Tag: knitting

Knitting

WIP Wednesday, Booklove and Paisley

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ON THE NEEDLES

My Cable and Pleat Tunic is once again on the needles, after starting and then frogging three times.  I’m hoping that this attempt is THE one and I’ll finally see real progress.

MORE CRAFTINESS

I decided to I needed some kind of jar or pot to store the assorted brushes, pencils and markers that are accumulating quickly on my craft table.  I love paisley- bet you didn’t know that about me- and decided to experiment with some paisley shapes and a straight sided glass jar.  It’s not finished, I plan to cover the jar completely with paisley and then outline to make them stand out.  Here’s what I have so far-

 

Yeah, I can see that outlining them is going to be a must to delineate the paisley shapes.

BOOKLOVE

I just finished Maeve Binchy’s A Week in Winter yesterday and it was OK.  I enjoyed it, but probably won’t pick it up to read again.  Admittedly, it was a departure for me, I generally go for nonfiction or horror or crime novels.  Still, I liked it enough to finish it.

FIRST TIME

This morning was the first time I’ve been able to enjoy my coffee and newspaper on the patio.  Birdsong and cool breezes, coffee and newspaper=perfect place to spend the morning.  Crazy good.

Linking with Tami, Ginny and Frontier Dreams today.

Who we are never changes.  Who we think we are does.  Mary Almanac

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Knitting

Pottery, Sad and a Table

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MY POTTERY

My least favorite thing about throwing pots is the glazing, mostly, I think, because glazing is something that cannot be rushed if you want a good result.  With me, it’s sort of a chicken and egg thing: am I not good at it because I don’t enjoy it or do I not enjoy it because I’m not good at it?  Anyway, a few weeks ago I got busy at the glaze table and these pots are the result.  For the first time, I’m actually happy with how they turned out.  I took my time on this bunch and it paid off,  I know I was more thoughtful and patient, thinking out the process with regard to colors and how I wanted each piece to look when finished.

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WHA….?

Sadly, the Cable and Pleat Tunic is not going well.  I frogged it for about the third time last night when I just couldn’t get the stitch count to jibe.  After frogging, I put it away until this morning, when I was much fresher and in a much better mood.  Come to find out, I had miscounted way back in the casting on, with 38 extra stitches.  No wonder it didn’t work!  I’m getting ready to cast on again; wish me luck!

CREATIVE MINDS AND ALL THAT

I thought I’d give you a look where all some of my crafty stuff hangs out.  I console myself with the quote, “Creative minds are rarely tidy.”  Mr. Iknead avoids this room like the plague, but I like being able to see my stuff.  I have a feeling that our housekeeper is going to hyperventilate when she gets a look.  A warning sign on the door might be in order.

All serious daring starts from within.  Harriet Beecher Stowe

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Knitting

With An Umbrella And Everything

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LOVE THIS

It finally stopped raining and we were able to step outside and enjoy our newest patio purchase:

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It was a long time coming and I predict  many, many happy hours.  Next on the purchase list: a glider and a wading pool for the grands.  This will be a perfect spot to work on my art journal and my knitting projects.  I might even bring Violet, the spinning wheel, out for some fresh air every now and then!

PARTING SHOT

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Can I help it if I’m easily entertained??

E=mc2.  Albert Einstein 

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Knitting

Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!

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SHRUG IT OFF!

My Harmonica is finished! I was geared for an all nighter, I was so ready for it to be done,  but had it finished and ends woven in by about 10 p.m.  Babymama was nice enough to model it so I could get a photo.

The shrug turned out really well, don’t you think?  Babymama is a great model – she makes everything she wears special!  Her little hitchhiker is Charlotte Faith, due the first week in August.

 When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to your youth, think of algebra.  Unknown

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Knitting

Good to Go, Rain Rain Go Away

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ON THE NEEDLES

I received the yarn for my My Harmonica Shrug yesterday, but in spite of my best intentions, it didn’t get finished.  Today is another day, though, it could transform from WIP into a FO; technically, the day’s not over until midnight, right?  I frogged the Cable and Pleat Tunic and restarted this time without the twist.  That’s what distracted me from My Harmonica.  I promised Harmonica that I absolutely, positively will not work on any other project until it’s finished.  Yes, I talk to my knitting all the time, most of the time nicely, but there have been moments….

