jeannie's hands at work

Finished Serenity Socks - Yay!

2011-10-05T13:13:00.000-07:00

I finished my Serenity socks Monday. I have them on my feet as I type. I'm very happy with them considering I knitted them mostly without a pattern in front of me.

I used Deb Barnhill's Back to Basics toes from Knitty.com and Cat Bordhi's Sweet Tomato Heel that debuted at the Sock Summit.
The heel is great, but next time I use it I want to do the reinforcement stitch - the sl1, k1 to make the heel wear better.

Addendum: December 1, 2011
I'm enjoying the socks. They are wearing nicely, fit Great, and wash well. I haven't dried them in the dryer. I just can't do it yet.
I have some commercially knit Opal yarn socks that I put in the dryer, but I can't do my handknit socks yet. Maybe when they're almost worn out. :0)

15 Working Days till retirement, but who's counting?!

I can't remember how to do this....

2011-08-02T09:24:00.000-07:00

I can't remember how to set up the sidebar so that the KAL from below shows up in the sidebar with a link to Ravelry and the event.

Yeehaw2011!!!! Westknits Mystery Shawl KAL 2

2011-08-02T09:08:00.000-07:00

August 2, 2011

Yarn TBD TODAY! Cast on tonight.

I will be casting on tonight. I have to pick my yarns still. I have sock yarn galore so I'll pick from my stash.

I love Stephen West's patterns. So creative.

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/JeannieF/westknits-mystery-shawl-kal-2011-earth--sky

A useful tattoo (who would have thought!?!)

2011-06-27T08:56:00.000-07:00

Go check this out....

http://brugdidaleik.blogspot.com/
Scroll down to March 10, 2011

An actual useful, dare I say, practical tattoo. :0)

Isn't it Great?

Estes Park Wool Market

2011-06-20T17:58:00.000-07:00

Just some pictures for now and a little text.
Estes Park was wonderful.
Such a beautiful setting for workshops and fiber indulging.

The view from the high school of some of the mountains.

I'm looking at mountains about 10-12,000 ft. high. I was at about 7500 ft. at Estes Park.

This was the view out the window of the high school by our classroom. In the bottom right corner you can see the water of the lake.
The snow on the mountains is still so deep that you can't see trees up there. It's a concern as the summer heats up and the river rises. It's running very high through town as of now.

The classes were so good. I totally enjoyed myself, and I learned so much.
That's for the next post.

Till then...

DO OVER

2011-06-03T18:11:00.000-07:00

6/3/2011
DO OVER
I was so close! I could see the end. I was on the third section and realized it was too short, the 2nd section was too long, and there was a mistake in the seed stitch part of section 2.
I decided to rip it back to the mistake in the seed stitch and take it from there.
I wound the frogged yarn onto my swift as I ripped it and that’s when I realized I couldn’t knit from the swift! Well, I could, I suppose, but it wouldn’t be portable.

I had to frog the whole thing.
So, DO OVER.

Did I talk about the Ridged Beret?

Maybe tomorrow.

Something to look into.

2011-05-16T10:46:00.000-07:00

I'm going to check out this:

Learn the Basics of Knitting in 30 Days

I'll let you know how it goes.

I'm thinking about doing this.

2011-05-03T10:09:00.000-07:00

WriDaNoJu - Write a Damn Novel in June (June). Goal: Write 50K in the 30 days of June. It's perfectly situated six months from November so you have optimum time to prepare for WriDaNoJu and NaNoWriMo.

I signed up a long time ago for National Novel Writing Month on nanowrimo.org and never got very far. This would be a good test to see if 30 days is a good deadline.

I think I saw that you have to write about 1500 words a day to make the 50K in a month.
There's a great bunch of stuff to do all year, too.

There's a blog event even:

NaBloPoMo - National Blog Posting Month (Year-Round). Goal: Post every day for a month.

A great organization. A huge help to writers who can be isolated.

I found this while looking at knitting ... So Cool!

2011-04-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

See The New Travel Chair and 1000's of others - or share your own on Cut Out + Keep

Another cold start to the day today. I hope it will be warm enough to walk by noon. It wasn't for me yesterday.

Monday, Monday...

2011-03-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

I had a great day yesterday. I got to knit and be a part of one of my favorite TV shows "In Plain Sight," USA network. Here's the link

http://www.usanetwork.com/series/inplainsight/?__source=ggl|in+plain+sight|Brand|G_InPlainSight4&sky=ggl|in+plain+sight|Brand|G_InPlainSight4

A scene was shot at the Yarn Store at Nob Hill and I got to be one of the "knitting ladies."
It was fun.
What a beautiful New Mexico day for sitting outside and knitting and talking with other knitters. We were "on set" about 2 hours and the rest of the time waiting.
I saw an old friend who was working on the crew and passed some of the time catching up with him.
Sometimes when you work as an extra on a movie or TV show, it can be exhausting - you have to stand in one place for hours, or sit without moving or talking, and long, long hours. But yesterday was very relaxed comparatively.
Of course, I have to say the food was wonderful. It's one of the perks of being an extra that you get to eat great food just like the crew and cast.

Ringing Earth - Tibetan Monks in "spirit cave" hear new sounds

2011-03-22T06:56:00.000-07:00

This video has Earth Sounds from a cave in Tibet. Very intense. I want to share it with as many people as possible.

I know nothing about this guy's website. I just wanted to share the Cave recording. Use your own discretion about the Seer stuff.

"...better than before..." Lee Harris Energy

2011-03-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

This is part of the newest newsletter from Lee Harris.
The earth is better - even if it doesn't look like it right now. Better than before... How can that not be a good thing?

I have been feeling this but could not express it.

Thank you, Lee. Your words are so timely and comforting.

Here is the post on his site:

http://leeharrisenergy.blogspot.com/2011/03/mid-march-energy-update-japan-and.html

Apollo Rules! New Mexico Animal Friends TNR

2011-02-08T12:28:00.000-08:00

Check out this magnificent kitty! He is sooooo cool. He reminds me of my Speedy he's so fluffy - and BIG.
Please go see the rest of these kitties. This woman helps trap and neuter/spay feral cats and kittens. Since Speedy and Furball were feral, I was very interested in this set of pictures.
These folks are doing good work. God Bless.

Crochet Tidy Away Ends & Colour Changes

2011-01-28T08:01:00.000-08:00

Oh, my gosh! Is this Brilliant or what?!?!?!!! Megan has solved the end gap and working in ends. I will be looking at this a lot so I can pass it on to my students. Please go see her other videos.
Thank you, Megan!!!!!
How generous and kind of you to share this with the world.

Crocheting for the Australian Flood Victims

2011-01-26T09:14:00.000-08:00

Please go to this site and see if it's something you want to do. I signed up and will be sending crocheting soon.

Thank you for looking.

http://sarahlondon.wordpress.com/crochet-a-rainbow/

2011-01-25T07:45:00.000-08:00

I'm updating my blog today and adding pictures for ICrochet. I'm adding my blog to that site. :0)
This is a rug that I crocheted several years ago. It's three strands of yarn held together so it makes a substantial rug.
Someday I want to do this in 3-strand bulky wool and felt it, and see what I get.

Emma Rae Perea:

2011-01-18T11:52:00.000-08:00

Emma Rae Perea:

The newest addition to the Assessment & Learning surrogate family.

A must see cutie!

2011-01-14T13:20:00.000-08:00

You guys -this is soo cute! You have to go see this blog.

http://mochimochiland.com/2011/01/tiny-squid/#comments

She has the sweetest little mini creature. Just go see.

Update during the holidays.

2010-12-07T12:08:00.000-08:00

I "joined up" on this creative blog today.

http://acreativedreamer.blogspot.com/

I'm ready to let my creativity fly. Fly to new heights, blossom into wonderful creations and designs, become fulfilling, happy, exciting and grace full.

I've had a tough 3 months, looking at more problems coming up, but I'm done with worrying and fretting.

I'm a Blessed Child of God. I show up, and I AM GRATEFUL.

Progress on Socks

2010-09-08T08:25:00.000-07:00

Look online to see the colors -

Chili Colorway, Deborah Norville Serenity Sock Yarn:
mauve, blue, green with grey - ish background.

Slow but doing well. I'm actually knitting these socks 2 at once, toe up, on 1 circular needle. Yay.

I started these socks awhile back , but I finally GET the magic loop thing - at least so far.

DD's Birthday

2010-06-22T07:22:00.000-07:00

What a busy month this has been. So much activity, different things to do and a break in my routines.

My DD's birthday was the 6th and we had a very quiet celebration. She did get to change her hair color which she'd wanted to do for a while. And got the game she asked for -late but that's how the paychecks roll.

I am so proud of her - she passed all her classes this semester and will be in her final year in school in August. she worked hard, took it seriously and it paid off.

In knitting news, I have several projects that are not going well for various reasons.

The snood is too small and will have to be ripped and started over.

The EZ Baby Surprise sweater is off in stitch count after the increases at about row 58 - not a problem till 5 rows later - then I tried to "fix it." I have to rip it back now.
You know, I think I'd be able to remember this since I've made -what? 3? 4? of these sweaters?
Nope -I'm stuck in the same places again. Sigh.

I have started a new mohair shawl. Gorgeous yarn, simple simple pattern. I don't know if this one will be for sale or me. Maybe I'll bead the edge of this one.

Socks from a Deborah Norville yarn, Serenity Sock yarn - bamboo, nylon, superwash merino http://www.premieryarns.com/yarn.php?id=121 ; I believe, and on 1 (ONE) circular needle. So far, So good.

Pictures soon.

Meditations for the Oceans

2010-06-22T07:20:00.000-07:00

Santuario de Chimayo on Good Friday "Lourdes of the Southwest"

2010-04-07T11:37:00.000-07:00

I went to Chimayo on Good Friday to videotape a medical team that was standing by at the Sanctuary.
I've lived in New Mexico all my life and had never been there at Easter time.
The "Faithful" walk to Chimayo on Good Friday and/or during Holy Week as a pilgrimage. There were thousands of people on the road this year. Some walk from Albuquerque or farther. Albuquerque is about 90 miles south of Chimayo.
They walk for all sorts of reasons: the memory of loved ones who have passed on, a prayer to be healed, an act of faith and gratitude to God and Jesus...

It was very moving.

I found myself praying for the people all the way there and back.
The man in the wheelchair going uphill, climbing 1,000 ft. from the highway, in obvious pain, who refused any help from his family for the approx. 15 miles it takes to get to the sanctuary from the main road.
The great grandmother with her walker holding her son's arm walking behind her granddaughter who was pushing the baby in the stroller.
The teenage girl with the cast on her leg on crutches, sweat pouring down her face, and her t-shirt said, "Jesus Didn't Tap Out!"
So many people, so many cars, so much respect: care taken to make sure the walkers didn't have to step off the road when there was no shoulder to walk on, drivers so patient, averaging 5 miles an hour on a road that usually takes 15 minutes that took- that day- an hour & 45 minutes. Not a honk, not angry word, no one passing the cars in line, no road rage....

I am so grateful for the opportunity.

To see a glimpse of this beautiful place go to this link.

http://www.archdiocesesantafe.org/AboutASF/Chimayo.html
or
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Santuario_de_Chimayo
or
http://chimayo.us/

Come see it sometime, stand in the chapel and feel the energy.
It is truly sacred ground.

