MERRY CHRISTMAS, VACATION

I wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May the new year bring much love, good health and much happiness.

Well, it's finally here, VACATION!!! (yes!!*happy dance*) I can't wait to go, I've been looking forward to this trip for what seems to be ages. I love traveling, I've often heard family and friends say that when they are away for more than a week they get homesick, I never get that. When I travel I don't ever want to come back I just want to keep going to the next place. I think I could be one of those people that roam the four corners of the earth for a while and never think geesh I need to go home. I read up on people who take sabaticals or adopt another country for a few years and I think wow that would be cool, if I had the chance I would convince the hubby and do that in a heart beat, I know I would miss my family, and friends, but I never get those pangs that I hear other say, they miss their house, car, familiar streets, noises, people etc.. Maybe I'm a misplaced nomad or a free thinking Hippie from the 60's (even though I was born in 65') LOL, in some ways I guess that's why I have such a diverse work history, I think the longest I've ever worked anywhere has been 5 years maybe if they're lucky 6, I don't think it makes me a bad employee but I get tired of the same old stuff and same co-workers with all of their little neurotic behavior, office politics, you know just regular stuff, I can't ever imagine working for a company for 25yrs, those guys are lifers!! My hats off to you if you are one of them, how do you do it??
I have often thought it would be great to take a motorhome cross country and stop at every place that had a RV campground, stay for a while then leave to the next place, stop at all the tourist traps, then find the real gem behind it, I feel I have so much to see and do, and I haven't really done much of it, I love meeting new people, looking at new things and learning about places, I wonder how much moolah that would take??? Hubby says about $20K - $30K without the motorhome, I think much less, but he's the numbers guy so maybe he's right.

I promise that I will have some great photos for the blog as soon as I get back( I know it's been a while since I posted any pics) so you all can see what I've been up to, I'll also have some craft photos, since I plan on taking one or two of my looms with me.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Everyday grumblings

Well I made it through my b-day and am happy to report I didn't freak out at 41. I'm glad this week is over, what a bear.. There has been alot to do at work and with my vacation coming up it seem I'll never get enough done before I leave and we're getting new computers that week to boot and I just know that half the stuff I have will suddenly and inexplicably disappear, but I won't care because I will be on VACATION!!!!!
I been debating with myself of what to take with me to work on, since the sock loom incident, I have picked it up again and started knitting some, mind you, not often but some. I have the new KKII's and Marla Richard's Board Knitting Book www.frameknitter.com that has some stitch patterns I've been wanting to try since I got the book in October. I guess between these two I can occupy my time if I get annoyed at the EFG sock loom www.decoraccentsinc.com then I can work on the KKII samples. I know it doesn't sound like much but I'm the designated GPS for the trip, since we priced some of those out and couldn't justify the purchase, I get the map and the directions so I can guide us to our destination (this really cuts out some of my knitting time in the car). I figure hubby can get us as far as Atlanta then I need to concentrate til Marble, NC that's a good 10 hours of knitting, sleeping and bathroom breaks.

Sock Loom, Sweater and Shawl

I've neglected to update the blog, tis the season to be too busy to do anything. Although I love the Christmas season, I don't enjoy the the days lead up to it. I'm going to be 41 in 4 days and I'm not happy about it!! I saw this sign that read " I'm not 40 something I'm 39.95 plus shipping and handling!" that I can handle.

I finished the body portion of the sweater I was knitting on the KKII's blue loom, I thought it would be large enough for me, well once the stitches set in it turn out to be a ladies small, I'm a ladies large and if the bust area is tight then definately an X-large. Well I figured that my hubby's neice is that size, so guess what she's getting for Christmas?? I post a picture after I sew the arms on and convince my model I need to post it.

On the shawl, I know I read somewhere on my yahoo group that you could make a shawl in one day, to which I say HA! NA-AH. I've been working on g-ma's shawl for a few weeks and I have made progress, but really in a day someone has just have to be lighting speed, cause I would think maybe in a couple of days - 4 days at least to be realistic granted I only work a couple of hours at night, but the process is not that quick. I was trying to finish this one and get a ruana started for me and try to finish that b-4 Dec 25th, but I don't think so... We'll see how I do.