GOOD NEWS BAD NEWS

The good news is that the patio is finished and we’ve purchased a table, an umbrella and four great chairs to go with it.  We’ve also gotten most of the plants in the ground and so far, they all seem to be doing well.  We have a couple of different begonias, impatiens, lamb’s ear, butterfly bush and coral bells in the flower bed, with just a couple more to plant, a redbud that a friend gave me and an oakleaf hydrangea from another friend.  The bad news is that it has rained for the last three days, so all the lovely furniture we’re so anxious to use is sitting in the garage, waiting for the sun to come out.  When I checked the forecast this morning, it said rain and thunder showers continuing through Sunday.  Crap. I hope it’s wrong.  The other bad news is that Mr. Iknead’s back went out yesterday, due, I’m sure, to all the stooping, squatting and lifting he’s done over the past week or so.  He had a rough afternoon yesterday, I hope he’s better today.  Poor thing.

PARTING SHOT

The newest Yarnbox arrived earlier in the week and here’s what it contained – Two skeins of Fingerpaints Supersock Self Striping from Cherry Tree Hill Yarn, 100% superwash merino, in Java Jive.  I have only three words – It. Feels. Amazing.

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.  Chinese Proverb

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Knitting

Arghhhhhhh

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DANG

While I’m waiting for the yarn to arrive to complete the My Harmonica Shrug, I decided to go ahead and start this.  I had the yarn, I had the needles, I had the pattern and I even did a gauge swatch.  The pattern starts out CO 338 stitches.  Place marker and join in the round.  Knit five rounds, purl one round.  It’s working, everything looks to be fine, right stitch count, etc.  I don’t have to tell you how many stitches are in six rounds of 338.  Anyway, as I’m putting this new project to bed (I try to sort things out a little, make sure I know where to start when I next pick it up, looking for dropped stitches, just making sure I have no nasty surprises the next day, stuff like that).  Anyhow, (you fiber artists already know what I’m going to say next, don’t you?) I saw that it was twisted.  Oh no, please no!!!!!! Yeah, twisted.  At 11 p.m., I frogged what I’d knitted and started casting those 338 stitches on, again.  Maybe my Fyberspates will arrive today, sigh.  Here’s what it looked like before frogging –

See the gauge swatch?

The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.  Leo Tolstoy

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday, Patio, Hello Beautiful

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ON THE NEEDLES

See that little ball in the photo?  That’s all the yarn I have left and the Harmonia Shrug just isn’t. quite. finished.  All that’s left is adding ribbing to the other sleeve, binding off and finishing with a tiny ruffle.  Luckily, for once I saw this coming and was able to order one more skein from a yarn shop in the UK.   I’ll have nearly an entire skein left over, but I can definitely see the rest transformed into gift(s) this fall.  That’s the way the cookie crumbles sometimes, as they say.

OUTSIDE

Our patio upgrade/redo is FINALLY finished and are we enjoying it!  We’ve had our coffee outside on it for the last few days and have relaxed in the late afternoons with our respective cold drinks and iPads.  Totally worth the $ and frustration.  We have plans tomorrow to start shopping for an umbrella table and a swing. 

HELLO BEAUTIFUL

Here’s my most recent picture of Babydiva, who grows more gorgeous all the time.

Babydiva and doggy sister, Bela

This may be my all-time favorite photo of my son and his daughter, sharing homework time.  I have a phenomenal son, who is also a phenomenal husband and father and this sweet photo proves it over and over.  

PARTING SHOT

Our only chick in the nest now, Josie, who is always right in the thick of things.  She was very put out that her daddy went inside for two seconds and shut the door before she could follow.

Linking with Frontier Dreams, Ginny’s Yarn Along and Tami.

I admit to having an imagination feverish enough to melt good judgment.  Dean R. Koontz

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday, “This Is Gray”, Booklove

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“THIS IS…….”

When I went to the salon this morning, I showed the pictures I posted yesterday to my stylist.  If you missed yesterday’s post, you can read it here.  My stylist, who was my friend before she was my hairdresser, looked at the pictures, looked at me like I was crazy and said, “This is gray, your hair will not look like this.”  “How come?”   “You’re not gray enough” she says.  Oh.  OK.  She could make it more ashy and less gold, she said.  Again, “OK”.  So she did and I love it.  Love. It.