Designer Fashions and some thoughts...

2010-03-15T11:50:00.000-07:00

I've been looking at fashion for spring - high end, designer, what's being shown in crochet and knitting....
So check these out....
I hesitate to copy the images, so go look.

I'd like to think that New Mexico's Fiber Community can produce things AS edgy, AS classic, More Beautifully made than these examples;

Maison Martin Margiela
Cobweb crochet shrug
$395

http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/63424
Viscose fiber

Kimberly Ovitz
Lester faux-suede crochet-knit sweater

http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/64277
Faux Suede: acrylic, polyester and polyurethane
$1,240.00

Are we in the wrong market? Is there any way we can ask 10 to 15 to 20% of the retail of these items for our handwork and not be told it's too much money and "I can but it at the big W------ store for $5.00."?

And yet we price our work so low. I'm as guilty of this as the next person however I think it's time for all of us to price our work at what we feel is "the price" and not be un-proud of our Value as craftspeople.

I'm learning to value my time and my work and I am entitled to ask a fair price for what I sell.
I don't think that's too much to ask.
'Nuff said.

My DS's Birthday

2010-03-01T07:09:00.000-08:00

Wow - 22 years today, my first-born, my son came into this world. I can hardly remember "life before him."
He's grown into a fine young man -conscious of himself in a way that I was not at that age, and finding his way to an adult life.
I'm so proud of him.

You bring me Joy every day.

I love you, Son!

I'm settling in.

2009-10-23T07:42:00.000-07:00

Now that I've moved, I'm settling in.

I seem to be fighting the flu or something. I was so glad not to get sick while I moved, but I've been sick since last Sunday. No fair.

I had a visitor over yesterday who brought me some odd yarn. I think it'll work for the grocery store bag I want to crochet. Big chunky yarn, big hook. Go fast. I put it up on Ravelry.

So these are bad pictures of my knitting room just after I moved in. I have a lot to do...

What you can't see is the rest of the room behind me as I took the pictures. It's piled with stuff, furniture, file cabinets, and bins that were just plopped there.
Order will come, one box/bin/file at a time.

Socks to wear and Rain today.

2009-08-24T07:08:00.000-07:00

I am excited today.
It's such a beautiful morning here with the gentle -much needed- rain. 6:15 am: I looked at the mountains while waiting for the bus. Through the rain I could see clouds draping themselves over the edge of the mountain - a brightest white lace border back-lit by the rising sun.

I get to wear my finished "Back to Basics" socks from Knitty. I used Austermann Step yarn #21 in turquoise, gray and charcoal.

My socks fit well although I knitted the foot longer than I should have. I used a finer gauge yarn and smaller needles than the pattern called for. The number of stitches called for would have fit a larger foot in the yarn suggested in the pattern.
I'm very pleased with the results.

I'm spending Lots of time at home.

2009-07-22T07:04:00.000-07:00

I have a sick alternator in my car and I won't be driving anywhere till I can fix it.
Funny how things work out- I really have wanted to spend lots of time at home cleaning, sorting and getting rid of stuff.
SO, Now I can.
Interesting -I manifested that, huh? Yep, yep I did....

40 years.... Not Possible..... I'm still a teenager!

2009-07-20T10:32:00.000-07:00

Can it Really be 40 years since Armstrong landed on the moon? My Grandma Schufle was in 'Vegas that summer with us and we all watched the landing and first walk and all. After that evening she said "Well, I've seen everything now. I saw Hallie's comet when I was a girl, 1890 or so. We knew the moon was made of green cheese, and now I know it's not. What a world..."

She was in her 90's when she died in 1970, '71? She had seen the world change from rural to city, and move into industry. She had a remarkable life. :0)

Bogged down blog.

2009-07-10T09:35:00.000-07:00

I have bogged down on posting "stuff". I had some great pictures, but no way to load them. Then I got bogged down with LOTS of work, so no time to blog.

I kind of have a little more free time at the moment so hence, a post.

What am I working on?
2 prs of socks -
1. Austerman Step Yarn turquoise colorway, "Back to Basics" toe up pattern from Knitty.com.
2. Red Heart Heart & Sole with Aloe Green Envy, "An American in China" linen stitch pattern from Knitty.com

I finished my brown cardigan -Queensland Kathmandu Aran Tweed Yarn in Rust. The body of it fits SO well. The sleeves -yuk. I had a picture... I really did. I don't have a card reader to load it into the computer. Rats. Soon.

I'm still working on the Misty Garden scarf from Scarf Style. I'm using Mountain Colors Bearfoot Meadow Colorway superwash, mohair and nylon. It's a feather and fan pattern.Very pretty but it gets old after a time.

It's getting close to time for my classes to start again. I don't know what happened to this summer.

Addendum to this post- I joined the Tour de Fleece through Ravelry. I can't get the picture added to the sidebar here, but I AM in the Tour.

I guess that's all for now.

One Delivered, One to go.

2009-02-13T12:23:00.000-08:00

A rug for someone I work with. She was saying that she needed some nice throw rugs. She's very happy with this one. One more to go.
I took this outside on a Saturday morning about 5 or 6 o'clock. I was surprised it came out so well. I thought the flash would really wash it out.

A scarf for a co-worker in Misti Alpaca fingering weight (sock weight) yarn. [see more on Ravelry JeannieF]
This was a thank you gift. She knows why.

While this isn't the best picture I've ever taken, it accurately shows the color of the yarn I'm using for these socks. This is the Back to Basics pattern from Knitty.com. It's a nice pattern -I only have been working on these for so long because of my own "stuff." You can read back through the archives and see why.
Now I'm on the final stretch -knitting the cuffs. They're toe up and will almost be ready to wear when I bind off. Just a few tails to weave in. ' Can't Wait!

The Rest of the Basket From the 2008 East Mountain Fiber Farm & Studio Tour

2009-02-13T08:57:00.000-08:00

This great basket -a hit with felines and human.

Two gift cards - yummm!

This beautiful cutting board. There was no information as to where it is from. It's finely crafted and smooth as silk.

Fabulous Alpaca Socks Natural Fiber Creations by Enchanted Sky Alpacas

Milagro Moon's always exquisite Alpaca yarn and FABULOUS Soap. If you all haven't used this soap -you are missing out.

Handspun Jacob yarn from Deb Haden at Cuesta Farm. I think ...Sorry, I'm just not sure! It's gorgeous, though.

Beautiful Mohair and Wool in a teal-y, gray color from Gayle Bone at Square Hole Ranch,
McIntosh, NM. gogobone59@q.com on the label. Handspun and dyed.

Yarn and Angel from Bethe Orrell at Good Fibrations.
Hand dyed. Grown from her sheep and goats and spun by hand.

Mohair to spin from - I don't remember! Oh, No! And there was more, I spun some up already.

And last but not least - a camel down filled pot holder - wonderful!
From Camel- Lot, I believe.

I won't scare you with the picture of me in the Sun hat that was included. The hat's great - the picture was too scary.

If I missed something or someone in these last two posts, I apologize!

This year's Tour is scheduled for 5/30/09. If you haven't been on the tour you must not miss it this year. It's a short drive to Edgewood to Good Fibrations to pick up a Tour map and then two days' worth of fun driving in the country and seeing the farms and animals. The weather should be cooler than Albuquerque and it's a family and children friendly event. All the stops are free to look although 'most everyone has products to sell. There are a few stops that will have food and drinks, but take water with you anyway.

Dress for walking in mountain desert terrain. Comfortable clothes and shoes.
Go to Good Fibrations home page and click the calendar for the latest information

Pictures from East Mountain Farm & Fiber Tour

2009-02-06T11:27:00.000-08:00

Now I know these are so late going up. However, since our consciousnesses have been focused on being "frugal" lately, I thought this would be something you could all drool over and enjoy without spending any money.

I won the Door Prize Basket! Wow, it is fabulous!

So the following pictures are closeups of what's in here. Most of these places are in Edgewood
or close around there.

A sweet Alpaca bear from Natural Fiber Creations -Enchanted Sky Alpacas.
enchantedskyalpacas.com

A wonderful basket - the kitties Had to inspect it.

Beautiful, yummy camel down from Bev & Bill's Camel-Lot Ranch in Sandia Park, NM.

Wonderful Goodies from The Cutting Edge salon.

More pictures in the next post.

About Time and New Starts

2009-02-02T09:54:00.000-08:00

About time I start posting again. I am stuck on a pair of socks, my brother's Christmas sweater and a rug. This first month has been about fits and starts of cleaning out and clearing up, and starting to finish UFO's to get ready to give away or sell or ??

I started teaching my classes the last week of January and so far, so good.
My students are all very nice and have grasped the stitches and techniques so far.

That's all for now. More soon -with pictures. :0)

Friday Flurry of Finished Fiber

2008-10-17T08:23:00.000-07:00

So -I haven't been to knitting groups or anywhere other than Taos for weeks. I have, however, been knitting and crocheting.

Here are all the things I've finished except a light sage colored rug for a wedding present. I'll get that picture this weekend.

Hat w/attached scarf for Seattle charity. Hat for DD's schoolmate minus braids on top and earflaps. It's done and ready for pick-up.

Sirocco coral cotton-linen towel/dresser scarf and crocheted hat (DD and Furball modelling) for Sarah-on-the-bus.

In the meantime here's a wedding present rug I made 'way back. I used navy because that's what I had and the recipient Loved it. The sage one is just like it but I used a smaller hook so it's a little more dense and smaller circumference -3 ft., instead of more.

Orbs in the Stereo! and Knitting.

2008-09-02T07:16:00.000-07:00

What is that!???!!!
ORBS IN THE STEREO!!!!! Speedy and Furball are on the case! Sniffing out pesky Orbs at a moment's notice.

No, not really.... Here are 2 of the pictures we took the day my kitties decided to visit my son's apartment. He lives just down the sidewalk from my apartment.
Bear, Speedy, and Furball followed me over. They came in, looked around, and generally made themselves at home while I visited with DS, his dad, and my daughter.
When I got ready to go home we started looking around for the kitties. Speedy and Furball were clustered around the stereo. We were calling for Bear and heard him, but thought maybe he had crawled in to the closet in the bedroom. (They love that closet for some reason.)His meowing was muffled and sounded far away.

We finally looked paid attention to Speedy when he started pawing at the door of the stereo cabinet.
DD grabbed the camera and took pictures. We really didn't notice the eye glow till we looked at them later.

Below is the one of Bear peering out -"You can't see me- I'm - I'm hiding. Shh..."

Boy, I love my cats. Sometimes they are Too Funny.

Knitting news:

Progress!

In the Ravelry Olympics category

"I TRIPPED, I FELL, I DIDN'T GET UP":

(I totally made that up)

I made a LOT of progress on the back of my brother's sweater. 18 inches out of 25 inches when the neck shaping starts.

I also made progress on a Baby Surprise Jacket due in October. In fact it's almost done. I'm past row 80. Hooray! I can really see it coming together.

I even had an evening of help organizing and de-stashing - of course during the Olympics. Thank you, Lynne and Melissa. What a boost that was.

That's all for now.
Happy knitting.