Sock loom, as if I didn't have enough misery, I got a sock loom and sock yarn. I started the sock, left the sock, yelled at the sock, threw sock and loom across the room, cried out to the Lord over the sock and finally put it in the store bag where I purchased the yarn and have left it there for DAYS!! as punishment for my aggravation. (You think the loom has had enough? LOLOLOL) The loom is beautiful, as all the looms I own from DA and I know that is not the problem, but the hook for this loom OMG I really really really don't like it, it has a nubby handle that is driving me to drink. I hold my hooks like pencils or chopsticks when I work, all the hooks , all the time, now this little sucker is toooooo fat to be held this way and so I can't knit with it. I took a KK hook and filed it to a fine point to see if that would help, well then the yarn started spliting, and this stuff fine yarn, then I worked and worked and worked and all I have is 1/2" of cuff to show for it. I just lost it... So if I don't get the hang of this sock loom, sock yarn I'll have no alternative than to ebay it.

Happy belated Thankgiving!! I again was on hiatus from my PC for the weekend, plus with three teenagers in the house who could even get close to the monitor. (You guys are wretched computer hogs, you know who you are!!) Well, since I'm back at work I can hog my computer here all day, actually I probably couldn't give it away if I tried (ha ha) mine all mine!!
I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday, I know we did, had ham with all the fixings yum!! Got our Christmas tree up the same day. Since these are the last holidays before the kids go to college, we trying to enjoy them as much as possible.
Friday, which is shop till you drop day, I spent the day painting my bathroom since we're getting the house ready to sell there are odds and ends (isn't that always the case, odds and ends that never end) needing to get done so Friday was a good day for that, (God only knows I was not about the venture out and fight traffic, crabby shoppers and annoyed sales people )now I have to do the other bathroom, wish I had another four days off to complete it, maybe this weekend I'll get to that. Crafting --- humm let me think---- no nothing there not even one stitch or weave, depressing isn't it.

WINE BOTTLE GIFT SOCK

Well, nothing like a few hours to yourself to finish a project up!! ;oD, I did it and concentrated - now I can watch TV, talk and knit all at the same time (imagine that, such talent). Well at least I mastered the knit stitch which is a really tight stitch and looks great. Thanks, Islea for the video it help out alot. Yes, the walls in my kitchen are really that color, it's called pumpkin pie, kind of appropriate for this time of the year.



I've always have gotten comments on the wall colors I have painted the house over the years, I had a pale yellow for 2 years, with one accent wall in opera red, really nice it was a stand out. This year I decided I wanted to go with greens, they seem to suit my mood lately, why I dunno it just does. I painted the walls in the interior common areas in three shades of green with my accent wall being the darkest sage I could find. I did stripes on one of entry way walls (picture on the left) and everyone that walks in always says the same thing OHHHH I love that I could never do color that way. (I don't know if they really like or they're just being polite) Which got me to thinking since when are people so scared of color?? I seen pictures of homes through the decades (with some really interesting color, wall paper, texture etc..) and lately all I ever see the the safest color combos of beige, not that it's a bad color but jeesh, just vanilla?? Even when I see it done in a decorator's mag I always think "this is missing something" and mind you my mom's house was white walls for as long as I can remember. But my houses, apartments and whatnot have always had color. I think it's such a great way to express your idividuality, even my kids have picked up on this, my daughter has midnight blue in her room with glow in the dark stars all over the ceiling and the words "believe, love , dream and faith" stencil one on each wall in silver or gold acrylic paint. My son has race car blue in his with trophys of car shows my husband has won, and various diecast cars. All in all they did great when I gave them the "do whatever makes you happy, it's your room" thumbs up. Why do I bring this up cause I think that in crafting it's the same, some folks like vanilla, other are definate tutty fruit type, some are sorbets, and others are rocky road types. None are bad or good, I just think you should let your passion show through no matter what anyone else thinks, and color is a great mood gauge.

Well, I guess that's enough just my $0.02. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!!!

Comments, New Sweater and Wine Bottle Cover

Comments

Thank you all for the comments you sure know how to make a girl feel good. I am not trying to lure **wink wink - Denise** anyone to the tri loom but it sure it fun. Liz, the loom dresses itself with the warp and weft going at the same time if you'd like more info try yahoo groups Triloom, there's a bunch of great people there with a ton of knowledge. To the rest of my fans, I like to thank all the little people that make me fabulously famous and filthy rich without you ** Oh no!!!! sorry, that's from my 15 mins of fame speech for my academy award** ROFLOL.


