Is there such a thing of 'never enough'..

Yarn, that is.

I went to a yarn store today that I had not been to before.ever. It was filled to the brim. More yarn in a yarn store than I've seen.

I bought 3 skeins. All three were purchased to make Bree things. All primary rainbow colored. One will be socks, and the other 2 skeins will be used for felted FLIP FLOPS. These should be fun!

You would think I would have enough yarn. But, I do not think there is any such thing of 'enough' yarn. You never know just when that one project, that one cool, special, gift or such that might come up at the last minute and you need to have the yarn at your fingertips. Kind of like people from the depression era stock up on canned food. Not me. I stock up on yarn. That way, I may not be able to eat, but I'll be knitting. Or like horse people having that extra saddle pad, extra headstall, extra brush. Just like that! (wait, that's me too - I see a pattern here)

I finished my 2nd stealth project since Jan 1. Pictures can not be shown until the recipient receives, though. And I did cast on my jacket. (Jacket pictured in previous post). That is going to take a while.

Question is what to cast on next.. I have to have a smaller project to carry around. The jacket is not going to fit in my purse - ha! Socks? maybe. Felted flip flops is a good possibility as I really want to see how these turn out. Perhaps, another stealth knitting project - another illusion scarf - looks like piano keys. Socks, maybe. probably. then a scarf or flip flops.

Ooooh, and I saw these cool mittens today. They were "nordic", "latvian", "fair isle" type mittens with colorwork. Pretty cool. I see something like this getting added to my list to knit. Hmm.. I wonder if I have any yarn for something like this? I bet I don't. Looks like I'll have to go yarn shopping. oh darn.

My Mom puts me to shame...

About a year and a half ago, we saw this pattern at a quiliting store. I've done some basic quilting as in actually making like small crib size quilts, but it is not my strength. I don't like that it is not portable.

Mom has been quilting for about 4 or so years now and she has gotten to be VERY good at it (despite what she tells everyone). She has a group down in TN that get together and help each other, etc..

I thought this pattern was awesome and immediately thought of Bree. We selected some fabrics - since it is all pieced - I gave Mom a close up head shot of Bree's mare, Tess and told Mom to try to make it look like Tess.

She continued to work on this for over a year going thru multiple revisions and revisions and tearing it apart and redoing, and redoing and redoing.

I think she did a fantastic job and she gave it to Bree who was thrilled! It is hanging prominently in Bree's room by her ribbons and such from showing. (Now all she needs is the Buckle case that Poppa was/is supposed to be making for her).

I love it and for 76 years old with pretty rotten bad RA and her fingers being pretty gnarly - she rocks. I hope when I'm 50 (not so far away) I have half her energy, determination, skills, persistence, eagerness to learn new things and desire to do some really cool stuff and be able to keep up with my daugher as she does me.

Mom, I bow to you! You decide how awesome she did...

The Christmas Holidays are officially over..

Or winter break or whatever politically correct term is being used...

How do I know this you may ask?

It's not because We've taken down any Christmas decorations - because that has not happened. (I actually have to take photos so I know how to set up the village next year - LOL).

It's not because the weather has broke. Eventhough we have no snow on the ground - thanks to the 60 degrees we had last week.

It's not because the stores aren't offering sales.

It IS because my house was QUIET today. The Kids went back to school today. It was nice and quiet (minus the dogs barking from time to time for absolutely NO reason).

I spent the day reorganizing and moving furniture, etc around in my studio. I had broken down my studio for the holidays to put the 2nd spare bed back up for the guests we had.

Bill put up 4 shelves (2 on each side of the windows) yesterday. So, I had to fill them with cool stuff. Not quite done with that yet as I need to get some extra easels for the little picture frame type stitching stuff. And I combined my sewing machine tables into one.. it looks cool. I rearranged my knitting yarn bins.

Bree gave me her 'decorating' stamp of approval - which is HUGE! LOL!!!

One of my knitting resolutions is to inventory my yarns. So, this will be a big help in accomplishing that goal.