Radio for a New Earth

2008-08-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

Ok - I'm coming out of the closet. For those who don't know me well, I am metaphysical.
There - I'm out.
Deal.
In case you hadn't realized yet, new age is now mainstream. You don't have to be woo,woo to participate. Look at Oprah's programs with Eckhart Tolle.

There is a new radio station being birthed on the internet:
Maia Radio Talk Radio for a New World -metaphysics and new age and all. I can't wait!!!
Look at the gorgeous web page!
http://www.maiaradio.com/index.html

I've been listening to the podcast Stargate to a New Earth. Maia Radio is "a child" of this podcast.
For those of you who are sensing that something's different, something is changing in the world, dive in - listen to the podcast and keep checking in to the Maia site.

In other news, I'm through the ribbing on the Aud sweater and starting to lag in my Olympic Sprint. But I'm through the ribbing. ;-) Now the stockinette sprint for infinity + inches to the armhole decreases.

Below, the daring duo in all their furry glory hanging out by the carder, looking out the door early on a weekend morning -lazing until the flutter of sparrow wings launches them into hunting mode.

Furball left........................Bear right

Bear surveying the kingdom from the second floor, peering out through the walkway bars.

Speedy - he's the largest and the most chicken of the three. "I'm a ninja-cat. I'm not coming in.....
I'm,... I'm,..... a ninja cat. You can't see me!"

"See? You can't see me." Just then someone upstairs came out on the walkway. "AaaaaHHHHH!!!!!! Let me in! Let me in the door!!!!!! I see people!!!!!"

Sunday, Sunday....

2008-08-03T08:53:00.000-07:00

Today is the day I try to do all the home chores that fall away when I teach. When my classes are in session I expend a lot of energy for teaching what I love.When I come home and am faced with never ending picking up and vacuuming and laundry - hauled to another destination and hours spent waiting for dryers that don't de-fuzz- I just Don't have the oomph to do it on Saturdays.

This morning I woke up at a glorious 9:00 am! I don't know the last time I actually slept so late.
My usual time is 5am. :0)

The plan for today is to switch the living room around and vacuum mightily. then start to get my room organized so that this week I can get my stash under control and all put away. As that is happening, I need to cook for the week if I'm going to take lunches to work and have easy dinners when I get home.

I'm acquiring a loom this next weekend and need to make room for it and my Total Gym (yes, I have one and I really like using it.). The TG has had an extended stay in my son's apartment and now it's time to bring it home.

I have noticed a marked lack of strength and energy that I can directly attribute to a lack of exercise and sedentary work environment. When I'm actually doing my work it's very physical involving carrying heavy equipment and standing for hours shooting video, but in between, there is so much time just sitting whether I'm researching or writing or whatever, that it's taking a toll.

We all know what we're supposed to do - eat sensibly, get exercise, drink more fluids, sleep on a schedule. What we give up on so often is the effort it takes to get back to a balance. We forget how much better we will feel if we just DO It.

So today, I going to JUST DO IT. The end for now.
Have a great day, week etc. Happy Knitting.

2008-08-03T08:51:00.001-07:00

Typical Crafting Companion

2008-07-18T08:47:00.000-07:00

This is the picture I put up on Ravelry. This is a common seating arrangement for any of my three cats while I'm knitting or crocheting. I just like it. :0)

Long overdue update.

2008-07-17T07:48:00.000-07:00

My son is home. He did not complete boot camp. He got pneumonia and got better for awhile. He was transferred to a new unit and relapsed when his medication didn't follow him.
So he's home and getting on with his life. I'm still proud of him as ever and that will always be.

So for other news: It's been too long but I attended the East Mountain Fiber Studio and Farm Tour in June. Four of us went together and had the Best time! Of course, I always have fun, but the company made it even better this time.

Here's the link for a past article about the tour and a partial list of participants. My group went to every one except the chicken and other exotic birds ranch. From what I heard later, we really missed a treat. Live and learn, and go next year!

So the tradition is when you go out to Edgewood, you stop at Good Fibrations yarn shop first to see Beth's wonderful range of yarns and other goodies. When you leave there with a map/ brochure of the tour, you can pick which way to proceed.

One of the "must's' is, if you don't stop and eat at China Chef right then, you need to come back and eat, or take something home before you come back into town.

The next "have to visit" on my list is Milagro Moon Ranch. Cynthia and Jim have a great place and are warm and welcoming to visitors. I was privileged to get one of their cria fleeces several years ago and it's beautiful - white and soft and a joy to spin. BTW, they will have a booth at the Taos wool Festival this year. Visit their website and get more information.

Two new favorites of mine are Square Hole Ranch and Rancho Baltazar in McIntosh south of Moriarty, NM. It's really not too far from Edgewood to these two places and they are close together. Such beautiful fiber! I bought 2 fleeces at the first place and several of my friends bought angora and other goodies at the second.

I have more to talk about, but this should do it for now. I have to bring my notes so I have the right information with me.

I'll leave you with the picture of the basket I won from the Tour. I was SO surprised -I never thought I would win. It's so filled with goodies -I need to bring the list so I can give the proper credit.

Joel Called! and - A Sad Day for the Fiber Community in Albuquerque.

2008-05-14T07:56:00.000-07:00

Joel called - he got to San Diego in one piece. I hope he's doing well. He'll be in boot camp for 13 weeks. I'm so proud of him and will continue to be.

On a sad note - a wonderful needlework shop here in town is closing. I have knitted with a group there for three years. It's been so welcoming and cheerful. Great friendships and much learning has occurred there. We in the group will miss the owners a lot. There are economic and health issues that have precipitated the closing. I wish the owners well and pray for their ease and comfort in a very hard time.

It seems that creative interests always feel the impact first in hard economic times and this is one of the results.
My classes have seen fewer students as well recently. It's an up and down cycle and this is a "dip in the road."

That's it for now.
Knit on!

The Few, The Proud...

2008-05-08T14:25:00.000-07:00

May 5, 2008:
He volunteered. He wants to serve his country. He believes in protecting us. I couldn't be prouder of him.

It was tough to see him off Monday, but I'm so excited for him. He called briefly today to say he got to boot camp. His dad says he sounded matter of fact.

There's Crafting After Work today here and I'll go for awhile. I brought my spinning wheel but no roving to spin. My mind is swiss cheese this week.

I'll be better for having heard that Joel called.

More soon.

Second Socks Done

2008-03-25T14:22:00.000-07:00

This pair of socks seemed to fly off my needles. Only about three weeks instead of months. Does stitch count and ease of knitting the pattern account for the speed of this pair? These are somewhat smaller and closer to the pattern size.
Possibly it stems from learning so much about turning the heel and gusset that made these go so quickly.
I don't know what, really. I just know I got them done really fast -for me.
Yay!

Hat - go figure?

2008-02-11T07:02:00.000-08:00

This morning's Lime 'n Violet had a Chain Letters column about the "go figure" objects in your life. Dawn's is a hat that any one of us, had we made it, would think, "that thing?!" I have one too. I made this hat for my daughter YEARS ago -11years or more- and I wash and dry it in the machine whenever. It's not my favorite -it's made from Jiffy for goodness sake. It used to be fuzzy -not any more.
I get compliments on it all the time. No, DD never wore it -way too big. So I wear it all winter and this year "lined" it with an eye-watering neon orange (safety orange) hat and my alpaca Panta headband. I know I look like a doofus, but my ears are warm.
The pink variegated hat in the pic below is the one I'm talking about. This picture is several years old. The hat looks rattier now. LOL

A Snowy Day - again

2008-02-05T06:49:00.000-08:00

Today is cold, snowy, and I'm SO ready for spring. I 'd like to see more snow in the city, but I doubt we'll get that much. So Let's get on with Spring!!

I posted on the group about this book I ordered. You'll see why from the cover.
Here's the link:

http://www.bargainyarns.com/yarn/Imperfect_Books-Basic_Knit-3829.html

See what you think and let me know.

I finished the first pair of alpaca and silk socks.

Cuff Detail

The cuff detail picture is closer to the true color of the socks - a creamy white. They are going to be so warm. Just perfect for the recipient.
More later.
Knit on!

I love this site. It's always good for a laugh.

2008-01-25T12:36:00.000-08:00

moar funny pictures

Socks Update and Learning Curve

2008-01-23T13:50:00.000-08:00

Diagonal Rib Socks in Paradise Fibers 50-50 silk & alpaca.

I have the heels on the first pair of socks turned and I'm starting the home stretch. These socks are for a friend.
I have learned so much doing them. I had to figure out more than I bargained for:
the pattern is for an average women's foot and the socks have to be larger than that. I've done More MATH this last week than I've done in a year. When I do the next pair I'll have the notes to make it easier.
I had the heels turned the week before last, actually. I had one of my knitting group whose feet are close to the same size, try them on for reference. OMG! They were too big. I had to frog about 2 1/2" and do them over. That set me back yet another week.
Something else happened with them this morning. See, I"m doing these toe-up. If you google the pattern it's cuff down. So I'm to a place where I can knit in pattern all the way around the leg. No the stitch count is off. I'll fiddle with it tonight and that's all the time I'll take. Other than that, it'll be ribbing around the back and pattern on the front where it shows.
Deadlines in knitting: I need to NOT give them. I really have learned about myself -I don't do knitting deadlines well. Even the most interesting pattern gets boring to me after awhile. I need the leeway to put one project down and work on another one.
I am definitely a process knitter -not a project knitter. That's not to say I don't finish anything - I do. I can see that when I gather FO's to show my classes.But WIP's are much more likely to be lying around my apartment waiting to be worked on for a bit.

My classes start this Saturday. I got all the supplies in and will put them together tonight. I put together "kits" for each new knitter. That way everyone had the same start and doesn't Have to spend anything extra till they're ready. They also don't start out with Homespun or fun fur or black yarn -my personal 3 big challenges. :-)
So that's it for now.
Check me out on Ravelry -I'm just getting started on putting up my stuff.
Thanks, you know who you are, for finding me and adding me to your friends list. I added you to mine today.
More soon.
Happy Knitting.

Rug details - crummy photos

2008-01-08T06:52:00.001-08:00

Boy, I can't take pics inside anymore -they're getting worse, not better. Sorry, but it does show the detail for the waffle stitch. I made this one from light and dark sage Red Heart yarn held together. The edging is rows of each color to frame the body of the rug.
The picture below accented by 2 of 3 cats, is to show the general size. Big enough, but not So big it will be hard to find a place to put it. About 3ft x 2.
This rug and the triangle in the last post are the same stitch.