New Sweater

I started a new sweater (picture above) cause I just can't seem to look at any of my bare naked looms screaming at me WHAT NO YARN!! ( heheheh). Plus, I always need something to work on at lunch and a 7' triloom just doesn't travel well. I knitted the sleeves on

the green KK and started the sweater on the lt blue KKII's I want to see if I can't knit it in the round with no seams, I just can't wait to figure out the arm holes and V-neck. ;o0

Wine Bottle Cover

Since Christmas is around the corner and I'm really not that busy *insert eyeroll here* I decided it would be nice to knit some wine bottle covers instead of going to the DOLLAR STORE and buying them, you know, that personal touch. Well let me tell you, I have been knitting this cover since TUESDAY mind you, nothing fancy, but I decided that I would try the knit stitch, which is the one that you place the yarn over the loop instead take your hook and pull it under take it off the peg and then put the new loop on....... instead of the ewrap stitch which now has a different name the twist/ ewrap/ knit stitch, but that's another topic altogether. This stitch is driving my nuts, I forget and so I purl and not knit and I knit and not purl where I need to, so needless to say I'm annoyed, cause it's not going fast enough to do as many as I need, I love the look of the stitch but since I need speed the rest will definately be done with ewrap and purl. I guess it didn't help that I was watching a movie last night either (hehehehehehehe). I'm not as multitask-ketted (new word) as I thought. Okay enough nonsense, later gator.

Pictures

Okay I promised some photos and here they are of course the dates are off (duh) but oh well, they're posted. The first one is a close up of my grandma's shawl then a full shot of it on the tri loom, yes I know it's not a pretty shot of it up close but it's working out evenly once I pull it off the loom and wash it should be great. I debating the fringe, since I have the color changes I need to fringe the shawl, but I was thinking of spacing them every 20 nails and then tying them together with a macrame knot. I did this with the blue log cabin sampler and thought it turn out really nice. The other picture is of the famous sweater that I did on the KK purple loom used as a rake, and I finally found a zipper that fits (yes!!) So I'm knitting a cord on my four peg corder to sew around the edges of the entire sweater and collar.

Round KK's, Trilooms and stuff

Well, I've been knitting a sweater for myself on the green KK round for the sleeves and since I got the new KK longs I'm going to try to knit the body in the round on the lt blue one (I think that's the largest one, not sure) I'd like to try not to have to seam it anywhere but where the sleeves meet the armhole opening. I am using a Samba yarn from Big Lots I got for a $1.oo each in a maroone color with orange and yellow tufts, really gorgeous yarn much prettier than I described. Unfortunately they ran out and the last ball I got is a different color than the others, same dye lot and brand but noticeably different in shade. Oh well, so the sleeves will have samba in them and the body won't, no biggy just a forced creative decision (ha!! I knew I could turn that around in my favor). I'm doing 1 over 1 in Caron Simply Soft for the body and arms gives it an open weave effect I really like and since I'm in Florida my sweater don't need to be thick, yet another plus in my favor.

On the tri-loom I still have my grandma's shawl, it's taking longer than I though it would but since I only work on it in the evenings, I guess my progress is not so bad, plus running out of yarn in the middle is also a delay factor, but I got more now and today I plan on really making a dent in it. I'd like to try to finish it this weekend and get my ruana going, I'd like to take that with me on my trip to NC in December, I got over six weeks to weave two tri's and sew them together I think I can do it in time. I would love to do the log cabin pattern for it, but I don't really like fringe and I can't get around it with this technique so maybe two over two would be good I have some sport weight I could try out and see if it works for me. I'll put up some WIP pics for you all to see.

SOME FUN STUFF

You Are Midnight

You are more than a little eccentric, and you're apt to keep very unusual habits.Whether you're a nightowl, living in a commune, or taking a vow of silence - you like to experiment with your lifestyle.Expressing your individuality is important to you, and you often lie awake in bed thinking about the world and your place in it.You enjoy staying home, but that doesn't mean you're a hermit. You also appreciate quality time with family and close friends.

What Time Of Day Are You?

7' Tri-Loom

Well here it is... My finished tri-loom. I've started on my grandma's shawl, I've been working on it since I finished the loom every evening for about an hour or two. I think at this rate I'll finish it by next weekend. It's really different at this size than when I work on the small 18" one. It really is a great hobby and one I'm sure I'll enjoy for a long time. :o)

For those of you keeping track was 60 degrees here in the morning too bad they said it was going up to the 80's by noon time. ;o(

