happy thanksgiving, everyone.

what am i thankful for....... i'm thankful for the child that says "i love you mom" to me.

think i'll call my parents, and tell 'em i love 'em.

Been a long week.

I've been taking classes since November 1, to get certified as a Web Developer. I know, i know, i'm already certifiable!

So i've been taking classes all day, every day - after today, I only need one more class for my certification!

on the football front, I've made a DVD slide show movie for the boys...... 563 pictures, with 9 or 10 songs as background music.... i need them done by this Sunday, for the end of the season party.

as of this morning, I've burned 19 copies.

on the knitting front, i'm about halfway through the second mitt for leah - then i have to go back and do the embroidery.

ok, class is starting....

I finished my shrug!!

HOLY SMOKES, it's DONE!!

My daughter bought the wool for a project, then decided it was the wrong color and the wrong wool...... so mommy, will you buy me something else, and i'll give you this yarn.

it's really pretty wool... all sorts of shades of blues, from aqua to almost a purply blue - nearly impossible to get pictures of me wearing the shrug AND taking the pictures...... and kindly ignore the spots on the mirror. time to clean them again!

Being a knitting needle addict

I'm amazed how many knitting needles i have! ok, the DPNs, i counted individual needles, so a set is either 4 or 5... but some sizes, i have 17??

well....... all i have left are my circs now... i've done the long needles, the dpns, and the crochet hooks.... had a bit of trouble till i could find my needle gauge.... all needles should have what size they are engraved on them!!

speaking of which.... signatureneedlearts.com - they custom make knitting needles. you can pick the size, the length, 3 different points, and 3 different end caps.. then they engrave the size, the length and point into the side of the needle. i love those needles. the price scares me a little bit... but seriously, if i was going to treat myself, i can see buying 1 pair in the size i use most often...... once i figure out what size i use most often, that it.

still working on the shrug - i've got 3" of the 6" of ribbing..... i was so worried that i wouldn't have enough yarn, it looks like i'll actually have some left over - not sure if it'll be enough to actually make something (i'm thinking calorimetry or something similar?)

we'll see.... i still have to finish alie's wings too - got the wire, just need to sit down and do it - but first, i really want to finish this shrug. i make so many things for so many other people, i need to have made something for me. the shrug is it.

i guess.

OK, Ravelry is cool

I wasn't sure how useful yet another crafting site would be - tonight, i started plugging in all my knitting needles....... just started with the straight ones, need to do the DPNs and the circs.......

it's a little scary when you realize that you have 4 sets of the same size needles!!

but it'll be useful when i have a project, i can just look on there to see how much yarn i have, what needles i have.......

so tomorrow, i'll hit the DPNs and the circs, and see if i can at least get that organized.

maybe.

And glad I am that it was the last day of football

No season is complete without an injury (or 3)

first, there was the sprained ankle. ok, i can handle that.

then, there was the concussion. ok, it wasn't a bad one, i can handle that.

today, last game...... sprained AC joint in the shoulder (did you know the shoulder had an AC joint?)

the bad news is....... well, there really isn't any. he'll have to wear a sling, and no phy ed for a week or so......

the doctor was cute :-)

and i got another 14 rows done on the fingerless mitts, to go with the 14 rows i got done before the game started.

so it's all ok........

i'm also working on the shrug - but that's getting too big to take along anywhere..... so the mitts travel, and the shrug stays home. and they'll both get done.

Last day of football

my son plays youth football - 8th grade. today's the last game. on the one hand, i'm glad i don't have to run to practices, run to games, and wash uniforms 3 times to try to get them clean (with varying success).

On the other hand, i'll be sad to see the end of football. i really like being a football mom! for the past 3 years, i've acted as unofficial team photographer, and at the end of the season, i go through all the pictures (plus the pictures for the other 8th grade team), and put together a DVD slideshow/movie, complete with background music.