When it is complete, I will take pics and post. I also need to find some cool - not prim - but country type curtains with SHEEPIES on them. The theme throughout the room is definitely my lambie/sheepie collection. I love me my sheep (as Paige would say).

So, by the end of this week, my goal is to have the house decorations down and boxed - save the 2 Christmas trees which will be dismantled over the weekend.

One step at a time! Baby steps - but at least moving in the right direction!

(And, I've been good about posting this year TOO!)

Ok, Someone talk some sense into me!!!

As I posted below, while at The Fold on Thursday, I was so serious about thinking about deciding on getting a spinning wheel. I've been looking online, emailing with some folks about ideas and the like.

Then today, in my New Year notebook (started a new one to kick off 2009), I started listing the things I need/want to knit. Things I already have yarn for. Things I already have 'planned' for gifts coming up in the next 3 months. Things I have patterns for. I am up to 10. And ONLY ONE of these is socks.

So, I shouldn't even be daydreaming about spinning. My list is extensive (well, kind of simplistic, but a project or two - like the jacket I posted about are complex). But, I am STILL daydreaming about spinning. What is it about the mystique of spinning that has me captured? I honestly do not know. Could it be something new? Perhaps the idea of making something from beginning to end (as in spin the yarn, dye it then knit it and finally gift it)? Is it because it is the natural progression of a knitter / fiber addict? Is it because it is just something different - craft wise - for me to add to my forte'? Do I REALLY need another thing to add to my forte?

I wish I could rent a wheel for say 2 weeks. Let me play, see if it is really something I want to do. If it is, then fine. If not, then I get this all out of my system.

I like the things on my KNIT TO DO list. They will be fun, different and challenging projects (ok, some).

I need to start thinking of the balance of the year and starting the gifts I need to complete NOW.

So, I shouldn't think any further about spinning...

Yea, right.

AH... The world is right again...

I posted back a day or two how I missed knitting socks and that I had to wait until other Christmas gifts were completed.

I cast on last Friday a pair of socks. They are done. They are pretty. I love the yarn (Zen Garden Squooshy) and love the pattern Traveling Vines by Charlene Church.

Here's a pic of the work in progress, I will get a completed picture tomorrow on my model's feet (Bree's feet are in most of my sock pics) - it works great as at 11 years old, her foot size is ONLY 1/2 size smaller than mine.



The Color is called Evergreen and was December's yarn club shipment. It is SWEEEEEEEETTTTT..

The world is right again.. (Did I say that out loud - again?)

We went to the barn today. It was freeeeeezin. (Literally lower than 32 degrees). My sinus / head cold that is on again off again - it cannot make up its mind if it is going to take hold of me is "on-again" today. What the heck is that all about. I sure wish it would make up its mind. If I'm going to get a cold, let's get on with it. If not, take a freaking hike.

Starting the New Year off right...

I won! I won! I won!

What a great way to start off the new year!

Val, Lisa, Becky, Rachel and I (from the knitting group) all went to The Fold (Marengo, IL) today for their New Year's Day sale / open house. I can't think of a better way to kick off 2009, great friends, lots of sweeet yarn, a peek at some spinning wheels (I am SO jonesing) and on top of it all, I won a book as a door prize. It is called "Crocheting on the Edge" by Nicky Epstein and it is even SIGNED by her! How cool is that?!

We all did some serious credit card damage! And I think over the 6 hours we were there, I looked and looked and looked and looked some more and at a couple of spinning wheels. I do NOT know how I walked out of there without buying one. Sheer will is all I can think of! And, maybe the fact that I purchased yarn and was inspired to knit up some things and getting a spinning wheel would have prevented that from happend.

I purchased some yarn (Cascade Ecological Wool to be double stranded) for this jacket:

The yarn is Charcoal and a medium shade of gray.

I also purchased some Easter Pastel sock yarn for socks for Bree and of course, it wouldn't be me, if I didn't purchase some blue jean colored sock yarn - LOL! Ok, I confess, somehow, someway, some blue jean color wool yarn made it into my basket to make some felted flip flops.

And one skein of Rare Gems, Sock That Rock seemed to call my name. (ok, I KNOW I do not need any more sock yarn, but it is a cool colorway)!