2008 Resolutions and FO's from Christmas

2008-01-03T11:37:00.000-08:00

Repeated from my comment to Lime'nViolet's Daily Chum today:

"Happy New Year! Knitting Resolutions -
1 - Organize my stash more: I teach5 classes per semester, spin, and knit with several groups. I start out well organized until my classes start and then yarn and patterns and stuff end up everywhere. I work full-time and teach knitting and crochet on Saturdays, socks on Wednesday nights. I have 2 closets in my room and one is more than full of fibery stuff. Some of my stash is more than 10 years old! Time to knit or give it away.
2- Finish some of my 12+ UFO's. That rug yarn scarf from the 70's (gasp!!!) needs to be finished and worn or begone.
3- Teach at least one workshop for a conference, fiber festival, or "event" in the US this year.
4- Save up for a Robin wheel.
5- Start planning and saving to attend Stitches West, Estes Park, and or Rheinebeck in 2009.
6- Get my Ravelry space up and running. Addendum: January 17th, 2008, I got my Ravelry account going. Yay! My name is JeannieF so look for me. Hooray!
That's enough for now. (Oh, my gosh...)
;0)
Oops -one more:
Knit up the 12 pairs of socks I have waiting in the sock yarn stash. "

So here's one of the rugs I made over the holiday season. It's crocheted in a waffle stitch. What a great stitch. I taught myself to crochet with a pattern 25+ years ago using that stitch. It's just double crochet and post double crochet. That's it. It looks so complex but it's soooo easy. I redesigned the shape of the rug this time, a triangular shape instead of rectangular, and left off the fringe. I rushed the photos so you can't see then detail very well - sorry. I have another one coming up in the next post or so that will be better.
It went to my boss who lay it beside his bed so he has something "cushy" under his feet while he puts his shoes on in the morning.
He said he took the rug home, put it by the bed and it's just right. He went in the other room and when he came in to do something later, his daughter's little wiener (sp?) dog was lying on his back on the rug! 'Guess he'll have to share it now.

I have two scarves I'm crocheting but thy're not ready to photograph quite yet.

Oh, man! I just realized I said nothing in my resolutions about crocheted UFO's etc.
I think the same thoughts and intentions can apply. I must say as I think on it I only have 3 crochet UFO's. A hat with a boyfriend curse, a wrap that I probably will frog ('cause it ain't that cute), and the last of 3 rugs I made for Christmas.

My spinning resolutions -ah, yes - spin all of my roving up and work on plying, more even singles, and spinning sock yarn.

Ok - I'm done for today. I'm tired just reading these resolutions. Ha, ha.

Happy New Year and HAPPY KNITTING everyone.

More Christmas Party Fare

2007-12-17T06:12:00.000-08:00

Addendum to this post: The woman who got this rug took it home and had it drying out before she put it down. Her young son (8 or 9 years old) snatched it and put it in his room! It's his now -his colors, his shapes, HIS. TK is very happy that he likes it so much, and so am I.

So this is the latest rug I made over the weekend for our office Christmas party. It turned out very well except for IT'S STILL WET!!!! I have to wrap it by 10:00 this morning.
So, what else is new?

I finished the Camel Saddle cover and it's getting comments from the people who sit on it the most -my kids....

On the saddle.

Side view.

Looking down on it without the pad.

This shows the way it folds (which is weird because it really doesn't fold up because of the curved legs...) and one of the ferrules that hold the two halves together so it doesn't collapse or split - not that it would on a camel?... hmmmm. The brass images are Egyptian.

And finally the underside of the cover I made. I just encased the old leather cover and stuffing as well. It just made sense to keep it all together. This one had as black leather pad and the other one is green. I can't find that one though. I'll have to look in storage.

Ok -so what else- more Christmas projects that I can't show till after and, oh, I know!
Cute kitty pictures... that's it...

Speedy encountering his first bird up close!

Shhh! The camera will make it fly off!

Here's Bear, the oldest and alpha kitty -the smallest- with Speedy following a a respectable distance. I don't know where Furball is - probably at the door still.
That's all for now.
In case I don't post again before Christmas, everyone have a good holiday, be safe and stay warm. Catch you on the flip side.

A Finished Object!

2007-12-12T06:59:00.000-08:00

Crocheted Triangle Rug
I made this a few weeks ago. I'm bringing it to the "White Elephant" Potluck at work today. It's wool - superwash, I guess. It didn't really felt as I hoped it would. I'm not crazy about the colors, but it turned out better than I expected. When it's walked on, it settles down and looks better.
It's based on a Triangle Purse Pattern that was in a magazine this summer (?). I'll find the reference and add it here later.
Right now, I just wanted to get this up before it goes to its new owner. It looks better in person - this angle is a little strange.
I'm out of time for now.

"FOTO Friday"

2007-11-02T09:10:00.000-07:00

I thought I would have gotten something good enough to post ,but I guess it'll now be FOTO another day.

I turned both heels in the LL socks and am ready to start the ribbing for the legs. I'm about six inches from bind off - I think.
More later.
Happy knitting over the weekend everyone!

October Almost Gone!

2007-10-29T09:09:00.000-07:00

Thia has been a very busy -work consumed month.
(Whining to follow -scroll down for yarn content.)
It's not often in the last 15 years that I have had such a struggle with work.
My energy has been totally focused on getting to work and trying very hard to be positive. It hasn't been easy. There have been so many days I just wanted to not go there ever again.
I have loved my job for 15 years, but it's not like that anymore. It's not fun, validating or challenging.
I just feel like I'm good for shredding papers and erasing tapes, I not a professional videographer who's done years of floor camera work at basketball games, balloon fiesta grip, state fair newscasts, and can go out and shoot video with no one looking over my shoulder wondering if I'm getting the shots they want.
I worked so hard all these years to feel proud of what I do, and now I'm perceived as not professional and "not working," in addition to being asked to do tasks for which I have no training or education.
It makes it hard to come to work is all.....

Okay: YARN CONTENT:
I'm working on a pair of Diagonal Rib Socks in alpaca/silk. A pair of Lorna's Laces McKenzie Tartan Colorway (I think- it's about 4 years old), and a dog sweater in fair isle for a friend at the laundromat. Hate the dog sweater- going to rip it and start over. My stranding is too tight or something. The poor doggie picture looks like a beige lump!
I'll take pictures before I rip.

The LL socks are the Widdershins pattern from Knitty. My all time favorite sock pattern -Yay, Brooke! I've made at least 3 pairs of socks with this pattern and am getting brave enough to start changing up the pattern a little -all ribbed legs for the last pair of socks, sl1, k1 under the heel part of the gusset section to reinforce the places that wear on my socks, etc. I LOVE this pattern!

The Diagonal rib socks had to be restarted from the toe up after I tried to cast on the cuffs and knitted a few inches - yack! They looked awful! I was really unhappy with them. I frogged them and started toe up and they're going really well now.

Oh, Big News- I got my Ravelry Invitation!!!! Yay! Now I want to come up with a better name for my Ravelry site than Jeannie's Hands at Work. My daughter called me a Gitting Kneek the other day because I went all geeky when I started talking to her friends about my knitting. So I'm thinking if it isn't taken, I might change my blog and Ravelry site to that.
Comments, anyone? Suggestions, those of you who know me?
Thanks!
More Soon.
I saw a sign this weekend - 60 shopping days till Christmas. Is that right? Am I panicking for nothing? No probably not -the panicking, I mean......
TTFN

Here it is...

2007-09-27T11:12:00.001-07:00

the end of September and I haven't posted. The beginning of each semester is busy for me when I teach 5 classes in addition to working full time.

...Aussie Girl in Albuquerque went back "down under" last week. We were so sad to see her go, but happy that she's going home and back to a job that respects her -unlike her job here. Our knitting groups were blessed and enriched by her presence, and I, for one, Miss Her.

We have all determined that Australia needs to be on our visit lists so we can see her again. I hope she liked her surprise.

Work is crazy - busy- and just crazy. I don't want to talk about it. Maybe never again.

My son, my son is doing well in higher education. He got a scholarship, grant and work study so he's set for the next two semesters. He signed a delayed entry into the Marines. August '08. He can change his mind before that.
I'm so proud of him -I want him to succeed at whatever he wants to do.

Knitting is TA,Da...
I turned the heels on my Austerman Step Socks. I'm on the home stretch. YaY!!!!!!
I have some other things starting for Christmas, so extreme closeups and no specifics for awhile.

I got my invitation from Ravelry -but I want a better name for my username than what I have now. I don't know, I'm having a hard time thinking of something. I hope there's no deadline to sign up.
That's it for today.

Forgive me, Knitters. It's been so long since my last post.....

2007-08-13T09:50:00.000-07:00

I have pictures and everything.

I'm working on finishing more UFO's, and also using up some stash.
So socks and headbands for now. Oh, and a Vickie Howell Ascot.

Ackk! The day got away -so no pictures! Bad Blogger! I'll put them up tomorrow.

The Alden Amos workshop was great. I learned a lot of basic information and a ton about fiber.

I was very happy with the workshop - although there were some comments about "I thought we'd spin more ..."
We can spin all day long and not learn anything more about what or why we're spinning what we're spinning. I would like to have spun more too, but the learning volume would have been less, I believe.
Fibergal Fantasy http://fibergal.blogspot.com/ has some great pictures of the workshop. She also has organic cotton growing in her yard. Green, brown and white. Cool.
Coming up : classes start the 22nd for socks and 25th for knitting and crocheting. Yeow! Gotta find needles for the knitters.

IWC, I 'm Comin' After All.

2007-07-17T13:02:00.000-07:00

Well, I am indeed going to IWC. Thanks to S who is generous enough to charge her card and let me pay her in August.
I had planned to go for a long time. I thought I wouldn't go since I had to pay for Jacy's wrist and summer school and Joel's trip in June. But I think it's going to work out.
http://www.intermountainweavers.org/ is the site for the conference.

A completely finished object gone to its new owner.

2007-07-13T08:57:00.000-07:00

The baby sweater and hat are off to their wearer. No new pics due to no camera. The hat came out really cute. I knit a white edge in seed stitch and the rest in yellow like the sweater. I put 4 tassels on the top of the hat instead of the dreaded pom-pom.
She should be able to wear the hat Long after the sweater is outgrown.
The lady on the bus thought it was really cute. I hope her daughter thinks it's cute enough for the baby.

My favorite of DD's haircolors in the last 2 months.

In other news - DD broke her wrist on Sunday the 1st. It got a cast Monday the 9th -finally. Hundreds of $ and ortho surgeon consults later, she's on the mend. No surgery, thank god, or we'd be out on the streets.
So, no $, no gas for the car, no extra pay for the classes I'm teaching till August.
That means probably no vacation/business trip for me, no spinning workshop, probably, unless I can sell my mother's silver, a computer monitor, a tv and a spinning wheel. Anyone interested? Let me know.

A Contest!

2007-06-28T13:28:00.000-07:00

Skeins Her Way is having a contest. Go on over and enter. If you refer who told you about it, they might win a little somethin' too.
At any rate, she has a beautiful blog.

I have totally finished the baby hat to go with the sweater -wait till you see the tassels I put on the top. I don't care for Pom-Poms so I'm always trying to find other ways to "top" a hat. So pictures when I get it washed. I hope tomorrow.

Oh, and those of you who have been in the Saturday group for a Long time, I ran into Emma-Felixe's-Mom. She was in Satellite Tuesday and saw me. I wouldn't have recognized her because she's a blonde now but still a pretty as ever. Felix is soooo cute! He must be about 3 now (?) and his hair is still red. That face, that red hair, and those big brown eyes. Mmm, mmm. What a ladykiller already!
That's it for today.