I have over 5000 pictures. this is going to take a while.

so for this morning, i'm grafting the 2 main pieces of the tempest shrug, so i can pick up 532 stitches (!!!) and do the ribbing. then it's done.

i like finishing things, which is pretty funny since, as a kid, i was the queen of unfinished projects. and the shrug is actually for me!

On the needles....... and off

I'm still knitting away - let's see - purple wings for Alie Elan (knitty.com Allete pattern)....... Tempest Shrug (borocco.com tempest pattern)..... and snowball's chance in hell fingerless mitts for leah...... anticraft, maybe? (huh, i don't remember where they're from)

Ah well... i have a huge list of things to make after these....

2. unbiased silk sari yarn purse http://www.knitty.com/issuefall04/PATTunbiased.html

3. lady eleanor stole

5. puffy sleeve pirate jacket from knit.1

6. striped cardigan from knitty.com http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring07/PATTcarolyn.html

7. calorimetry from handspun yarn I got in a swap http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/PATTcalorimetry.html

9. socks. i have sock yarn, but socks scare me. i WILL make a pair of socks!

10. lace shawls - I have the wool to make like.... 5 shawls? just need to find the right pattern for each of them!

11. heere be dragone shawl - this one's so special, it needed its own mention http://www.alpacanation.com/alpaca-products/03_view_product.asp?name=103724

12. felted flowered bag http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=188790.msg1988873#msg1988873

13. the 400 year blanket (started it 400 years ago, it still needs to be finished!)

17. non-lace shawl with the handpainted wool I got at the knitters guild marketplace (starting it tomorrow when i get out of the house and go to the knitters group that meets weekly!)


And these are the ones that are finally finished - this can be my record of what i'm doing... because i ended up with a copious amount of yarn just begging to be made into stuff!

1. beachcomber tunic from interweave crochet for a friend -- DONE!!
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=192072.msg2056220#msg2056220

4. mystery stole 3 (started, set aside for the tunic #1) -- DONE!!!! (pictures to be posted eventually, i'm just glad it's done)
http://www.craftster.org/pictures/data/500/shawl11.jpg
http://www.craftster.org/pictures/data/500/shawl21.jpg
http://www.craftster.org/pictures/data/500/shawl31.jpg
http://www.craftster.org/pictures/data/500/shawl4.jpg

14. felted hedgehog for my niece - purple, as this seems to be the only color in her spectrum
http://www.craftster.org/pictures/data/500/eggplant.jpg

16. transformers toque for a friend's hubby for xmas - commissioned project - DONE - http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=201782.msg2154751#msg2154751

A. totally NOT knitted - made a batch of peppermint soap (cold process) today - my whole apartment smells minty!

And then there was Eggplant

Not the vegetable. The creature.

I have a niece, she's 4-1/2. Her name is Alessandra Elan, which is a HUGE first name, and sort of odd middle name.... but she's cute as a button!

So for xmas, I decided to make her purple things... purple seems to be the only color in Alie Elan's spectrum!

I'd like to introduce y'all to Eggplant, the hedgehog. Made from the FiberTrends pattern, in purple wool and purple fun fur, I hope Alie likes her!

Mystery Shawl 3

Over the summer, there was a yahoo group for a mystery shawl 3. I love the concept. here's a chart. start knitting.

next week. here's the next chart. keep knitting.

had no idea what i was making, or what it would look like. I was knitting with yarn from 2 cones of (probably) weaving yarn - pretty thin, definitely acrylic, and massively cheap from a rummage sale. I thought i'd be able to use up these cones, using the 2 strands together.

i thought wrong.

honest... i think every night, the yarn regenerated, because there's no sign that i used them at all. they're still just as full as when i started.

the shawl is pretty big - it's got to be about 6 feet long, and depending on how you spread it out, between 2 and 3 feet wide. i like it.

i like it even better draped across the shoulders of the long leather coat i bought from salvation army for a steal at $22.50!

but here's the shawl, because it makes my friend kerstin happy - she's been wanting to see it!

Huh!

I have a blog. Imagine that! Ok, I have no clue what to put here.

I knit. A lot.

More about that later.