Knitting ADD(iction?)

Thanksgiving Day was one of the BEST holidays ever for me. I didn't spend it with my family this year.
(Not saying that I don't have great holidays with them, just telling the story).

What made it really awesome was that nothing went wrong. Nothing. How rare is that? JB and I kept the meal traditional, simple and yummy. But everything cooked well, came out to the table at pretty much all the same time, nothing burned, fell apart, tasted bad, or didn't get eaten. (That's the best kind of way to tell ;)

Everyone there was happy, funny, and easy to get along with. I made friends with JB's friends, and we laughed and talked and drank and ate late-late-late into the night.  JB got a hot tub and she was so ecstatic to have it all ready to sit in. Ahh.. nothing is quite as relaxing as far as I am concerned.

So after a day of food, fun, laughter, and friendship, the Hot tub was sure the grand finale. I felt like room-temperature butter. Slept like the dead. For me, I'm adding to the "best day ever" book. (It's getting fuller the older I get).

I have knitting ADD right now. I swatched a bunch of yarns to get in the habit, because yes, I am one of "them" that try and cheat and skip that step. It burnt me pretty good a few skeins back, so I decided if I were going to get really serious about all this, I need to behave like a true knitter that people will follow.
I only have one set of each size of Addi 16" circulars, and I'm in hat mode. I have started 4 different hats, and all require the same size needles. Yep, I frogged each . and. every. one. (eeeeeeeee!!!! I KNOW!!)
My sister got my name for Christmas, I put "16" circs-3-9 on my Wish List.

Started an entrelac scarf, and remembered the Knit Picks Entrelac Hat kit I bought a while back on clearance. Mom cut her hair really short- it's cute- and decided she needed some cute slouchy hats. I feel useful now..




Entrelac at the beginning. 8-Stitch blocks




Just a few short hours later..




Sock yarn swatch for a customer. Superwash Wool/acrylic.




Gull Stitch sample with Pink Wool heather.




Patons 100% Wool




Lace Pattern with my Red Sock yarn.




closer view of detail. Lots of Ktbl (knit two through the back loop) on this one.



My Kids getting ready to feed the horses.

Hungry girls!

So now, I am going to do lots of sewing and knitting this weekend, getting ready for my first Christmas Bazaar in a long time! I hope to get a few orders.

I will have some pics of the Entrelac hat by Sunday for you all to enjoy. Which reminds me.. I should get another video up. Too many things and not enough time! yeesh!

Winter is officially here

A dreary, cold, rainy weekend has reaped benefits in the way of me forcing myself to sit down and sew. Scrub hats are being made, swatches knitted, ideas sketched, alterations/repairs worked on. Joe likes to "help" me by making a mess with the fabric and yarn as I knit/ sew. It's annoying and endearing at the same time. I think about taking time to see if he would be receptive to learning to sew or knit as young as he is.
The kids in other countries learn handicrafts at a pretty early age, and my Gansey and Aran knitting books all have historical photos of children standing around with a sweater half-finished hanging off their bent needles.

I got the idea to write little "Thank-You' notes to everyone at work for a little Thanksgiving gift. We have been busting butt all year, and those of us that are still working (there's a huge turnover rate among surgery centers) I want to be the voice of encouragement. We have not had it easy. Four-hour days here, 12-hour days there, sometimes no lunch, no breaks and rarely does anyone get told "good job".

Not than I'm complaining. I am very thankful to have a job. I hear of so many who don't. It's just not my work of choice. That is why I keep creating, designing, brainstorming ideas and all that you see and read about.

It's too dark to take pics of what I'm working on right now. I will put some up tomorrow or later today after Joe and I have had our nap.

The rain is coming down so hard it sounds like rocks hitting the roof of my Redneck Condo.

Warm wishes, my Sunday creators. Warm wishes.

Kicking it up a notch

Christmas. Right around the corner. I wonder if our parents thought that time seems to go faster the older they got? I swear it was only July two days ago. Suddenly, it's drizzly and misty out, All the stores have Turkeys on sale and holiday meal deals, and you can bet your booty that aaaalllll the Christmas stuff is up and selling.

I signed up for my first Holiday Bazaar in .. wow almost  5 years. The last one I did was at the Caltholic Parish Hall in Junction City. (Oregon for you non-residents ;)  I had a great time, made a few dollars, and met several of the fellow vendors. One young mother made her own goat-milk soaps and lotions, another couple had simple leather goods, and a Mom- daughter team did beads and fuzzy scarves (they were the big thing at that time) .

I had a table full of my crocheted hats, scarves, afghans, two or three pairs of knitted socks, and  my favorite were the two 24 -inch-tall Navaho Dolls I made from scratch. The Body, velvet blouse, satin skirt, and white deer-leather boots with beaded embellishment all had my handiwork on them. They even had sterling silver buttons I had re-purposed of another blouse I found in a second-hand shop. I was so proud of those dolls. What I didn't realize at the time was that nobody appreciated my time and effort because I had several scoffs at the price, even an insult or two similar to "what makes YOU think these are worth $200?" *eyebrows furrowing*

The day was filled with all kinds of people coming and going. Some didn't hesitate to pay what I asked, others just smiled and walked away. Being my first 'real' selling gig, I was a  little worried I charged too much. But later that month at another Bazaar, I discoverd my things were less than half of what I should have charged.. live and learn, I suppose.

So now, I am jumping back into the Vendor game. I love meeting people, selling my things, and doing my part to make the world a prettier place.

Here's the latest I have for sale on Etsy:



Erin, my daughter's friend, looking awesome in the Mossy hat!



Another view of Mossy





Mossy's pretty gold flower. I can make this in any color combination.



My original design. I added a signature finish that ensures authenticity.



This will be my official first pattern I designed and have actually written down. I need to do a few more test knits before I publish the pattern, but what fun!

Well, I better get back to my homework and my family. Thanks for reading, my friends. Please comment or add me to your following list when you can. I appreciate your support!



Just when I though it was enough

I have been enjoying my newfound zest for projects. I think I have about...6 on the needles, and 3 on the hook. Here's another addiction. LACE. I want to knit it ALL. Now. Right now...

 Meet Greenleif. Ahhh... smell the fresh colors! This yarn was dyed by my good friend, Virginia, a few years back. I have been waiting for the "perfect" moment to start a pair of socks with it. Actually, I was waiting for the perfect pattern. Lo, and Behold, right as I was looking at this afghan book, it hit me in the face like a wet washcloth..

 Here she is! "Springtime" is in my 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns book I have come to use as quite a handy reference. I can take the basic stitch pattern from there and make my own creations. LOVE stitch libraries!

Virginia is my muse. I love seeing her creations! She did an awesomely rocktastic job with this yarn. I am really happy with the way it is turning out.

Math Class is going good. It's a litle challenging, and I find myself getting distracted by my knitting. I try to knit a row here and there in between study sessions. I don't watch TV or hardly any movies anymore. Too much distraction from my creative focus.

Ever feel like you're right on the edge of something big? I am feeling that. I hope I catch the opportunity to find out what it is before it goes away.