Moonlight Mohair Shawl

2007-06-18T08:50:00.000-07:00

I had forgotten all about this. I started it way last year after I did a Gold shawl from an Allure yarn pattern. Allure is a super bulky fuzzy yarn - Moda Dea, I think, but the pattern is simple. It's worked from the long edge down so when you get close the finish, you have fewer and fewer stitches. If you work the ends in as you go, it's almost ready to wear when you bind it off.
I worked on it this weekend at the Annual Folk Festival demonstration on Saturday. Then I finished Sunday morning between 6 and 10 am. I don't usually sleep in on weekends.
I adjusted the pattern and cast on more stitches for this one so the triangle point would fall lower on my back. I wanted it to cover the small of my back because I get so chilly at work sitting at my desk in front of the server room.
The first picture shows the bottom edge and the texture of the garter stitch, and the second picture shows the back and how long it is. Much better than the gold one. There are better pictures of the beginning of this shawl in my February 2006 posts - the color is more accurate.
Yay, me! Another UFO finished.

Monday, Monday

2007-06-11T09:12:00.000-07:00

First off -Everyone, go to Allie's website and take a look at this beautiful girl! 'Way to go Allie!!!!!
Congratulations on graduation and Everything else. It's good to see you smile and foot-boogie. Eye-Heart-U. (Scroll down to last post to learn about Allie and her remarkable Mom and Dad. Her story is touching hearts all over the world.)

I had a productive weekend. Lots of yarn dyed, plied, spun and some knitted.

I really had fun dyeing stuff this weekend. I over-dyed grey with very saturated color -more than I thought. I only diluted them a little once they were mixed. Since I was dyeing grey I didn't know what I'd get.
It's been far too long since I did "art" stuff -color, value, tone, hue and mixing which is different for dye than paint. Blue and yellow don't necessarily give you green in dye pigments.....ask me how I know.
I have to buy more yellow dye real soon -read, tomorrow. I have enough of red and blue to dye everything I have, but not enough yellow to mix with it. My fire red turned into this viscous goo that needs heating and shaking every time I want to use it. The blue is just fine and so is the yellow. But I sure used a lot of yellow.

I got the baby hat cast on for the Daisy sweater and the buttons sewed on the sweater. They are cute as can be... picture to follow- on Thursday or so. I'm taking Tue. & Wed. off to prep for the Folk Music Festival.

June - what???? Where did May go?

2007-06-05T09:43:00.000-07:00

Well, I have lot to talk about.
First and foremost this morning: I've just read a blog about Allie. http://alliecagen.blogspot.com/
I didn't know Allie, never met her, probably never will, BUT I love her as if she were one of my kids' friends. Her father, mostly, and her mother started a blog to keep everyone informed about her recovery after a terrible accident. She has come out of a coma and is in a regular room; improving every day.
Allie's dad is a hero and model of faith in God and love for his daughter. What courage to keep blogging and be so positive in the "face of a dire situation."
Cagen family, "eye heart you." You have blessed me with your words and your blog. Thank you, and thank you, FlyLady, for sharing.
Go read for yourself and you'll see God's love in action. I can feel it even now -the Positive power of the net.

Knitting content next:I finished working in the last ends of yarn on the baby sweater!!!! Yay!!!!!!!!
I have to sew on buttons, wash, and block it. Done -finished-ready to give to the lady on the bus.......
No, wait - hat - I need to do the hat. No problem..... it won't take nearly as long.

I also am working on 2 more UFO's :
The hot pink silk t-shirt knitted with Cascade cotton and silk,

and the BamBoo Classic Elite Bolero Pattern I started last year. You can see the picture here:
http://www.classiceliteyarns.com/pattern_detail.php?patternID=10

I knitted a few rows on the Ribbon Poncho for my sister in life, not blood- Skye. Truth is, it shoulda been done last summer! But I'm not going to beat myself up. I'm getting farther along with it -so there!
The 2007 Fiber Arts Fiesta was last week. I took the time off to be there for set-up and every day. I have no pictures because my DD had maxed out the memory on the camera. I didn't know how to erase the pics she had, so no pictures. But you can check out the website: http://www.fiberartsfiesta.com/
I really had a great time volunteering, demonstrating, and shopping when I was done with booth duty. I would have liked more vendor yarns and rovings to be available. I bought from 2 companies, but I would have bought more if there had been more choices.
Other than that, I thought there was a great variety of booths, and crafts represented, and such beauty to look at. Mmmmm, mmm!
On the DD front- I won't go into great detail about the finding a dress saga -my blood pressure is almost back to normal. Just let me say between work-stressful, apartment chaos -stressful, and dress shopping-where are the tranquillizrers?stressful, that this has not been my favorite few weeks.
The results of the Dress shopping were that 1:30 PM -she had to be at the Country Club ready to go at 5:30- we were all the way across the river the mall in a last ditch effort to find SOMETHING for her to wear. A LOT more money than I had planned to spend, and she decided that would deign to wear this:

The picture is lousy, I know. But she looked really great - oo, I think I'm supposed to say hot!
I missed the black sparkly high heels.
So here are more pics from that night.

Golden Compass -My Daemon?

2007-05-11T09:13:00.000-07:00

Yes? NO? what do you think?
I can't wait for the Golden Compass to come out. I've read them all. Good stuff.

May already! What happened to April??

2007-05-07T08:37:00.000-07:00

Ok - April was a crazy busy month. My sister Martha came out from Wyoming to meet my aunts, the Hippo Awards were scheduled and video was needed for them along with 10 to 12 hr + days, my kids had lots of activities - end of the year concerts, projects, college meetings, and -you know how it goes. In addition to that, a wedding, the death of a friend, and preparations for El Paso company for my son's graduation, and my daughter's promotion from 8th grade.
Whew!

First picture:
This is a "car-b-que." At DS's school the seniors had a car-b-que on Friday after their awards ceremony and cap and gown distribution. Dude -this is the front of a car that someone put a barbeque grill in. It works great!

Here we are in the car after graduation on Saturday.

He gredueted. No -he gradgeated. No -he gredgaited. NO- HE'S DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am SO proud of him. He worked hard and it's paid off.
Did Mom have the camera for the ceremony? Nooooo, I put it in a safe place. I found it after graduation. (:0(

On the knitting front, I'm making slow progress on the baby sweater. I don't know why I've been so bogged down. I just don't have enough hours in the day.

Here's a picture of the sleeves.

It has nothing to do with how busy April was and how chaotic my apartment is with the ceilings torn out and not fixed yet. Drywall dust EVERYWHERE and my Closet o' Yarn all over the living room. I had to buy a new vacuum to deal with the debris from the ceilings because my 20 yr. old Rainbow won't "do" drywall dust. Man!

Another Panta Done.

2007-04-05T11:50:00.000-07:00

I finished another Panta headband Thursday. I gave it to the lady Friday before I even thought about taking a picture of it. I looked for a picture of starting it, but I think DD deleted it.

So on to the baby sweater that I've been fretting over since the stitch count is off. I'll rip the back and maybe the left front out and start again. I'll just decrease however many stitches I need to to make it come out right.

I'm also working on the pink silk and cotton sweater I started for last summer.

I got a treat from one of my crochet students on Saturday:
3+ pounds of alpaca fiber from one of her professor's alpacas. This guy just raises them and didn't know what to do with what he shears. My student asked me if I wanted it - uh, YEAH!!!!! As much as he wants to get rid of. Any time - I'll take it all. I can't bear the thought of it being thrown away.

So, now what to do with this loooooovely fiber.... I'm thinking I want to blend it with wool or silk. I think I want to dye or find a similar cinnamon-y color to the alpaca. It's just so beautiful. I looked at silk roving on the net the other day and the apricot, cinnamon color is so pretty, it would be nice if it would blend well. That means I have to rent a carder - no problem. I wish I could get a sample of silks to try with the alpaca.

NOW- Does this count as a not-buy-anything-on-the-pledge violation - since it was "A GIFT?" And I need something to go with the alpaca to spin it for yarn that won't be too hot for a sweater, right?

I'm spinning up roving as much as I'm finishing knitting and crocheting projects..... so,can I get roving for my alpaca, can I, huh, huh? Can I?

Another FO, hooray!

2007-03-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

I finished another Panta. This was started before the new year for a friend. It's one of two for her.
It's taken me longer than I thought it would.

I'm thinking of doing another one in cables after these two - but maybe not 'til later this summer.

Finished Christmas presents - not fit to send

2007-03-20T06:53:00.000-07:00

Here are two wallets I made for Christmas. They were supposed to be felted. What a great idea for men who don't wear hats or ties or anything like that.
Well, look at 'em. What do you see?

I see one that felted but not enough, and I see one that didn't felt at all. So much for using mystery yarn from the stash.
What you can't tell is how long skinny and the darker one is. It's easily 12 -16 inches long. I guess it could be a triple fold or quadruple fold wallet....NOT!!!
I need to wash it again and block it to see if I'll get anything that I can use .

I want to start this by saying I LOVE this pattern. Whatever problem I'm having, it's mine.
I'm a lot farther along in this baby sweater than the picture shows. I'm using TLC Wiggles in baby yellow and white. However -I'm stuck. I divided the stitches for the right front and knitted it- no problem - then I had to rip it back
( not enough stitches- needed 27 only did 23 to start) and do it again. No problem. Did the back according to the directions. No problem. Started the left front -Problem! I'm six stitches off. I have 6 stitches too many. I had the proper number when I started "the Great Divide" for the front. Everything was okay when I shaped the right front and the back. Now I have too many stitches. I'm stuck till I email the designer just to check and make sure I'm reading this correctly. And I was SO close to getting the body finished. Six stitches, no big deal, you say? Well ordinarily, you'd be right. However, this makes the front overlap too much. It's the button side of the front, but the picture shows the buttons on the front band not six stitches in on the sweater body. So what to do? I'm not opposed to ripping it back to the 7.5 inches stage before it's divided and starting over on the fronts, but the yarn is harder to frog than mohair and I don't want it to happen more than one more time.

That's it for now. I have a really busy late day today. Probably no group knitting for me.

Finished Knitting and Cat

2007-03-16T06:28:00.000-07:00

These are Finally Finished Objects from before the New Year. Complete with Speedy as accessory. The top left is two washcloths from yarn bought at Different Drummer. I got them wicked cheap -less than $2.00 a ball. The grey is a silver and 100% cotton and took a whole ball for the butterfly lace. The blue is cotton and rayon -since I have 2 balls I'll get 3 washcloths.

The scarf is the Fan pattern from Scarf Style (I think). It's for DD's teacher who teaches Flamenco and English.

UFO's and FO's

2007-03-09T13:40:00.000-08:00

This week it's all about UFO's and FO's.

Here's a Panta I started during Christmas. I bought the 100% alpaca at a local Alpaca Ranch.
Hand dyed and gorgeous. I'm thinking about taking it out and doubling the yarn. It wasn't quite warm enough in the winds we had last month.

Aaacckkk! Messy hair! I guess it's from wearing turtlenecks all the time. It just always looks like that in the back.

This is from - I shudder to think - at least two years ago. I started this garter stitch jacket Katmandu Aran Color #113. I've a real challenge with the needles. Nothing has worked satisfactorily with this yarn. Wood is too grabby, metal wasn't right. I'm using a god-awful large plastic circular needle. It's a good size but the point on it is so long that when I push the stitches along the needle to the cable, they're so tight I can hardly move them. That means I'm knitting on the point instead of the needle. I'm not going to find anything better to knit this on, so I'm stuck. I ressurected this for the UFO group and I'm glad I did.

