Master Weaver

I took this picture December 24, before we started our prep for "Noche Buena" which is Cuban for eating roast pork, rice with black beans, yucca with mojo, drinking mojitos, playing dominoes with very experienced champion style matches (very competitive), and celebrating Christmas Eve. While I was clearing the several potted plants under our mango tree, I looked up and spotted this





as I walked around it several times, I was awe stricken, by the complexity and simplicity of the use of space, not a missed warp, all of it even and perfect. I thought how amazing that such a small creature could do such a magnificent job of weaving instinctively.

20 SQUARES AND 12 TO GO!

Okay, so not really a mitered square baby ghan, after knitting endless squares or what seems to be endless squares, I'm not really liking the process, shall we say tedious....

But I have to finish the baby ghan. So what's an industrious girl to do, in my case, I have decided to knit the mitered squares for the two ends and the middle in stripes, I've worked it out in my minds eye and think it will be really cute, or at least I want it to be. This is the route I think I will take, visually I think it's interesting to mix up the squares and have the color everywhere, instead of the predictable same with same. What do you guys think? I also need some help putting these together any suggestions as to not have the thread yarn I use for stitching show through the other colors?

TGIF!!!

I can't say it enough, Thank God it's Friday!!!!

We have had a rough week, both my youngest kid's cars were at the mechanics, the dog has chewed her hind legs into bleeding stumps, and I have to finish getting a crown on my tooth today, whew!!

I was talking with DH yesterday and said to him "you know we've spent over $ 2,000.00 , we didn't even have fun and we haven't even reached the weekend yet". His look was classic, a bit of surprise (he hadn't calculated the costs), then annoyance (the emergency fund is running low) then, just laughter (because you just have to). You're probably thinking why the heck are they laughing about it, well no one in our family is sick, hurt or in the hospital. God has granted us life everyday, not that it would be a great day, but another day. Trials and tribulations are a part of life, they way you handle them, that's in it self is the true lesson.

So this is why we laugh:

James 1:2-6 (NKJV)
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
1 Peter 1:6-8 (NKJV)
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen you love.

There is always a silver lining, an end to troubles and a way home.

FOR SALE

Since I haven't used any of the following items for over 8 months I thought it would be great to sell them to someone who will use them.



Love and Money Weaving looms $ 9.00 + Shipping. "Sold"

Knifty Knitters Long Loom Series II - $ 9.00 + shipping

Knifty Knitter Round looms including the Flower Loom $ 10.00+ Shipping

Adult size FG Cotter Pin Round from DA $ 15.00 +shipping "Sold"



One 32" wooden loom with cotter pins FG ( I don't have a pic of this one but it's a Marla Richard's Loom) $ 20.00 + shipping "Sold"





All the looms have been lovingly used all will come with pick, I don't have any instructions other than for the long wooden loom and the Hex Love and Money Looms . I will accept money orders (preferred) or personal checks. You can email me betyantonio4@yahoo.com with your addy and I will let you know what the postage will be.

Mish Mash and Then Some

I finished the woven sample this one is 25.5 " x 25.5" (wasn't planned this way it just happened) on my RH with the 12.5 dpi heddle, crochet cotton. It's very open and airy really nice drape, what I don't like are the edges, which are my fault, because I smashed them as I was weaving I have to learn not to pull too tight on weft so that they would be more uniform with the rest of the fabric. I could see a very pretty shawl in the near future with this yarn. It's pink, beige, brown and cream it's really lovely and I'm looking forward to working with it.


In the knitting department I finished my sweater, it doesn't seem that the color variation is such a big deal once it was all put together, so I'm keeping it. It's been washed, dried and blocked and it feels so soft. I'll really enjoy it on my next trip in February to NC.





I have been currently knitting this http://www.knitty.com/issuefall06/PATTviveka.html for my DD in light blue and heather grey for the body, but I stop dead in my tracks last light as I cast on the front, why might you ask, well my co-worker is 6mnths preggos and I have not started her baby ghan (YIIIIIKEES!!). So in my panic stricken state I started to dig around for my copies if Creative Knitting and I found this



I like the mitered square afghan they had and think it's simple enough to accomplish in a smaller size for a baby, I wanted a bit of a challenge in my knitting since I'm a newbie. I did a quick search on the web and found that I am about two years too late for the mitered square crazy from the Mason Dixon Knitting book, just as well, I'm sure that bloggers were getting dizzy over all the posts of colors, patterns, stripes etc.. So what I'll do as to not get anyone to roll their eyes when they read about my mitered square ghan is, I'll post only one square and won't post again til it's finished (saving you the grief of having to view countless squares. So I'm armed with my mag, my Knitting Answer Book (I think this is a must have for baby knitters) , yarn, circs, straights, and stitch markers, wish me luck!

