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!