I got bored, bored, bored with the stockinette and had put it down just six or eight rows short of finishing the back. Now I'm on the sleeves (see?) and can knit this on the bus to and from work. I cast them on together and I'll do the fronts the same way. - I'ts the only way they'll be close to the same gauge.

Back unblocked sleeves started

Because I can't have just one thing going - and I have some maternity deadlines, I have a couple of other things going.

This is a baby sweater in one piece www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer03/PATTdaisy.html

I started swatching for this yarn in late December and didn't like the fabric in garter stitch At ALL. It's really cute for a baby sweater and very nice in stockinette. The flatness or the "plainess" of the fabric shows off the Wiggles in the TLC Wiggles yarn best. I also wanted to do the bands in a contrasting color and there will be a hat and booties as well.

Here is one of two Pantas started during Christmas break and almost done for a friend's girls.
Woolease gray and oatmeal tweed.

Friday -UFO's Recaptured and Still Crazy Busy

2007-02-23T13:40:00.000-08:00

So I've been a bad blogger. So bad. I can't believe it's been so long since I posted. (That almost sounds like confession -Bless me , knitters, for I have sinned....)

Excuses:
I've been teaching five classes at Continuing Education again. I knew I'd do three, but two more came up on one day's notice. Whew! I've been playing catch-up or stay barely ahead ever since.
I'm done with all the classes in April.

My job has gotten crazy. Without going into too much detail, things are just up in the air, so it's very stressful, hard to not get "down,"and hard to listen to the talk. Couple that with a heavier than usual shooting schedule, and I'm a tired cookie before I get to Saturday mornings.

I took a class in editing that directly applies to my job. That was four mornings in the last two weeks. But I learned A LOT. And I got a certificate! Yay!

What I've learned and done about my feeling so disorganized?

1) I've gotten all my teaching files organized in one file cabinet. I have Beginning and Intermediate classes separated and labeled carefully. I have handouts sorted and ready to copy and in separate file folders so they're easy to grab and go.

2) I realize that for the beginning classes I want to have their beginning kits all made up and ready to go at least 3-4 weeks before the class starts. That means I have to order or buy supplies in town ahead of time and keep them on hand.

3) I won't order books for classes after the class starts again. Untimely delivery is playing havoc with my ability to provide books and supplies. I'm not sure I want to have anyone in town order for me because of time crunches as well.

4) I'm starting to write down things about the classes after each one. It helps me remember how I want to change up the next semester's classes, and what the students wanted to work on the next class, and/or what handouts they wanted.

5) I want to order nicer yarns for my students starting in the summer. We all deserve to use nice stuff right away.

6) I have to get more rest, i.e. I HAVE to go to bed at 8:30 or 9:00 at the latest on order to get enough rest.

7) I have to take better care of myself. That's all - I have to.

OKAY -on to UFO's.

I finished washcloths from before Christmas. I found two sweaters I was working on BC -(before Christmas) and I'm working on them and 4 pairs of socks on the needles, along with 2 baby sweaters for people here in town.

That's it for now. Pictures next week if I can wrestle the camera away from my DD long enough.

A bientot.

What Happened Over Christmas Vacation?

2007-01-12T12:02:00.000-08:00

Here's the first post about my Christmas vacation. :-)
Proof that even kitties get cabin fever! Here is the view from outside my front(and only) door.

Dogs? Where!

Interior View: what you can't see that's SO funny is that Furball (the middle head) is standing on Bear(the black one). Speedy' so big he just stretched above the other two.

Jacy -New hat, new scarf - old hair

How I spent my birthday: Jacy has new hair.

So we survived THE SNOW of '06. Albuquerque doesn't have snow like this very often. It mostly snows in the mountains just east of the city limits. That mountain chain protects the west slope from a lot of weather.But if the weather blows up from far enough south, or gets stalled by a front the way this last storm did, then we get nailed.
This one was so extreme that we had no mail or newspaper delivery for 2 days.
I didn't even bother to try to move my car till the 2nd of January. One of my neighbors dug his car out the day after the snow and shoveled snow in back of every car a good 2 feet deep between him and the street. Nice, huh?

Okay - knitting content -well, crochet actually.

You know how you see a pattern and you like it and you think, "Hmmmm, there are only 28 rows in this. I can do that in three days 'cause I'm on vacation?" And you start in because you have 3 skeins of yarn lying around and that 's exactly what pattern calls for? And you get to row 19 and you run out of 2 of the 3 skeins it promised this will use? And so you have to go out and BUY more yarn -2 more skeins to be sure?And then you find the mistake in row22 and rip it back and it takes 4 MORE DAYS to finish it?!?!!!!??? So much for the 3 day quickie Christmas gift..... I hope they like it.
I think it turned out beautifully. Don't you?

Off For Christmas.

2006-12-21T12:30:00.000-08:00

I'm off work today till the 3rd of January. I'll post if I have stuff to say. If not I'll be back in January. I wish all of you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Finished Object Pics after Christmas.

The weather is going to be stay inside and knit weather for a few days.
Oh -a picture or two.

My son Joel and his new hair cut. His father said "Egad!"

And Jacy's Eighth Grade Picture (again) What, me? Proud of my children? Naaaaah....

ATTENTION ALBUQUERQUE CRAFTERS!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-12-19T06:09:00.000-08:00

A travesty is occurring that we all need to be aware of. The WALMART Superstore on Eubank at I-40 is CLOSING out its fabric department. It will no longer carry ANY fabric!
I have relied on that department for. years. to buy affordable fabric. Now the word comes down that the department will be shut down, the space remodeled with wood floors (!) and upscale furniture offered for sale.
Now I like nice furniture as much as the next person, but the chances of my buying any, much less at Walmart, are few and none.
I think it's shooting themselves in the foot to discontinue fabric in the midst of a CRAFTS BOOM.
SO... if there are 90 million + knitters (according to the Yarn Harlot) how many quilters and stitchers are there? How many of us do both and more that requires fabric? Upholsterers? Decorators? Walmart has had all that available. What now? Where are we going to go? Will all the competition be as affordable? Not likely since we weren't going to them in the first place.
It's TIME to rally in support of keeping fabric departments in Walmarts.
Here are some resources to use to give feedback to the company. The MORE we do, The MORE they'll listen. (Did you know that 1 letter to a tv network counts as 10,000 peoples' opinions?)
If you think you don't count or won't make a difference, go read the Yarn Harlot's blog from last Friday to today.Come on -let's exercise our power.
GO to the store and get a customer satisfaction form and fill it out.
CALL : 1 800-WAL_MART
GO to their website:
www.walmart.com/storefeedback

Friday - Crazy -Busy : FO's & Cats

2006-12-15T08:22:00.000-08:00

Here's a finished Mystery Gift.

Another one -small, but heartfelt. Nothing is blocked yet.

This is what I see when I turn my head to look out my window. I sit in the chaise lounge on Saturday mornings, and knit & watch PBS when I'm not teaching. Furball is lying on the back of the chaise and Bear is on the "Cabitat". I don't know where Speedy was when I took this. The kitties alternate between looking out the window and fighting over who's going to sit in my lap.
Every 15 minutes or so, one of them will come and sit on the other one's head -
thereby making the "sit -ee" move off my lap. LOL

I guess that's all for today. More next week.

Wednesday already.

2006-11-29T12:05:00.000-08:00

Knitting content at the bottom - I promise. ;0)

Here's what I am from the test on Nepenthe's blog. Interesting.... Thanks, Nepenthe. :0)

You are the World

Completion, Good Reward.

The World is the final card of the Major Arcana, and as such represents saturnian energies, time, and completion.

The World card pictures a dancer in a Yoni (sometimes made of laurel leaves). The Yoni symbolizes the great Mother, the cervix through which everything is born, and also the doorway to the next life after death. It is indicative of a complete circle. Everything is finally coming together, successfully and at last. You will get that Ph.D. you've been working for years to complete, graduate at long last, marry after a long engagement, or finish that huge project. This card is not for little ends, but for big ones, important ones, ones that come with well earned cheers and acknowledgements. Your hard work, knowledge, wisdom, patience, etc, will absolutely pay-off; you've done everything right.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Ok, Let's see what I can show you all today.

Ah, yes. The maniacal Bear kitty in his quest for anything chicken -nothing stops his pursuit, not plates , forks, nor fingers. That's the "Yummy, Mine!" light in his eyes.

This my oldest brother, Herb. We didn't get much of a chance to visit in Minnesota because he came in about 6:oo pm and left the next day. Bless his heart - it was so wonderful of him to come. He seems like a sweet man and I'm glad he's my brother. I look forward to getting to know him.

And here's my sister Martha. She's the next younger to me (does that make sense?). My clairvoyant friend saw her picture and said she's a sweet soul. Yes, she is - and her husband John is a great guy too. Hi, John! (in case you guys read this ;-0)

Ok, now that you've gone through all this... KNITTING!

These are mostly close-ups because of Christmas present secrecy. I love this pattern -Chinese Waves.

This is the beginning of Austerman Yarn with Aloe & Jojoba oil Socks for my poor feet.

Here's one of a pair of Fuzzy Feet for a gift.

I Love this yarn - French Tweed. Wool and nubs of I don't know what. It's going to be a felted something for Christmas for a sibling.

That's all for today. Knit well.

Tuesday, Tuesday

2006-10-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad it's election day. I'm so SICK of smeary ads. That's all I have to say on the political front.

First - I guess, pictures. I don't know who's reading my blog so they are knitting and crocheting ECU's (extreme close ups) and the like till after I mail stuff off for Christmas.

Here's an almost good picture of my son, Joel. He's looking pained because he didn't "want his picture taken. He really has a sunny dispostion - just not when I pushed the shutter.
His hair is now short after spending a week in Missouri this June. He came home and announced he wanted to cut his hair. His Dad cheered.
the facial hair is a new thing - just because he can, and it's not green like his Dad's. Seriously!

Jacy got new Skinny jeans last week. She LOVES them......( and the AD for them with the hot Emo guy, Mom...")

ECU of almost finished object. Brown Sheep mill end roving, hand spun, plied, designed, crocheted, and felted by me . The only thing left is to add an embellishment to the front. That'as all you get to see for now.

Another WIP. [maybe Christmas present] I'm using the Magic Stripes yarn from Lion Brand. A crocheted something.

Ok - this isn't all I wanted to say today, but it's enough for now.
Happy knitting and crocheting everyone.
Jeannie

Off to the Taos Wool Festival

2006-10-06T13:57:00.000-07:00

I had such a hard day today. I can't believe I messed up my timesheet so badly. Long story short- I got about a quarter of what I should have gotten. I have to drop off paperwork at payroll today and maybe I'll get paid by next Friday.
In the meantime that just about ruins my trip to Taos. There's almost no point.

But I'm going - I've waited and planned a whole year and I'm not going to miss it. If I can take the camera, I'll get pictures.

More next week.

"The Rest of the Story" from Minnesota

2006-09-15T13:01:00.000-07:00

UPDATE:
THE ELEVEN OF US! Front Row: left to right - Betty, Dovie, Doris, Frances. Behind & between Dovie & Doris - Martha. Back Row: left to right - Jolene (Me, Jeannie), Joe my twin brother, Frank, Dan, Della, & Herb.