So Much for Resolutions

Only 7 days after I posted the no buy new yarn blah, blah, blah.... guess what happened, when I went to Big Lots looking for some plastic bins? Where do you think I wound up? In the yarn section of course! After debating with my inner hoarder for about 15 seconds, I bought 10 skeins each of this ever so soft yarn Bernat's LuLu in GoGo Mint Green and Paton's Be Mine Wuzzy White (1 point for the hoarder 0 for the sensible me, hangs head in shame LOL but they were $1.00/ea.). Both yarns require 5.5mm needles which will work out great.

For what and why might you ask after all the talk of not buy anything and stash busting, well my niece is preggos and I think this would be the softest baby blankie I could knit. Now I'm in search of a pattern something simple and not too fuzzy both yarns are a type of boucle and have enough happening in the texture.

This is why lists don't really work for me ;0)

2008 STASH BASH

I have decided that, although I don't do lists because, I think they remind us of failures more than accomplishments, this year, I will, against my better judgement make a list.

I, as many a fibre aficionado, (oooohhhh I like that word) have more than my share (hoard) of yarn, so this year I will not buy yarn for any new projects until I'm finished with the stash that currently resides in my drawers, all of which have a designated projects attached to them, this of course brings me to my list.


Weaving Projects for 2008

Baby Blanket (1)
Baby Blanket (2)
Place Mats
Dishtowels
Log Cabin Scarf
Bath Mats (2)
Table Runner (2)


Knitting Projects for 2008
DD's Sweater (in progress)
Stash Busting Afghan
Cable Sweater
Learn Entrelac
Learn to use DPN's

This should keep me busy for a while at least it's motivation to get rid of the yarn. :o)

NEW WEAVING

I started the new year out with new weaving, this is crochet cotton on my RH with the new 12.5 dpi heddle I ordered back in November. This one is just for fun, I wanted to see how it would turn out. Sort of experimental.

Happy New Year!!

Another year come and gone, in the blink of an eye, at least that's how is seemed.

I've been reading some blogs and I love every one's disposition of fresh new year and new start, in that spirit, I'll do a 25 things you don't know about me meme, since I can't fathom having to do the 100. If you can read this thank a teacher, if you can write a meme thank another teacher, and if you can spell, punctuate and write in context, kiss a high school English teacher.

1. I miss the change of seasons, I spent New Years at 80 degrees ??
2. I'm married for the second time and after 13 yrs still in love with him
3. We are a Brady bunch family (boys his, girl mine).
4. I came to the US when I was 3 and became a citizen when I was 23.
5. I can read French, but can't speak it. (That's what 4yrs of high school French does to you)
6. Any kind of wine makes me sleepy within 1/2 an hour.
7. I loathe the fact that most people think Fidel Castro is the "President" of Cuba, duh DICTATOR.
8. I loved geography and world history when I was in school.
9. I hate the word mines, since a lot of people use it instead of mine.
10. I can read, write and speak Spanish fluently.
11. I love a good laugh, the kind that makes your stomach hurt.
12. I'm an independent, couldn't decide between parties, both have pros/cons.
13. I hate the way kids butcher the English language see #9.
14. I don't balance my checkbook, EVER.
15. I finish projects (eventually).
16. Till year ago, I didn't know what DH, SIL, the the other acronyms meant LOL.
17. I love to organize.
18. I can't eat anything spicy.
19. I can punch as hard as a guy (really my husband says so)
20. I'm thankful for everyday the Lord allows me to enjoy.
21. I don't like it when parents don't discipline their children and expect everyone else to accept it.
22. I lived in Union City, NJ til I was 14 and miss it.
23. I really don't like Miami, never have.
24. I don't understand why people are so concerned with celebrities.
25. I paint murals.