7' TRILOOM, NIP IN THE AIR

IT'S DONE!!!!! YES!!!!! **HAPPY HAPPY DANCE** I finally finished my 7' tri-loom. Last night when I got home from work, I looked at the pieces and thought I need to get this done, not that I hadn't done that before, but last night I finally did something about it. I've been watching alot of TV which for me is detrimental, since I'm a serious TV buff, I get sucked in really quickly. I can win a TV trivia game in no time flat, I guess I can store alot of useless information in my brain.. But I digress, I started hammering and hammering and hammering until I got all 500 + nails into the red oak pieces that were cut for me by some really nice guys at work. That wood was hard to nail!! After I reassembled all the pieces I took it into my bedroom (as if anything else can really fit in there, I need some of my kids to move out so I can take a bedroom for a craft room, hehehe) and hung it on the wall with some hooks that were holding a tapestry wall hanging. I must admit it's not the prettiest loom ever, but it is finished and it's mine, all mine!! I was so excited and exhausted, but I managed to start weaving on it. For my first big shawl I'm weaving my grandma, who is 94 a red and white striped prayer shawl. She's getting forgetful, older, crankier, achey and chilly all the time, I figured since she made me so many crocheted items I still cherish, I can't think of a better way to thank her than with something I made especially for her as a Christmas gift, since God has blessed me with allowing her to stay on earth for so many years. She'll love it!! I'll take some photos tonight to post.

Chilly.....
Well I got up this morning for work and the temp was 57 degrees, I know by anyone else's standards that's not cool but for Miami, Fl. it definately is.. I pulled out my Entenmann's sweater, I worked for them ten years ago so this sweater is an oldy but it's held up great (wish I would have gotten two at the time) which always goes to work with me when it's cool. When I got into my car I actually had to turn the thermostat up to 78. Okay don't laugh but I'm use to getting in the car and having to turn it down to 60 since it's about 82 degrees when I walk out of the house. This only adds to my excitment of leaving on vacation to NC for December, can't wait, can't wait.. we're going to meet with the realtor and take a look around. I feel like a kid at Christmas time, whose wished for something real special.

Our contract with the realtor here in Miami will be expired in the middle of November and we're going to try to sell the house ourselves. The market is not really great right now, I guess we should have sold about a year and half ago, it was crazy then, but it's cooled off some now. I don't really care though because I figure if we sell by May of 2007, when the kids graduate high school we still be in good shape to start our 5 yr plan. We bought the house from the owners without a realtor and it really was not a difficult transaction, so I think we can sell it the same way. God will guide us through it, as He did when we bought it.. so eventually it really is in His hands.

Shrugs

I have some new pics of some shrugs I'm working on for my nieces. My unwilling model (my daughter) is in the dark blue, my more willing model (coat hanger) is in the light blue. I gotta wonder what I'm going to do for a model when this kid goes to college next year!! I made these on the KK rounds and I think they turned out really nice. I used Caron Simply Soft and Tickle Yarn by Sullivan for the dk blue and Simply Soft and Samba by Sullivan for the lt blue, I working on a purple one since I have three nieces, they were fun to do and work with, gave me a ton of ideas for other projects. I got the Samba and Tickle yarn @Biglots for a $1.00 a 50g ball which I thought was a great deal. I have lots of other colors just waiting to be used. Okay I admit it I'm a yarnaholic, maybe a twelve step program is in order LOL. I really don't think that will help me.

Sept. 27, 2006

I wanted to post two pics of a hat and scarf I did with velour yarn, the model is my daughter who decided to have some fun while I took the photo, so I promised her I'd use it anyway.


Ain't she cute!! God, I can't believe she going to be 18 in December, funny thing I never worry about my birthday which is in the same month but I always feel hers..... The second pic is a close up of the hat. I did the scarf on the Purple KK board and the hat on my DA small gauge adult hat loom. The only thing I didn't appreciate about this yarn is that it has no give really tight to knit.

I know I promised the sweater pic but I can't find the zipper you'd think a 24" beige parka zipper would be easy to find after all how many parka's do you actually think we use in Florida. But maybe that's the reason also, no demand.

You Are 48% Brutally Honest

Honesty is important to you, but generally, you try not to be brutal about it. You'll sugar coat the truth when you need to... and tell a white lie when necessary.

How Brutally Honest Are You?

Sept. 15, 2006

Well, I promised some pics on the baby burp cloth and here it is!! I also made a hat to go with this set. This is not one of my better pics but the good digital camera is lost (whaaaaa!!!) My daughter has it as she doesn't know where she put it...as soon as I find it I'll post better pics.

I join a new group this week the Prayer_ Cloth_Ministry on the yahoo groups. This is a group of Christian ladies that make prayer cloths for people in need and the troops in Iraq. I'm going to start on one this weekend, I have a design in mind of a celtic cross I have to see how this will work out, I need to make sure I can center it, my biggest fear is getting half way through to find I need to frog it.

