Random

Show and Tell, More Proactive Changes and What’s On My Needles


SHOW AND TELL

My sweet son in law has been requesting a pitcher for I don’t know how long.  Being a pastor, he wanted something he could use for baptisms and communion. After many unsuccessful attempts, I finally came  up with one that passed muster.

Clefton’s Pitcher

Inside glazed with Spectrum Cinnamon Ripple

Outside glazed with Amaco Seaweed

 

Test Bowl

Outside glaze Amaco Seaweed PC-51

Inside glazed with Mayco Stoneware Glaze

SW-156

Galaxy

Here’s a better look at the inside –

 

TODAY’S PROACTIVE CHANGE

This one is turning out to be the most difficult – putting all my devices aside 30 minutes  before bedtime. Yep, this one is by far the most difficult.  There’s always just one more thing I want to  check on, which leads to another page, then one more site and then just one more peek at Facebook. Putting it all aside 30 minutes before bedtime gives my brain enough time to calm down and I fall asleep faster and stay asleep. 🥱😴

ON  MY NEEDLES

 

Shibui Sock

Colorway unknown

100% Merino

Petty Harbour by Rayna Curtis

 

We are limited,  not by our abilities,  but by our vision. Anonymous

 

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday 05/08/13 Short n Sweet


ON THE NEEDLES

I think I have more WIPs than I ever have, due to a terminal case of startitis over the past month or so.  I’ve been working steadily on each of them and so far project boredom hasn’t set in, which is a good thing, because that’s how my startitis starts.  So, here they are, in no particular order:

Crocus Vernus Socks from Knitter’s Curiosity Cabinet

The yarn is a mystery Shibui Sock that I discovered in the sale bin at Yarn Mart.  I think it’s perfect, don’t you?

Sunday Swing Socks

These are also knitted using Shibui Sock, colorway Poodle Skirt and are sharing the stage with Stephanie Pearl-McPhee‘s newest book.  I’m linking up with Ginny’s Yarn Along this week, so don’t forget to drop by and check out more projects and current reads.

Last, but certainly not least, is a simple, top down sweater I’m calling Karma as it started out as the Imagine Sweater, morphed into the Yarn Formerly Known As Sweater and is now born again.  Instant Karma, anyone??

100% cotton Yarn Formerly Known As Sweater in Periwinkle

Don’t forget to check out Ginny’s Yarn Along and Tami Ami’s WIP Wednesday blog.

Well we all shine on

Like the moon and the stars and the sun

Well we all shine on

Everyone, come on

John Lennon

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Knitting

I Spy?, Harlot Visit and Where’s Spring?


SPY?

My neighbors probably think I’m spying on them.  Remember, I’m the weird lady out taking photos of yarn in her pajamas every so often?  The scoop is that since I put out bird feeders a few weeks ago, we have a lot of wildlife activity in the yard, mostly squirrels, birds and now, bunnies and in my quest to declutter, go through, donate or throw out, I found a pair of binoculars and that’s what’s been happening the past few days.  Honest, mister, I’m really not interested in what goes on across the fence.  I just want to see the birds and bunnies.

I’M SO EXCITED!

I can’t wait until Saturday – Stephanie Pearl-McPhee aka as the Yarn Harlot, is coming to Arkansas to speak at the Arkansas Fiber Arts Extravaganza. I’ve been an admirer of hers since I started knitting. The Extravaganza is being held at the Lodge at Mt. Magazine, one of the most beautiful spots in Arkansas. I was there a few years ago for the very first knitting get together and always wanted to go back, if not for a weekend, just for a day.

Beautiful!

OFF THE NEEDLES

Last weekend, again in my quest to organize and declutter, this time my yarn room, I unearthed two unfinished scarfs, lacking only casting off and weaving in ends.  I got busy and they officially became FOs.

All I can remember about this one is that it’s a pattern from Classic Elite Yarns.  This is the second scarf in this pattern that I’ve done.  The first was done in Liberty Wool.  This yarn, I don’t remember.  I’ll do a stash dive later and see what I can come up with.

ON THE NEEDLES or LIKE I NEED TO START ANOTHER PROJECT

I caved in last night and cast on Crocus Vernus from The Knitter’s Curiosity Cabinet, using the pink mystery Shibui Sock I found on sale at my LYS, Yarn Mart.  Loving it already, the color and the pattern.  And yes, I’m still working on the Sunday Swing Socks.  I have to admit it’s very gratifying to see that this pattern really does show off the colors in the Shibui Poodle Skirt yarn to their best advantage. I love it when a plan (finally) comes together!

WAIT, IT’S MAY, NOT JANUARY

I think someone neglected to send Mother Nature the memo that it’s May.  As I type this, the temperature is 40 degrees in Little Rock, it’s snowing in Fayetteville and raining here.  What happened to Spring?  It was here a day ago, I saw it.

Lots more FO Friday projects at Tami Ami’s blog!  Don’t forget to pay them a visit!

The minute you choose to do what you really want to do it’s a different kind of life.  Buckminster Fuller

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Knitting

WIPW 04/10/13, Yarn Along and Sock Pattern Lust


ON THE NEEDLES

I decided to give myself a little break from fiddly stuff for a bit and have been knitting up dish towels instead, finally using some of that Sugar and Cream that’s been in the stash for lo, how many years.  My current favorite is the Yarn Over Cable Cloth from Dishcloth Boutique.  After just a couple of repeats, I’d memorized the four row pattern, a welcome relief from having to look from pattern to knitting and back to pattern.