I guess I haven't posted the rest of the story about what happened in Minnesota. I know I talked about my mother's death.But I haven't talked about her final gift to us, her children.
Mom's final gift to us was a family -new to all of us because
WE'VE NEVER ALL BEEN TOGETHER BEFORE.
The seven of us olders, the Johnson children, were together in 1953. That's our picture here. From left to right Della 6, holding me - Jolene; Herb 5, holding Joe - my twin brother; Dovie, 4; Frank, 3; and Dan, 2 (I think I have that right). ;0)
That, I'm told, is the last time we were together - till August 24, 2006.

The Pryzbilla children, the four younger sisters, Martha, Doris, Betty, and Frances, have been together often and grew up close to each other though not in the same households. I will have a picture or two of all of us together, but I'm waiting on whoever has the pictures to send them to me. (HINT, HINT Sis!) :0)

Anyway, we all got to be together for about 24 hrs. It was amazing and wonderful; and so painful to have to leave them. I have the BEST brothers and sisters.

It was kind of scary waiting to meet everyone- I didn't know if they'd like me -or would I like them? It was fabulous! We all really like each other and more than that, just because we don't all agree with each others' politics or religions, doesn't mean we don't love each other and we can't still be a loving family.

What a wonderful gift and we're all very grateful to Mom for bringing us together.
We are a family from that day on - we have each other always.

I blinked and it's the middle of September!

2006-09-13T14:52:00.000-07:00

Ok - I'll start with the picture. Jacy, my darling daughter is in the middle. There's a better picture of her, but I have to get it from her friend and copy it.

I can't believe how September is flashing by. I have 2 prs of socks on the needles, 3 shawls, and I'm teaching 3 classes.

Spinning wheel lust:
I want, I want -
this: The Robin Wheel Deluxe with Lazy Kate. Oooooo....Ahhhhhhhhh......

And Oh, My, Gosh - THIS!!!!!!
ISn't it Beautiful?!??? Picture from Spin Off Magazine, Summer 2006

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.But then, the Taos Wool Festival is in a few weeks...... I'll want yarn and roving.... and............

August 20, 2006 GOD CALLED, MOM ANSWERED.

2006-08-21T07:07:00.000-07:00

My mom died at 1:50 AM, August 20, 2006.
She had a couple of good days in ICU. She was in good spirits, her color was good, and her O2 level was up. She enjoyed our visits and was chatty and "all there."
Saturday she was moved from ICU back to the nursing home. It wasn't a long ride by ambulance, but still exhausting and a big change.
Martha, Joe and I along with Frances and Doris looked in on her a few times Saturday and she was sleeping. Sunday morning around 11:00 we visited and she was a little out of it but she knew who we were and she was talking and waitng for the Minnesota Twins game to come on tv.
The nurses said her oxygen level had dropped in the night to 30% and had risen again to 71%. They were trying to get her levels up more, but that didn't happen. The next two times we checked in on her she was sleeping and didn't awaken.
The night nurse said she didn't think Mom would be "coming back" from such low O2 levels and even if she did, there would be brain damage. We left about 11:00PM and came back to Doris's to sleep. I think we'd been asleep about an hour when the nursing home called to say Mom had crossed over about 1:50 AM.

I'm so grateful to her for my life and her sacrifices. I'm sorry I didn't know her better, but I'm learning more about her through my siblings. That's a great gift, and she gave us all that.
We love you, Mom.
Dance with the angels, Mama, you've earned your wings.

Hello! From Crookston, MN - Pictures!

2006-08-18T06:44:00.000-07:00

Since my last post things happened pretty fast. My knitting friends and a co-worker rallied round and helped me get to Crookston to see my dangerously ill mother.
Between Tuesday morning and after work, I had tickets, cab fare, and an itinerary for flying to Minnesota.
I threw some clothes in a suitcase and filled the rest of the space with knitting. (It's all bout the knitting, you know.)

Here is Mom in her ICU room. Her color has gone from gray on Monday to almost normal by Wednesday evening.
One of the bigger concerns the doctor has is a resistant staph infection in Mom's lungs. There is no garuntee that this infection can be cleared up. However, there's an expectation of sending her back to the nursing home today. I'm not sure about that logic, but ...

These are pictures of my twin brother - his Stilt Band.......

Two portraits.

Three of my sisters: top : Frances, Doris
bottom, L to R: Me and Martha
Taken at dusk on Doris's back deck.

I couldn't swing it.

2006-08-15T06:38:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of my grandparents with all the kids. My mother is standing in the back wearing a hat- her favorite accessory. This picture was taken around Mom's "high school" years.

I can't go to Minnesota. I couldn't raise the money to buy a ticket. I won't see Mom before she dies.
I'm just sad.

Update

2006-08-14T17:06:00.000-07:00

I got word this Saturday that my mother had fallen and broken her leg in three places. My sister says no one at the nursing home knows quite how she did it. She tripped on her wheelchair or caught her foot somehow and went down.

She was bleeding a lot from the gash the bone made in one place when the aide found her.
The surgery went well Saturday and she was doing ok, considering her age and condition. She was in a lot of pain, but there isn't alot that can be done for that because of all the other medications she has to take.

Yesterday she started going downhill. She is pulling her oxygen off when she can and seems to be ready to give up.

The doctors want to have family meeting to withdraw the O2 and ler her go. If I can swing it, I'm going to be there tomorrow or Wednesday.

I'm sad for all the time I missed. All the potential and relationship not achievable. All my brothers and sisters and I will never know about her and she about us.

How can I miss someone I don't really know? How can I miss her already? How can I be so sad?

I'm so sad.

This one's for you, Barbara.

2006-08-11T14:37:00.000-07:00

I caught Bear just before he jumped into your basket. He was smelling wonderful cheesy smells.:0)

Busy, busy.

2006-08-02T12:58:00.000-07:00

I've been busy for the last week & a half pulling wires under the floor at work. We have a suspended floor that's about 18 inches off the concrete. It's designed so that you can lever up a floor tile and step down into the space below.

For 30 years wires from the patch panels and time base correctors have run from there to ten VTR machines, the switcher, the studio cameras, the teleprompter, various scopes, audio, and "other stuff." There were at least six wires to each machine and so on. We've been able to patch any machine into any source and swap them around all the time.
Well, we've gone digital. We now are going to use hard drives to record studio video and fire-wire for feeding DVC video from location shoots into the editing Computers. It'll be 90+% non-linear editing and all digital and High Res.

So my job, Being the knitter and good at untangling things, is to crawl under the floor, UNTANGLE and pull the unplgged wires out.
The "boss" keeps saying "You're doing fine -it took 30 years to tangle those wires, I didn't expect them to be pulled in a few days." That's good.... I'm in shape for about 2 wires at a time and then I have to rest. I'm not used to having to stick my elbows up and out over my head, brace them on the floor tiles, and pull my body weight up using just my pectoral muscles. Every wire pulled requires half a dozen or more such movements and climbing up and down in to various holes tracing all the wires. By 2:oo in the afternoon I'm puffing and groaning like a buffalo stuck chest-deep in a mud hole. Both my knees are bruised and swollen from crawling on them under the tiles that are still in place, and my elbows and forearms are swollen from leaning on them trying not to lie down on all the wires under the floor.
It gets to the point where I just lie there and laugh when I get stuck. Sometimes I get wiggled around and can't move 'cause I'm backed up against a pipe and can't get my leg or foot around to get a different leverage point. It's SO FUNNY~~!!! I got in there, How come I can't get out?

The best news about this project? (Other then how nice the set-up will be at work when it's done.)The jeans I was going to give away -the ones I wrote "too tight" on the pocket linings? They FIT! They're even loose. All that ab work doubled over under the floor. Woo, Hoo!!!
That's all for today.

An Evening With Stephanie-Pearl McPhee

2006-07-28T11:39:00.001-07:00

Last night the Yarn Harlot was in Albuquerque. I got to go with a lot of my knitting friends.

I tried really hard not to gush like a groupie, but I don't know if I succeeded. I remember reading her blog about gushing over her idols at the big conventions, so I wanted to be just a normal person and Not a doofus. It was Sooo exciting to see her and chat for a minute, I don't know if I gushed or not. !

She talked about her husband's social parties are uncomfortable for her when people find out she knits. These days I'd a a whole lot rather be in a quiet corner knitting with her any time, rather than "mingling".

She talked about feeling shy so much of the time, but my impression was that she wasn't shy with us. - She was with knitters, mothers, like-minded women and men bound together by string and sticks. We all love knitting and find it "fun and interesting."

Thank You, Stephanie, for a lovely evening. Please come back again, any time. We can sit, knit, drink coffee, knit, eat dinner, knit, drink beer, knit...sleep. Knit, talk , knit.

The other thrill of the evening for me was recognizing and meeting Adam from
adam knits (alot!). I've enjoyed reading his blog over the last few months and am delighted to see him in town starting grad school.

While I forgot my camera and have no pictures from last night, if you go to the blog
a Woman Obsessed, she got a great picture with Stephanie and The Sock (s). 'Way to go, Jenny!
Well that's it for today. My last crochet class is tomorrow, and I'm carding roving all day Sunday - my share of the 10 lbs of camel from the zoo, and the roving to blend with it and like that...

The baby sweater and hat and booties are due by next Friday so I'll be posting pics of them next week. The Mystery Stole 2 is at a stand still till after that, and the toe-up-two-socks-2-circs are waiting to be cast off.

Okay - back to work. I'm getting my workout this week- we're pulling all the wires from the old video machines here in the studio and I'm pulling the wires and crawling under the floor in the 30 year tangle of video and audio cables. Hey - I'm a knitter- I can untangle yarn, right? I should be able to untangle cables... Well they're a lot heavier than yarn! Under the floor, under the racks, up out of the floor, up to the patch panels, back under the floor.
Whew, I'll be in good shape by the time we're done. :0)

Oh, the Horror!

2006-07-07T09:52:00.000-07:00

Unbelieveable! I snagged it last night on the way home from work. My purse fell off my arm and caught the ONE PLACE that it could. The snag was 3 feet long last night. It's the yarn over row. Wouldn't you know....
Man!!

I've had more compliments - it was totally worth the effort.

Am I ready for Orenburg or cobweb lace? Yes, no, Yes, No! Yes!!!

Kitty Updates

2006-07-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

Bear was not in evidence for this photo session. He's the old man of the group and the most cooperative when the camera comes out. But he was sleeping.

Furball- on her perch- from which she lured the boxer upstairs into darn near breaking his walker's ribs on the wrought iron railing as he lunged toward my window to get to her.

Speedy on the four drawer filing cabinet in the living room. He can see out without being too close to the LR window like Furball.
I suspect he's the "clinger" culprit.

So, What's Next? You guessed it. Lace.

2006-07-06T09:01:00.000-07:00

Last week or so -BEFORE I even thought I would finish my shawl I joined the Mystery Stole 2 KAL.

Ok, ok, I'm nuts -I know - I have to live with me. :0)
I AM HOOKED.

So the first part is knitting a swatch and getting ready for the first part of the pattern.

This is Jade Sapphire yarn that I bought at least 2 years ago at the LYS. It is rumoured to have some cashmere in it. Unless I can find someone who can read Chinese with a microscope, I'll never know. But if I remember correctly, it was $8.00 a ball,
and 62.5 gm (which is the only thing I can really read on the label). It's a guess that there are 800 yds/ball. I have 2 balls and that's what I'm using for this KAL.

