DakotaQuilter

I Am Not An MSer

2011-07-25T22:45:00.002-05:00

I am a lot of ers. I am a daughter and a mother. I am a sister and a grandmother. I am a lover and a worker. I am a knitter and I am still a driver. I have a progressive form of MS, but I did not invite it in and it is not welcome here. We are not friends. Ers are meant to be good and great things. MS cannot and will not ever fit into that catagory. MS has stolen some ers from me. I can say I was a fine handquilter and I was a driver of a clutch...always. Until MS. Please don't give it a term of endearment and call me an MSer. I am not.

Hot!

2011-07-20T09:46:00.006-05:00

To say it is hot would be the largest of understatements. On the news this morning, they were reporting that in places Interstate 90 is buckling under the heat. I have actually witnessed this in person as I was driving north a few years ago. Asphalt sprays up into the air when it explodes and can do some major damage to vehicles. Pretty scary.

"Whether the weather be fine,
Whether the weather be not,
Whether the weather be cold,
Whether the weather be hot,
We'll weather the weather,
Whatever the weather,
Whether we like it or not."
Unkown I bought a little raindrop pot from AntB over at Etsy. Check her out, she has more and they are all different. What a way to fire a young person's imagination!! If it ever rains again, we will catch the rain in this minute pot for either fairies or hermit crabs...I need to make a few fairy gardens in pots on the back deck. Bruce - I need a larger deck!
People have been making me things. Glorious things. The little yarn flower was made for me by my Granddaughter. She is 6 years old and I treasure it. She had a select few she made them for, my Mother, my best friend - Grandma Penny, and me! My daughter got one too, but instead of being a pin, hers was a plant stake.

I have a wonderful friend, Bev, over in Scotland. She made these great earrings for me. My birthstone is Peridot, Bruce's is Amethyst. Aren't they wonderful!! I had to take a pair off just to get pictures. I have pretty much worn one pair or the other since they came in the mail. Today was a good excuse to trade them out again.
Look what I found a few months ago at my most favorite thrift store? Not only do they have the occasional cabinet (scroll down), they also have the occasional piece of handthrown pottery to fill with trimmed rosemary set out to dry. How could I pass up this cute ewe to stand guard over my wool?
Farmer's Markets turn up neat things, too. Penny and I went a few weeks ago and I found a wonderful artist with a rock painted to look exactly like my cat, Schuster. The rock found it's way into my box of mint plants, one bronze fennel plant and a rose scented geranium. What a haul!
What have I been working on? I seldom ever have more than one project on the needles at a time. Now is the exception. My daughter wanted rainbow bright socks. I should mention she just turned 29 last week. She chose the yarn and is very happy with the results so far. Look...the heels and toes are scraps!! Ahhh...my Monet period. They didn't turn out in the sharp contrast like the picture in my mind's eye (isn't that always the way?), but I am very happy with them. Qutecowgirl has touched my knitting life in ways you could only imagine. She was the first to convince me to try alpaca and I am grateful. I love it. I am thinking about starting a column on the sidebar listing all the natural fibers I have knit with. Yak will be on there now. Do I seem proud? You betcha! Finally, cherry tomatoes. We have been waiting....and waiting....and waiting.... One of two egg baskets bought for $1 apiece at a garage sale. They both now house my extensive leftover sock yarn balls. I really need to do something with all this wonderful yarn besides look at it.

Friday Moments

2011-07-15T06:22:00.007-05:00

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
Theodore Roosevelt

I came around the corner and my favorite thrift store and bumped into this yesterday. Wow...! I called my best friend over to talk me out of it. She did such a great job that it took me 5 minutes longer to pay the $19.99 for it. You gotta love friends. She knew I would regret it forever. I will let you know it is Heavy. She thinks it may be mahogany. I love the blue though and don't think I can bring myself to strip it. What do you think? Imagine loads of sock yarn behind the glass.....