I’m getting the sock knitting itch again, I just wound some new Shibui Sock from Yarn Mart and am pondering patterns even as I type.  I have a couple of ideas – Spring Forward or Kew, both from Knitty.  Love them both, maybe I’ll flip a coin.  Here’s a look at the new Shibui –

This color is called Poodle Skirt and how cute is that??

MR. CANON AND ME, WE GETTIN’ TIGHT

Beginning to feel much more comfortable with Mr. Canon and today, it took only about 30-45 minutes to remember and do what took hours yesterday.  Josie, Mr. Canon and I just may take a field trip tomorrow morning, especially if the weather stays as beautiful as it has the last two days.

Photobomb by Josie

BY THE BOOK

My Yarn Along contribution today is Stephen King’s Under the Dome, in preparation for the mini-series scheduled for sometime in June.  I’m still technically reading Annie Dillard‘s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, but haven’t picked it back up since Monday afternoon at the library.  I’m planning to get started again this afternoon, the weather is predicted to be stormy and this seems like it would be a good book to cocoon with.

DON’T FORGET TO

Visit Tamis Amis’ WIPW blog for more WIP goodies and Ginny Sheller’s Yarn Along for lots more book and yarn love.  Prepare to be inspired!

The better part of happiness is to wish to be what you are.  Desiderius Erasmus

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Knitting

Get your WIP, Get your WIP Wednesday here! – 1/23/13


ON THE NEEDLES

This week’s WIP Wednesday offering is the second Phloem sock from Knitty, using Shibui Sock that I’ve named Sand and Sky.  I loved the way the first sock took shape, with a botanical bent and so I was probably a tad bit over confident when I cast on the second.  I just dove right in, not an unusual plan for me.  After all, I finally had the pattern down and what the stitch key showed, right?  So, last night, about two inches into it, I went back just to review something in the pattern and noticed that I’d completely forgotten to do the cuff.  I waffled about just forging ahead and pretending it was OK but I just couldn’t, I knew it would bug me just knowing it was supposed to have a cuff but didn’t, so I frogged and started over.  I can rest easy now.  Yes, sometimes I tend to have a perfectionistic streak a mile wide and sometimes it serves me well, like last night.  So here’s the do-over.

THE GRANDS

Remember Babysis, the Papoose’s baby sister? Well, I changed her name from Babysis to Alfalfa Sprout, as in Our Gang/The Little Rascals.  She has a huge, no holds barred cowlick on the crown of her head that is so freakin’ cute I almost can’t stand it.  I just thought that Sprout was a better fit than Babysis.  See what I mean?

I wasn’t kidding, was I?

THE GREAT WASHING MACHING CRISIS

It’s over, it’s really, finally over – at least until another appliance gives up the ghost.  Got my new, fancy washing machine delivered and hooked up.  I think I did at least 15 loads that first day.  Man, does laundry pile up or what?!  Mr. Iknead laughed when I took a picture to share.  I think he thinks posting pictures of washing machines is a little odd, but I tend to blog things that I’m happy about and things that interest me and I’m definitely both about my new washer.  I think it’s very handsome, myself.  To each his own.

NOT ON THE NEEDLES, YET

The Yarn Mart just called and said my special order yarn, Metalico Gold Dust, has arrived so I’m hot-footing over to pick it up.  Pictures and description later, it’s calling my name.

Want more WIP Wednesday?  Check out Tami’s Amis, you can’t miss.

You never truly understand something, until you can explain it to your grandmother.  Albert Einstein

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Knitting

FO Friday 01/18/13


ON AND OFF THE NEEDLES

This week’s FO Friday is Meg White’s Cabled Hat, a free Ravelry pattern.  Turned out right nice as a friend of mine would say.

A quick knit, with just enough fiddliness to keep me interested.  I think the yarn is some I picked up at Hobby Lobby a while back, I Love This Yarn 100% wool.  Due to our (Mr. Iknead’s and mine) new austerity plan, I’m working toward losing at least a little of my yarn snobbiness.   I’m trying as hard as I can to bring Mr. Iknead, a very thrifty (read tightwad) guy over to the dark side, knitting him a pair of soft, warm, merino socks, I think it might be working.  The upshot of this plan is that in order for me to be able to stay home, baking and knitting, I have to scale back on some things, like high end sock yarn.  Ouch.

I’m still working on the Phloem socks using a happy discovery of two hanks of beautiful Shibui Sock that I found during a stash dive.  Hopefully by the next FO Friday, I’ll have them ready to wear.  I loves me some Shibui!

BY THE BOOK

Another casualty opportunity to cut back is with my book and audiobook habit.  I downgraded my Audible membership and have been using our local library instead.  I love the downloadables, both e-books and audios and I’m nearly always at the ten book limit at any given time.  One I’m listening to now is Danger to Self: On the Front Line with an ER Psy.chiatrist, by Paul R. Linde.  Fascinating.

IN THE OVEN

Have butter and eggs sitting out, getting ready to make Sour Cream Pound Cake, a recipe from my trusty Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, a wedding gift 33 years ago.  It’s been well used and well loved, judging from the stains and sticky stuff between the pages and is the first cookbook I grab when thinking about what to have for supper or what to bake when my sweet tooth kicks in.  A classic and a favorite.

Check out Tami Amis blog for more FO Friday goodness.

Simplicity is the key to brilliance.  Bruce Lee

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