Lowering My Standards or Giving Myself A Break

February 28, 2021March 1, 2021 mud&string1 Comment

I’ll take the latter, thank you very much. 🙂

When I was a worker bee, I published a post three times a week on average, usually Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Since retirement, I MIGHT get a blog post in once a week or so, all the while making promises to myself that “next week I’m getting back to three times a week”. Now, if you are a regular reader, you know that three posts a week has yet to happen.

Why was I a more productive blogger back then when I worked 40 hours a week than I currently am as a happy retiree? Seems counterintuitive (am I using that word correctly?) doesn’t it?

I think I know the answer. I’m still working, but at knitting, working with clay, throwing pots, doing a bit of sewing, painting a bit and having a go at whatever catches my curiosity at any particular time.

All this leads to full happy days and these full happy days tend to squeeze out my blogging time.

So, I’m cutting myself some slack and instead of beating myself up for what I haven’t done, from now on my goal is one post a week and actually enjoying sharing thoughts and projects.

This is what I’ve been working on this past week –

I started these yesterday. Sadly, this photo doesn’t do this yarn justice and doesn’t show off its sparkle.

I rediscovered my love for counted cross stitch, which has been back burnered for about 20 years and went all in with this gargantuan project.

I can tell how long I’ve been away from cross stitch by just how much my close vision has gone downhill. My new bifocals are supposed to arrive today and none too soon. I expect they’ll make a HUGE difference! 🤓

Cookie A’s Pomatomus Socks are off my needles!

These make me particularly proud since this pattern has defeated me at least three times in the past. Yay me!!!!

Details on all these projects can be found here, and here.

For success, attitude is equally as important as ability. Harry F. Banks.

2020 · Arkansas Art Center Sale · Knitting · pottery

Five Roses Finish!

November 27, 2020 mud&string1 Comment

OFF MY NEEDLES

My Five Roses Shawl is finally finished and I think it turned out really well. There were a few moments when I seriously considered frogging and starting over but I’m glad I didn’t. My project notes are here.

Christmas knitting continues. With My Five Roses completed, some of my self imposed pressure has eased and I plan to focus on my Christmas projects for the next few weeks. No new projects until 2021 is my mantra for the time being. 🧘‍♀️

I have high hopes for these little bowls. I got a sample pack of brand new Amaco glazes and can’t wait to see how they turn out.🤞

We see things not as they are, but as we are. Our perception is shaped by our previous experiences. Dennis Kimbro

2020 · Knitting

WIP Wednesday 10/21/20

October 21, 2020 mud&stringLeave a comment

ON MY NEEDLES

My Gray Days sweater continues to grow, however slowly. Four more inches of cables are all that stand between me and separating for the sleeves. I’m loving the colors in this yarn, purple and robin egg blue, which happens to be my favorite color at the moment.

It drives me nuts that this photo is sideways, it refuses to be rotated so I guess I’ll have to live with it. 😠

A Bit Twisted Flower is also growing, even though it doesn’t seem so. It’s been a while since I knitted socks using dpns; add in a cable needle and it can feel like wrestling a porcupine! 🙂

Other wips await my attention and the words “Christmas knitting” are beginning to give me the shivers. All in good time I keep telling myself, all in good time. ⏰

Learn all you can from the mistakes of others. You won’t have time to make them all yourself. Alfred Sheinwold

FYI – You can find the details of these wips in my project notes on Ravelry.

2020 · Knitting · Other Obsessions

I Wish, WIPs and I Never Thought

October 14, 2020October 14, 2020 mud&stringLeave a comment

I wish WordPress wouldn’t strive so hard to make blogging easier. It seems like about the time I get familiar with the new and improved WordPress, it changes and once again I’m back at square one. Square one is where it takes me HOURS to do what normally takes an hour or so and my frustration gets so intense I just want to pitch it all and be done, that the cost:benefit ratio isn’t worth it. But I don’t and here I am.

ON MY NEEDLES

Details can be found in my project notes.

I NEVER THOUGHT

That Mr. iknead and I would be putting our current home on the market and building a new one, but the time feels right to us and it’s a seller’s market, so there ya go. This time next year I hope we’ll be in a new Casa Coleman and settled in. My attitude has changed from “just thinking about moving sort of makes my stomach hurt” to “OMG! I’m so EXCITED!! WHEN CAN WE START???”. 😍😍😍 You know it’s serious when you start a new Pinterest board named New House. 🙂

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. John Adams

Knitting · pottery

Score!