I finally broke down and bought some KK rounds this week to see if I can work some new stuff on them, I've been hunting the new Long Loom Series down, but can't bring myself to paying what most people on e-bay are asking plus shipping, too much $$$$ for me right now. So I thought I might use the rounds and do some things with those. My purple KK will be free real soon, the sweater is almost completed (yes!!!) then, I can't start something on that soon also, it's kinda funny how most of the crafters I know have several projects going at once. I had made a New Year's resolution that I would only work on one project until I was finished before I'd start a new one, well so much for that nonsense, of course it didn't work neither did loosing 20 lbs. ROFLOL.... I have tons of ideas rolling around in my head, but of course no time in which to work them out I decided I better start writing them down so that I can keep up with it. I also finally made the decision that I won't be able to get the pattern book I've been working on done, there just isn't enough time for everything in my life so this book is out. I'm going to post patterns on the groups and just share them, it was a depressing conclusion, but one that I'm sure the group knitters will love LOL. Well I think I rambled on long enough, bye for now and God Bless you.

Sept 12, 2006

I haven't posted in a while, been really busy and kinda tired. I got contact lenses( for the first time) that are driving me up the wall. The are mono vision, one eye for close up and the other for distance, I actually see better without them, than with them in my eyes. go figure!! My eyes itch and get all dried up. Really annoying, but according to the doctor, I have to use them for a month b4 I go back to the doctor's office. I think I'm just going to break down and get glasses ;o(

I'm finishing my sweater on the purple KK, I started on the coller today with a K2 P1 it look pretty good. I sewed the two sleeves and cuffs and it's really starting to look like something wearable. I'll have to get some pics up.

I also finished the baby burp cloth and am working on the blanket. (need pics of that too)

August 28, 2006

This is my sweater sleeve and a close up of how I used the purple KK as a round to achieve a seamless sleeve. I'm almost done with the sweater I sewed up the back one sleeve and one front panel this weekend. I'm quite happy with the way it's turning out. After I finish this sleeve I will post a pic of the semi finished sweater. On other news we are under a hurricane watch again!!!! Whaaaaaaaaaa!!!! it gets boring after a while (been doing this for almost 20 years now) same thing just getting ready, waiting, cleaning up after it hits etc..... The only good thing, if you can even think there's a good thing about it, is the time off from work :o) , gotta love a day or two off, just like snow days when I was a kid in NY.

August 23, 2006

Knitted Burp Cloth & Woven Baby Blankie

WOW!! It's been two weeks since I posted anything----scary!!! I've been really busy and kinda gloomy lately. So I guess that's been the culprit... I started knitting a baby burp cloth for my stepsons' (yeah I have two) auntie, her first , poor thing she so excited. I also want to knit a baby hat and I'll weave a blanket this way I get to use all my looms and talent LOL.

I'm also almost finished with the sweater I started on the Purple KK loom about 2 months ago not too bad since I only loom this on my lunch break and sometimes on weekends. I have 3/4 of the the second sleeve to go and then I can stitch it together I used the loom as a rake and had some fun figuring out how to get things done, although I cheated on the sleeves I used the loom as a circular loom and made them without any seams, but hey, I'm the designer so I get to do as I like, this is what I love about the looms, the creative process. I still need to figure out a collar and some pockets for it. I can't have any sweaters without pockets, it just wouldn't help if my hands got cold, never understood why they made any sweaters without pockets. (one of the many things floating in my head, believe me there's alot of room up there for things to float around). Well I guess that's it for now..

August 7, 2006

Weaving

I finished weaving my sample shawl, this one is going to North Carolina to the Blue Ridge Hand Weaving Show. I have to get a doll to be able to display it. Even though I'm in Florida, North Carolina is calling my name, oh well 5 more years and we'll be there permanantly (Woohoo!!) Thank God, we'll be up there for vacation the last week of December (I can get my fix that way and keep dreamin'). I figure once I get the sample shawls back I can give them to my nieces for their American Dolls. I have to name this one, in order to send it... something catchy... I'll think about it unless someone can come up with something for me..


As for the 7' triloom its in various stages of unfinished wood and nails I got a blister from the hammer (I know go figure) the wood is harder than I thought and am having a heck of of time hammering in the nails, 252 per each side x3 (756 for those of you that are mathematically challenged as I am, can you believe I needed a calculator for that, very sad state of affairs in that department). I don't know if I'll finish it at this point I'm just disappointed, I'll see if I can do some more pounding this afternoon.

8/4/2006

blog under construction :)