Socks and Herbs

2011-06-25T20:54:00.011-05:00

“Great is the power of habit. It teaches us to bear fatigue and to despise wounds and pain.” Marcus Tullius Cicero

Most of my gardening...no, not true....all of my gardening anymore is done in pots. It is a great thing to see the plants doing so well this year with all the cool weather and rain that is flooding people in this state out. I have been picking the top whorl of leaves off this mint to dry for tea and to add this winter to brownies. Socks for Dad, made from Qutecowgirl's yarn. The toes and heels were dyed by me, first with lime Kool-Aid then in three baths of strong black tea.Socks for me!! Again from Qutecowgirl's yarn. You can't really tell from the photos, but the peachy colored yarn has minute purple places in it. My favorite socks so far, but I say that about every pair.I have found new sock yarn suppliers recently on Etsy. NeuroticKnitterz. And in finding them, I found an interesting site and group on Ravelry. Phat Fibers. I am still new to this group, but I have found if you purchase from one of their contributors, your name can go into a hat for the drawing of a neat box of stuff, go check it out. I am in twice because of this yarn purchase. The colors are outside of my normal range, but the yarn is fantastic. I have already wound one of them into a ball and can't wait to start something with it. I am open to suggestions from any of you currently working on something wonderful. These skeins contain 460 yards.My dear friend Penny gave me this small strawberry pot. My thyme is certainly happy in there this summer. I love it!!Yarn my parents gave me for Christmas. I know it will become a sweater but currently I am trying to decide which one. I have lost a little bit of weight, too, so am trying to decide on a size. I wind the balls by hand, good physical therapy!And my last picture today is of one of the two wire egg baskets I found at a garage sale. I have been stuffing them with all the ends and pieces and leftovers of all my sock knitting. I am currently looking for a good scrap yarn sock to use some of these up.

God Bless,
Lynn

2011-04-28T06:33:00.004-05:00

What I look forward to is continued immaturity followed by death.
Dave Barry

Okay, so my immaturity is showing. Penny and I found this funny little pot at a thrift store. Her husband, being the trooper he is and having never been an ex-husband, drilled a hole in the bottom of it for me. How cool is he?
Cuttings from my topiary at work made up this little aspiring topiary. It went to live in another office last week. I didn't tell the recipient, a man, that the white pole was a lonely knitting needle found at another thrift store.

If you have not yet read this book, I highly recommend it!! It is an incredible tale of a three year old little boy who has been to Heaven and has stories to tell that are hugely believable. If you need a little hope in your life, this is the book to help provide it. It is making the tour of my friends and loved ones and will definitely be on my outgoing present list this Christmas.

Avilia! I love the little pine tree at the bottom. It is an easy pattern to memorize and a great travel project.

Harry Potter socks finished a little while ago for my daughter. Bruce wasn't interested in the manly pink in the socks. >smile<

God bless and better weather.

It's Raining

2011-04-10T17:11:00.004-05:00

“May you always have walls for the winds, a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire, laughter to cheer you, those you love near you and all your heart might desire.”

Irish Blessing

Here's looking at you through a new computer and monitor, raising my mug of tea. I didn't realise my old computer was ten years young until I took it apart trying to mend a problem. It had been a gift from my Father and had belonged to my Uncle Larry, it got me through for quite a while. I figured since our House and Senate finally did their job, did the right thing, and got together on the budget to keep the government running, I might as well splurge on a new one, a celebration of sorts. So, I am back online.The new mug on my desk, brought back from...well, you know. I have never been there, but am told often I NEED to go. How great are friends who remember you when they are out having so much fun. Thanks, Pete and Kim!

I have new yarn from Scotland, too. I need to take pictures of the beautiful yarns that came recently while I didn't have picture capability. Thanks, Bev!! She added some really pretty earrings that she made herself. They will be in my next post.

I am going through another flare, so I have been doing a little knitting and a little reading. My Mom & Dad sent me a care package of books. Iris Johansen is a current favorite.

This is reclaimed yarn. It came a while ago, but my camera and old computer didn't like to speak to each other. This lovely sport weight yarn started life as an unwanted sweater. Erica, the woman who rescued it, dyed the sweater first and then unraveled 226 yards of kettle dyed rainbow continuum. What a great idea. Check out PirateCatYarns over at Etsy. Notice the cute tiny skein of alpaca she included.

I still love my hand dyed sock yarns from Qutecowgirl best. The socks above are from a skein she named Manly. The toes and heals were some of the yarn I dyed using Kool-aid and tea.

I told you I have been doing a little knitting. These are for me. I refused to wear them until I could get the pictures off the camera and onto the blog. When I am out of her yarn, it will be a sad day.

Take care and God bless.

Bye February

2011-02-28T19:53:00.003-06:00

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

I got a package in the mail. All the way from the UK. I love packages. It always feels like Christmas. It isn't as though I wasn't expecting it, but boy is it fun to rip off the paper to find the lovelies underneath. Time to go leave feedback....
She winds into center pull cakes if you ask her.