January 18, 2020January 18, 2020 mud&stringLeave a comment

After a try out of Kollage Square Circular Knitting Needles I’ve fallen deeply in love with these babies and want one of every size and length. The rub? Kollage has quit making them.😢 My LYS does carry them, but with very limited choices. I spent way too much time last night trying to track some down – a rollercoaster of emotion, let me tell you. I was ultimately successful, finding a nice selection of needle sizes and cord lengths at Paradise Fibers and bought three new circs, sizes 1,1.5 and 2 with 60” cables, my favorite! I’ll start stalking our mailman in the next day or so.

ON MY NEEDLES

I’m back on track with my Gray Day Gansey and am about an inch away from separating for the sleeves.

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Gray Day Gansey

Knitpicks Wool of the Andes

Haze

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Petty Harbour

First Light Handicrafts

Manos del Uruguay Fino

Turkish Delight

JUST OUT OF THE KILN

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ClayDreamsPottery

Buncombe White Clay

Glazed w/ Blue Rutile on exterior and Arctic Blue interior

Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly. Robert Kennedy

Knitting · pottery

Monday

January 13, 2020January 13, 2020 mud&stringLeave a comment

Hi ya’ll! Here it’s come around Monday again and I have a couple of things to show you. I hope everyone’s weekend was a good one, mine was super busy which is a good thing in my case. When I’m bored, I tend to get into trouble – think shopping, think junk food, think hours of Pinterest or Facebook. Does this sound familiar? OK, enough of that. Here are a few things I played around with over the weekend.

My Gray Day Gansey is STILL on my needles, due to a mistake (dropped stitch) that I was unable to make peace with. So, I put in a lifeline and ripped back a good six inches of cabling and fixed it. Much happier! E16E9B0A-C169-4D92-A5C4-7D9900950992

I also managed to finally get ClayDreamsPottery, my Etsy shop, updated. Hit the link and see what’s new. I also got a bisque kiln fired, which unfortunately did not go as smoothly as I’d hoped. One of the pots exploded early on but luckily, nothing else in the kiln was damaged. 😨

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Monday’s child is fair of face. Anonymous Nursery Rhymes

Knitting · pottery

Picking It Up Again

November 5, 2019November 17, 2019 mud&string3 Comments

That’s right, the Insomniac Potter is back. It’s been a busy month, both craftwise and familywise. My gray sweater is growing, but slowly, as expected. I’ve started and and abandoned several pairs of socks and a scarf or two, but I think I’ve found THE sock pattern – at least for now. Have a look-

This is the book-

My Gray Day Gansey

Like I said, this sweater is slow going, but is totally worth it, I really love cables. It’s definitely not portable or what I call cruise control knitting, though. It requires my full attention sort of like a toddler — take your eyes off it for one second and you’re in the weeds, at least I am! 😋

Then there’s the pottery. Here’s one of my newest pots –

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This one’s a do over. The original glazing turned out to be so ugly, I immediately reglazed it. I’m much much happier this time around! It’ll be going up on ClayDreamsPottery on Etsy in the next few days. If it floats your boat, let me know!

I have several pieces that are in that limbo between just thrown and dry enough to trim and bisque. I learned the hard way not to fire anything I’m not totally sure is bone dry. Nothing more discouraging than opening a kiln full of busted pots, but I’m also waiting for a couple of new glazes to come in before getting started on finishing them.

I always pass on good advice. It is the only thing to do with it. It is never of any use to oneself. Oscar Wilde

Knitting · pottery

The Insomniac Potter Rides Again

September 25, 2019September 25, 2019 mud&stringLeave a comment

Good morning everyone! As you can see, my sleep pattern seems to have reverted into the good old 2 a.m. internal alarm setting. (heavy sigh) One good thing about starting my day in the wee hours is that it’s a great time to run the kiln, long before the sun comes up, and the heat and humidity start to build.

Here’s a look at a few things I’ve been working on:

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The start of a series of small bottles, all different

Glazes L to R

Blue Rutile, Textured Turquoise and Blue Rutile, Blueberry Spice, Textured Turquoise, Ancient Jasper

A pot I started yesterday waiting to dry enough to trim.

A bean pot that has been washed and reglazed several times. (I’m not usually this indecisive.) Final glaze is Textured Turquoise. (Probably)🤔

ON MY NEEDLES

The first five inches of the Gray Days sweater. Six more inches of stockinette to go then on to the best part – CABLES! I absolutely LOVE cables!

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My Gray Days

Knitpicks Wool of the Andes

Haze Heather

Project notes can be found here.

There is no great genius without some touch of madness. Seneca

PS I’ve added some new pots to my Etsy shop, ClayDreamsPottery. I’d love to have you pay a visit!

Knitting · pottery

Woo-Hoo! I Have a FO!