I'm going to use 2 size 4 circular needles so I can knit both sides of the Stole at once. I want to knit it a little more tightly than the swatch. I'll have to watch my yarn-overs carefully. And if we don't get instructions about the edges, I think I'll try to do seed stitch so the edge doesn't roll. Feedback if that won't work, please. Thank you.
Here are pictures of the rest of my lace weight stash.

The first two pictures are mystery yarns ( a bit heavier than cobweb with some silk content) from the "famous" weaver's estate sale two years ago. The weaver had at least two rooms of yarns and fibers. We all spent too much at that sale. ;o
The left hand picture is the cone from which wound off the balls in front. It's light blue with slubs of darker blue silk.
The right hand picture has some mystery dark skein of wool and who knows. The right hand (lighter) ball is Japanese silk (that's what the label said. :0) )

The third picture is what I believe to be warp yarn from the same place- it has mohair in it and I think will soften and fluff out with washing. I haven't decided whether to knit something first and then dye it or paint it, or dye the yarn first. I'm such a waffle.

The last pictures are just all of it laid out. Merino lace in 2 blues and the ball of white is also merino - cobweb weight.

Oh, My, Gosh!!!!!!! It's Magic - it's LACE!!!!!!!

2006-07-05T14:26:00.000-07:00

For eleven months I have knitted this. From "one big, ugly, wadgey ('wad-gee) bag ? hat? 'What IS that?!'," attention-getter to Lace, and a shawl!!!! Oh my gosh. It really blooms!
Now I understand WHY we knit lace.

As it comes off the needles and falls away it becomes this floaty, ethereal creation... I can hardly bring words to it.
Eleven months -worth it -e v e r y s t i t c h -all 1872 bound off stitches in the final row.

ELEVEN MONTHS-
I've dropped stitches and tinked back, and in the LAST SIX ROWS, I had to tink, TINK, mind you, NOT rip, TINK back 3/4ths of 624 stitches because I didn't read the right row. DUHHHHHH. I've spent all my four days off on the last 6 rows! After ELEVEN months, you'd think I could read the last 6 rows correctly. Nope, nope, nope.

Less than 200 stitches to go!

Close-up of Picot edging.

Shawl on couch -I didn't realize it would stretch so much.

Edge detail.

It's so soft and light, but warm! Just right for my freezing office. Server room, cool away. I laugh at you now...!

I'll have pictures and stuff to talk about this next week.

2006-06-30T14:04:00.000-07:00

I've got pictures of all sorts of stuff. I plied my first yarn this week and I've got swatches and lots of stuff to talk about.

Classes and knitting, crocheting, etc.

Next week! Ciao, everybody!

Happy Fourth.

Thursday Progress, Shameless Plug, and Other Stuff

2006-06-22T06:10:00.000-07:00

The first photo is the center of the paisley shawl revisited, taken somewhere around August or September '05. The bottom picture is last week at row 12 of the 20 row border. Today I'm on row 15 but I missed a lot of YO's last night in the first quarter so I'll have to correct that on the purl row. Finish line almost in sight.
Almost done, almost done.

SHAMELESS PLUG!!!
I start my summer Beginning Crochet Class on June 24 from 10:30-12:30 on Saturdays for 6 weeks. If you live in Metro Albuquerque area and want to learn crochet, go to UNM's website and find Continuing Education's online registration.

Please come -we'll have fun and learn something new.
Studies show if you continue to learn things like crafts that require "math" calculations,counting, etc., or languages, etc. you fend off the beginnings of Alzheimers' and Dementia. So come protect your Brain- learn crochet this summer, beginning and intermediate knitting and crochet this fall, and sock knitting this fall.

I've started the ladder yarn poncho for my girlfriend and I'll take pictures this weekend.I tried three different needle sizes, 15, 35, 50, and ended up with the 15's in bamboo after all. I might do the next one[NEXT ONE?!!!@@#!!!!????!!!!] with 10's and see what happens.I'm liking the stockinette stich for this one so far. I tried garter which is undoubtedly easier but I didn't like the fabric results. I'm also using bamboo needles -those of you who know me know I'm a product of the 60's, 70's, and so on, when Ben Franklin stores and Woolworth's only sold plastic, baleen, and metal needles, so wood is hardly ever my first choice. Odd, because I should like them... I just don't think about them. Anyway, I changed to bamboo for this poncho after having my plastic needle slide right OUT of my hands and stitches. The bamboo grabs the yarn better - almost too much.

My son is at the Skills USA National Competiton in Kansas City this week. Haven't heard from him so he must be busy, having fun, and still have money. He'll get home Saturday.

DD is READING!!!!!! Hooray!!!! She had to read "The Outsiders" by S.E.Hinton for summer school and finally found a book that turned on her reading gene. "Pendragon" is the next book for school and she seems to like that one too. ;~) SO proud.....

Friday -Wow.

2006-06-16T07:44:00.000-07:00

I bought this scarf at Milagro Moon Ranch in Edgewood, NM. It's felted with green roving, white alpaca and novelty yarn. This picture does NOT do it justice.

It's delicate looking and gossamer light.

This is a link to my dear friend's website. April is a gifted artist who paints beautifully on fabric, leather, and other surfaces. She does custom work so send her your requests.
http://www.ruidosotoday.com/ajcreations.htm

Ok so I forgot to take a photo card home AGAIN. No pictures, bummmer, grumble, grumble.

I'm on row 10 of the paisley border of my shawl!!!! Almost done, almost done.

Pictures? Did I Promise Pictures and Stories?

2006-06-15T08:21:00.000-07:00

Yes, I did. But I didn't bring the stupid card, so stories without pics -don't think so.! So I'll bring it tomorrow and get them posted. Sorry!

I'm wearing my Criss Cross Socks today. They feel great. It's so nice to wear new socks.

I'm going back to the Mountain Tango socks on 2 circs this weekend and get the heels in - somehow. I don't know , maybe I Will use the afterthought heel.

My Paisley Shawl from IK is on row 8 of the last 20 rows. It's taking so long in each quarter.... Almost done, almost done. That's the Mantra for this next few weeks.

It's the 15th of June and I haven't even started a blue project for Project Spectrum..... I'll put that on the weekend list too.

Friday (payday) I have to take DS and buy him black slacks, and black leather shoes, maybe. He has to have them for his trip.

This Saturday is way busy already:
The Albuquerque Folk Festival is this coming weekend: Saturday and Sunday all day. The Dropped Stitch Knitters have been invited to demo at the event. I'm going about 10:30 ish and knitting till 1 or so , then I'll go to Napoli and knit. Maybe back to the Folk Festival if need be.

Sunday is the usual laundry, cooking, cleaning if I don't poop out.

My son is going to Kansas City with the Skills USA team from his school to compete in the National Competition -a week long event. His plane leaves around 10 on Monday and he comes home Saturday or Sunday week.

I have to help him get packed and ready too. So all his laundry needs etc. will be done on Sunday. I'm tired already. :0[

Now They're Done!

2006-06-14T14:24:00.000-07:00

My new Socks! They are so soft and comfortable. Criss Cross Socks pattern on the web. I'll find the url tomorrow.
Coming tomorrow East Mountain Fiber and Farm Tour tales.

Weather Flash!
SPRINKLES at 3:25 PM, MDT!

New Socks almost done.

2006-06-13T15:06:00.000-07:00

Ok - New Socks for me!!! YaY!

Nothing Much, Mostly Pictures.

2006-06-06T13:33:00.000-07:00

Today is Jacy's 13th birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(She's the cutie on the left.) ; )

It's raining! Actual drops from the sky! I don't know how long it'll last, but IT IS WELCOME.

Looking back at the Sedona trip, it was so nice to get away for a few days. It wasn't what my friend expected, I know, but it was still fun.

I got an added bonus -my back and neck that had plagued me for months didn't hurt after lying out on Bell Rock for 6+ hours and sitting at the river below Cathedral Rock for 6+ hours. Neck and back are STILL good, thank you. Thank you, Annie, and thank you, Sedona.

I found some ladder ribbon at LYS to make the poncho that Annie saw in Sedona, but I can't find the same stuff. My neuroses are rearing their ugly heads - it won't look the same; it won't feel right; she won't like it. Stop it, Jeannie, you're in recovery. It's alright.

That'a all for now. I have to take my summer crochet class paperwork to Continuing Ed.

So Busy! Finally Updating.

2006-05-22T07:23:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can't believe it's been so long! Things have been really busy.

The trip to Sedona happened. I had a great time. My friend's schedule is SO different from mine. She's used to staying up half or all night and I'm sleepy and ready for bed by nine. I hope she wasn't bored.

We took the train to Flagstaff and got in late. No rental car awaited, but we got one anyway. If you're ever in Flagstaff at midnight on a Firday, the woman at HERTZ Rental Cars is very cool. She accomodated us no problem. The competition lost out even though my friend had reserved a car through them.

We got to Bell Rock about 1:30 or 2 in the morning. We had to stop and see if we could find our way on to the rock right then. We gave up the wandering around in the dark because it was too cloudy even though the moon was full. We could hear other people up there but I just wasn't very willing to take a wrong step in the dark. I know it's stupid, but I've been afraid of the dark almost as long as I can remember. It's just an unreasoning, blind panic thing and I'm not ok with it, but not ready to figure it out yet.

So, we got to our motel -The View- in Cottonwood about 3 a.m. It was a nice room close to the pool and the office. Complimentary coffee in the morning - good coffee, too, not old, weak or flat.

The VIEW from the motel is spectacular. If you want a moderate place to stay with a Million dollar view, stay here. Once the owner dies, it will be sold at some ridiculous price and a big chain will put up a $200.00+ a night hotel and spa that only the very wealthy can afford.(Cynical? Yes! True? YES!)

I got to Red Rock Knit Shop. It's open and very NICE! It has a really pleasant work room at the rear of the shop. What a comfortable place to meet and knit. My friend found a gorgeous poncho that had been designed & knit by the owner. If you get a chance, drop by this shop.

That's all for now. More Tues, May 30.
Ciao!

More cute things for the trip under the sock pic.

2006-05-09T14:16:00.000-07:00

Final fitting on my son's second pair of socks. He says they're good now. Whew!

The yellow hat is my own design - from yarn that I bought for $1.00 a ball at the "famous Wall o' Yarn" at A Different Drummer needlework store here in the 'Burky.
The orphan sock and booties are from leftover yarn donated by the woman who asked me to make her a shawl. I think I talked about that awhile back.

My Own Idea

2006-05-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

Ta, Da!!!!
I designed these hats this week. I've gotten good response from people on the bus.
I don't have much more to say today.

I'm planning on knitting tonight with one of the groups here. We'll go to our hostess' house, order take out and knit.

My DD had a choir concert last night for school. It was terrific. She really wants to sing with the women's choir next year. They've been invited to sing at St. John the Divine in New York on a regular basis. [WOW!!!] The choir teacher will be setting that up. Would that be great or What?

I'm going to Sedona next week for a mini-vacation. Can't wait. There's a yarn shop in Sedona I'll be checking out. Of course...