My next socks. I will probably be casting on Wednesday. I am going to spend the day with a friend. My best friend. This is more of Qutecowgirl's sock yarn. She entitled this one "Health" after I was diagnosed with MS. How wonderful is she?

And the back to the vest is finished and I am slowly making progress on the right front. There are all sorts of colors in this yarn, little pips of gold, pink, teal, and blue. We had more snow over the weekend, so I got a little more indoor time to knit. I do not like this time of year, except for the knitting time.

What's new with you?

A Monday Moment

2011-02-21T10:00:00.002-06:00

If you always do what interests you, at least one person is pleased.

Katharine Hepburn

Bruce. This wonderful man sent me a rose. A perfect rose. One beautiful rose preserved and dipped in gold. He wanted me to have something that would not end up in the garbage after one week. He is one of the most romatic people I know. I am very lucky.
My pictures are a little fuzzy, but you can make out the bound off edge of the pink, alpaca, Brandywine. This is the most interesting bind off I have ever done and I love the rolled edge effect. If you have not tried this pattern, I would recommend it. I have now made three and would still like to make one for myself. I am thinking beads next time.

A Gray Sunday Morning Coming Down

2011-02-20T12:46:00.005-06:00

Friendship with ones self is all important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world.
Eleanor Roosevelt

It is a gray day in South Dakota. We woke to ice all over the north and west side of the house bringing new meaning to light perception only. We had thunder overnight which also does not bode well in February. Today is a good day to...knit. Dexter says hi. He is the beginning of my gray post.
I finished my pink Brandwine and have moved on to a vest I have been wanting to knit since I saw it on The Woolen Rabbit.
Then these two yarns arrived at about the same time and inspiration struck. A Dexter vest...only for me. How odd to try and match yourself to a cat. Now is when I should be thinking about buttons. Do they cause anyone else angst?

Valentine's Eve

2011-02-13T20:56:00.005-06:00

Sometimes someone says something really
small, and it just fits right into this empty
place in your heart....

My So-Called Life

I have never had an orchid rebloom before. This one loves this window, the view is one I see everyday from my desk at work. The orchid makes the snow this time of year easier to cope with. That and the bunny that lives in the snow under the bush. Pictures of rabbit dropping may follow one day soon....
This luscious yarn is another from CastOffCastOnUK over on Etsy. These balls are the way she wound them for me. Aren't they just the cutest things? The labels are great, she even adds the care instructions from the label of the garment.
The little pink bubble depression glass bowl is a recent acquisition, it is just like one my Grandmother had. I got that one when she passed away, but promptly broke it on the way home. I have given one to my Daughter-in-Law since then, but this one is all mine. My Grandmother used to make salads in hers for lunch...sometimes with papaya.
My latest socks. The pretty yarn was dyed by Qutecowgirl, the tan looking yarn I dyed myself. I started with lime KoolAid and then gave it three baths in strong tea. I am pretty happy with the results.
Another Brandywine on the needles. This one is made from reclaimed alpaca, it is so soft you would not believe it. There were three skeins, almost 900 yds. Just enough for a larger version. I am betting it will be lovely blocked. I am very happy with it, so far.

A thrift find today. I am planning on stuffing it with Good Earth Decaf Green Tea bags. How's that for a little irony?

Thanks for stopping in and feel free to say Hi!
Lynn

2011-02-07T20:55:00.003-06:00

The absent are never without fault, nor the present without excuse.

- Benjamin Franklin

I have new and wonderful things to show you. I have met a new yarn rescuer from the UK that has the most beautiful reclaimed yarn at her Etsy shop. Her name is CastOffCastOnUK. If you have been thinking of doing something a little more Earth friendly and green, it might be a good thing to pop in and take a look. She has some lovely rose and emerald yarns posted, as well as some yarns she has reduced the price on to sell as complete sets.
My Mother's friend past away last year. She crocheted wonderful afghans for the people she loved. I asked my Mother to pick a couple out that she had not finished. I finished on for her and one for her friend's daughter. I have discovered that with is disease, crochet is no longer easy for me, but I am thrilled to have them done and received on the other end.