September 20, 2019September 20, 2019 mud&stringLeave a comment

Off My Needles

It’s official! My Leksak Lady is finished, with ends woven, a nice Eucalan soak and ending with a good blocking and drying. My project notes can be found here.

My Leksak Lady

Knitpicks Wool of the Andes Tweed Barn Door Heather

I’m ready for fall and cooler temps, could someone please get in touch with Mother Nature and pass that on?

In the hope that yes, fall is coming, I started a new sweater yesterday, Gray Days, a Knitpicks pattern. I wish I could show you a photo, but nothing larger than a postage stamp will load. You can get a better look at it on the cover of the latest Knitpicks catalog.

Out of the Kiln

I’ve been working on a small bottle series and got the first bunch bisqued yesterday. Now comes the hard part – what glazes should I use? Decisions, decisions. Here’s a photo –

The universe is full of magical things, patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper. Eden Phillpotts

Knitting · pottery

Almost Back to Normal

September 15, 2019September 15, 2019 mud&stringLeave a comment

After being laid low last week from my shingles vaccine booster – think worst hangover ever accompanied by a temp of 102, I finally feel like I’m on the downside of this ugliness. Jeez louise, I hate to be sick!

I’ve made what I consider great progress on Leksak Lady, with only one and one half sleeves and the crochet edging to be done. I admit, I’m particularly proud of my edging as I rarely crochet (though I really do enjoy doing it) and am usually pleasantly surprised at how good it looks.

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Leksak Lady

I’m going to try my hardest to remember to add project notes when a project is completed. I find other knitter’s project notes really helpful and, well, turnabout is fair play my mama always said.

OK, that’s my string side. Now, on to the mud…..

My new clay finally arrived and new clay is always cause for a celebration. I threw a couple of chucks, which I sorely needed. It seems like just about everything that comes off my wheel lately has some sort of neck and I find it impossible to trim without using one. Granted, a chuck isn’t the most exciting thing to come off my wheel, but it sure is nice to have one when I need it!

Someday I’m going to learn how to level my shots. 🙂

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I threw this vessel and stamped it as an experiment. I like the way it turned out – what do you think? Maybe my new glazes will have arrived by the time it’s ready for glazing and it’s final firing.

FYI – Tomorrow is the first day of the fall session of pottery class. It’s doubly exciting because we’re in a new (to us) building as the Arkansas Art Center and Museum School is undergoing a facelift/remodel slated to take three years. Exciting stuff!

One more thing – If you haven’t visited ClayDreamsPottery lately, go on over and take a look. You never know what you might find!

All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree. Albert Einstein

Family · Knitting · Random

Where’d Summer Go?

September 9, 2019September 9, 2019 mud&stringLeave a comment

I’m definitely stuck in summer mode. I keep saying to myself “this summer, I’m going to ____________________”, as if it weren’t already September, the grands weren’t all back in school and the fall activities weren’t gearing up and the summer activities weren’t winding down. Admittedly, it seemed that this particular summer was more hectic than usual with family togetherness, minor injuries (mostly mine) with my back reminding me off and on that I’m not as young as I used to be (really??). Ahhh, no real complaints here, just the impossibility of trying to fit a year’s worth of being together and a year’s worth of activities into a six to eight week time frame. FYI – Half our grandkids and their corresponding parents live in Thailand — Bangkok to be exact and can make a trip back to the U.S. once a year, hence the compressed time frame. The rest of the grands live locally – a good thing for a grandma who needs a grandkid fix every now and then.

Now, aren’t you just dying to see a photo of our little darlings???

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Five granddaughters and one grandson!

l-r: Harper, Emma, Shepherd, Charlee, Annabelle and Susannah, the one who started it all!

IN MY STUDIO

I’m working on a series of small bottles that I’m enjoying a lot. I have no plan when I sit down to throw, I just let my hands do their own thing.

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These are ready for their first firing in the next few days,

ON THE FIBER FRONT

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These are some singles I spun up. I don’t feel like they are crying out to be plied so aftere a nice wash and wind, I think they’ll make nice socks for someone!

The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it. Richard Bach

Category: Knitting

Five Roses Finish!

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I Wish, WIPs and I Never Thought

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Score!

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Monday

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Picking It Up Again

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The Insomniac Potter Rides Again

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Woo-Hoo! I Have a FO!

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Almost Back to Normal

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Where’d Summer Go?

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To Share Is Human

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To Share Is Human

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To Share Is Human

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To Share Is Human

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To Share Is Human

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To Share Is Human

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To Share Is Human

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To Share Is Human

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To Share Is Human

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To Share Is Human

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To Share Is Human

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To Share Is Human

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To Share Is Human

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