I'm in a mad dash to finish the Traveing Vine socks I started on Saturday. I have 49 more rows. I am holding myself back for jumping right into the jacket!

I've decided I need to make a list of what I have in the 'que' to knit, then prioritize them and then start knocking them off one by one. I think that will be a task for tomorrow.

Other than that, not much is happening. Bree and I went to the barn yesterday and delivered Christmas gifts. That's always fun.

Last night some idiots (read this as teenagers who need to be shot) decided it would be funny to open gates on all the fenced yards. This morning, I was up early to get ready to go and let the dogs out. Well, after 20 minutes of Bailey (the Goldendoodle) not returning I went out in the yard. Imagine the heart stoppage when I see the side gate wide open. (It was not open at 11pm last night, when we let the dogs out for the final time). I yelled to Bree to get Bill, hopped in my truck and started driving around - knowing that she runs like a gazelle and had a 20 minute head start - hell, she could have been a county over or worse - dead on the busy street near our house. THANKFULLY... She was 3 doors down. Apparently, she walked down, saw THEIR gate open and thought it was her yard and was in their fenced yard. Talk about taking 10 years off your life. We walked down our street around the park area (where there are about 6 other houses with fenced yards and ALL gates were open). I swear if I ever find out who did this stupid-ass stunt, you all will have to send bail money as I will be in jail on an assault and battery charge.

PS - See, I am starting off the new year with a post. Yay me!

Ending the Year with a post..

I know I've been absolutely awful about keeping up my blog. If you search my blog, you will read that I say over and over and over that my life just isn't exciting or has much happening that is blog-worthy. I'll make a public resolution that in 2009 that I will blog AT LEAST once per week and NO less (maybe more than once per week) but, at least once per week.

Thru the months of Nov and Dec up until Christmas, I was doing a bunch of stealth knitting for Christmas gifts..

Here's what I ended up with: (picture heavy from here down)

I made 2 pair for my SIL because I couldn't decide which one I liked better for her, wrapped them and let her choose - She chose this first pair called "Tron".


















This was the other pair. These did not fit her as nice - seemed a little big for her. But, I liked the colorway.















These were little sport socks for my Niece. Seems like the kids like the little ankle socks these days. Bree even wears hers in her cowboy boots!















I made this illusion scarf for Bree's French Horn Student Teacher (She's a Sophomore) and her room is hot pink and black. It's a scarf that if you hold it up looks like a striped scarf but then when you look at it again, it has the hidden picture of music notes. (kind of like a hologram). Anyway, Kelsey loved it.




















This is another illusion scarf only a horse head - these are really cool to do! I see more in my future!













These are fingerless gloves that has the flap to come up over the top which changes them from gloves to mittens for my Brother - done in a camo sock yarn (called Broadstreet mittens). I hated this pattern. It sucked - pure and simple as far as directions go. I made a few modifications - as in making a buttonhole for the thumb as what good is having 4 fingers popping out, but not being able to use your thumb?



















This is Mom's Vest (looks better on her - which I'm hoping when she takes it on Jan 7th to show off to her friends, that she'll have them take a picture). I originally was going to make Mom something else, but it didn't 'hit' me right, so the Wed before Christmas I decided to knit her a vest. So, Thursday, out I went, found a pattern and then yarn and started that evening. It was done and wrapped (except the shoulder seams, which I waited on to insure it would fit). It was then completely finished and she took it home with her. There are no buttons but where the V-Neck meets, the pattern shows it being held closed with a pin. This is perfect for Mom because she has a vast collection of pins and can use them! It's lightweight enough for their temperatures in TN, yet, warm enough to even wear as a light jacket and the blue tweed colorway will go with anything!
















These are for my friend who is helping me rehab my horse, Jessie. Her feet are always cold (I made her a pair of Alpaca socks earlier this year and she LOVES them and wears them all the time - I probably need to knit her a 2nd pair!)














So, It's not like I haven't been doing anything. Just things I couldn't necessarily post about.

But, more to come in the future!!!