The Big Reveal

FYI – Back in the day (up until 2006), I pretty much kept my hair ultra short – think crew cut.  My daughter asked me to grow my hair out for her wedding.  I did and have loved my long hair much more than I ever expected.

ON THE NEEDLES

Still working on My Harmonia, but am in the last stages.  A few more 12 row repeats and I should be home free.

Last but not in any way, least

BOOKLOVE

In the throes of insane Booklove, and yes, I know I say that every week, with Far From The Tree, Parents, Children, and The  Search For Identity, written by Andrew Solomon.  This book was one of the 2012 Ten Best Books according to the New York Times Book Review.  Incredible book.  Don’t be put off by its size, it’s a great read and the pages fly.

 

Linking with Tami, Frontier Dreams KCCO and Ginny.

 

I have done my plowing: I have sown my seed.  Again I have time to sit and read my books.  T’ao Chien

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Knitting

Finally FO Friday

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OFF THE NEEDLES

Hitchhiker

Patons Lace

Sachet

ON THE NEEDLES

For the third time, I frogged my Vivacious Chocolate Shrug and started from scratch.  I hope this time’s a charm.  I’m getting burned out on the first three rows.  Thinking positive thoughts.

THE GRANDS

Mr. Iknead and I are in Stuttgart, riding herd on the Papoose and Sprout while their mom and dad fly off to somewhere in Texas for a wedding that their dad is officiating.  A short working vacation I suppose you’d call it.  So far, so good.  The girls went to bed with no fuss, no muss.  Here’s hoping that tomorrow is pretty for a visit to the park.

I’m linking with Tami and Frontier Dreams.

Indulge your imagination in every possible flight.  Jane Austen

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday 4/7/14

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ON THE NEEDLES

Vivacious Chocolate Shrug

Fyberspates Mixed Magenta

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So far, this is not going well, due completely to in attention on my part.  Frogged twice in the last two days.  It can only get better, right?

Linking with Tami today.

Going back to zero can help creative juices no matter the art form you are attempting to create.  Byron Pulsifer

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Knitting

Busy, But With What?

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DISTRACTED

Suddenly this evening I realized that I hadn’t posted since Saturday.  I know it’s only Monday, but I’ve really worked at getting into the at least three posts a week habit and truly, I enjoy posting, putting my thoughts in order and then onto the page; I mean, the “virtual” page.  I don’t remember the last time I hunted up a workable pen and a sheet of paper to write. Nowadays, handwriting, for me, is limited to list making and reminders, and even those are slowly being edged out by my iPad.

TDLP

My art journal has been kept me especially occupied the last few days.  Here are a couple of my entries over the past few days.

This Week’s Challenge

Document a Random Act of Kindness

The two coffee cups represent the RAK I received in the drive-thru at Starbucks when the person ahead of me paid for my latte, which I then passed on to the car behind me.

Last Week’s Challenge

Document an Inspirational Quote

I loved the imagination/kite analogy.  I’m not sure who to credit for this, maybe Lauren Bacall?

ON/OFF THE NEEDLES

Hitchhiker is finished!  Official FO pics on Friday.  Very pleased with how it turned out.  Stay tuned….

Knitting has  commenced in earnest on Vivacious Chocolate Shrug with the first three inches of the first cuff completed.  The Fyberspates yarn is a joy to knit, with just the right amount of squishy; I see more of this yarn in my future.

If we did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves.  Thomas Edison

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday 4/30/14, Booklove

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ON THE NEEDLES

1) Hitchhiker

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2) Socks on a Plane, #2

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3) Vivacious Chocolate Shrug

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BOOKLOVE

I’m still loving Frog Music as much as I did when I started it; since the story is told backward, end to beginning, the suspense  is building and I’m less sure of “who did what, when and why”.  I love that in a book – do you?   And since I’m very seldom book monogamous, I started Anya.  You can read about it here.

I’m linking with my usual Wednesday blogs, Tami, Frontier Dreams KCCO and Ginny’s Yarn Along.  Do you have others you’d like to share?

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.  Eleanor Roosevelt

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