The Stupidly Easy triangle Shawl by Glenna C. on Ravelry. I found this fantastic suede yarn at a thrift store in town. Probably enough to make a sweater. I needed something easy to work on while waiting for appointments. This was just the thing. No patterns to memorize. My friend thinks it is the best thing I have made in a while, so it goes to her.

There were 6 skeins of this, already rolled into center pull balls, for only $5. Not a bad deal.

Memorial Day

2010-05-31T09:33:00.004-05:00

"The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it."

- Thucydides

Today is a day to remember...those that have given their all in the service and protection of this great Nation under God. God Bless Them Every One.

Brandywine Shawl. It still needs to be blocked. I am pretty happy with the way it came out. I think I would like to make another, longer version. This bind off was new to me and it gives the shawl a finish that is perfect.
My latest socks. The knitting of these has been very emotional. The yarn was dyed, of course, by Qutecowgirl. The name of the yarn is "Lynn 3". She dyed them specifically with me in mind and with thoughts for my healing. Pretty powerful stuff. Her yarn is a delight, so soft I can't even come up with words for it. I am letting the yarn be the showcase for these socks, the colors are so soothing. I worked on these non-stop while my best friend was in surgery last week...I think it brought both of us luck.
Winterscape Socks designed by Kay Redding From The Back Yard. I love her designs. These socks are very special to me. They were completed this month for my May Sock of the Month. The yarn was bought in the Black Hills on Bruce's and my last trip. I don't know if he will remember this particular yarn, but I thought about that trip and him with every stitch.

I have started the Spinner's Lace Shawl designed by Evelyn A. Clark. I chose a German mohair yarn I was lucky enough to find at a garage sale last year. I bought two cones for $6. There will be plenty for a longer version of her shawl.

I finally, after such a struggle, made a decision on buttons for my sweater. I didn't go with the silver after all, but with some polymer buttons I had bought off eBay last year. I found them rummaging through a drawer looking for something for my daughter. I knew instantly they were what I wanted.

I hope your weekend has been a special one, filled with the love of family and friends.

A Day In May

2010-05-01T08:36:00.004-05:00

"An optimist is the human personification of spring."
- Susan J. Bissonette

My family really needs Spring this year. I am not sure how it happened, really. April got away from me. There were bad, bad things, and good, good things. Sometimes the bad steals your breath away and the spinning takes a while to slow so you can understand, and sometimes the good brings tears. The little sign above came to me by way of Brenda and brought tears, thank you, Brenda. Check out the Wool Crazy blog.
Tres Trax Socks by Kay Redding were finished a while ago and I have even been wearing them. Qutecowgirl's beautiful yarns always get compliments, always. This yarn is called First Time and was great to work with. I worked on these while my 5 year old Granddaughter was in the hospital having her tonsils out. I tell you, she bounced right back. Tonsils out at 8:00 AM, corndogs at noon. Little kids are made out of rubber, so says my boss!

Hard to see in the pictures, but there are three tracks (hence Tres Trax I believe) of garter every so often.

My favorite model's new Reading Mitts, that have also been done for forever. Her office is always so cold she asked for a pair of her own.

I finished Brandywine, I am having trouble getting good pictures and it does need to be blocked. Maybe soon.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T19:12:00.005-05:00

The shortest distance between two points is under construction.

- Noelie Alito

Another pair of reading mitts, this pair for my daughter. The first one is finished, the second is under construction with a little help from Dexter....AKA the Dextinator....everybody needs a little buddy, or in his case, a rather large buddy...this is 30 pounds of cat who really wishes he could knit, too.
Also under construction for the month of March, Tres Trax Socks from Kay Redding . These have been on my queue for a while and I am excited to have finally started them. They are my second pair that have been designed by her. This wonderful yarn is from Qutecowgirl.

Isn't it a crying shame when you are so proud of something you are making until you look at the photo for the first time? You never see the problems when the work is up close and personal. I have two months to finish this one in between sock of the month, should be a breeze. This is Brandywine Shawl by Rosemary Hill. I am in love with the pattern and want to do another one for me. The yarn is, of course from my favorite designer, Qutecowgirl.

I stopped into the LYS to pick up a ball of Lima to finish the reading mitts and decided to ask about a swift. I wind all my yarn by hand, it is good physical therapy. I did come home with a new swift, but also with this hank of handspun that is to die for. 124 yards of bulky that I am still not exactly sure what I will do with.

This is a ball of recycled super bulky hand dyed yarn I picked up off Etsy from SpinyNormanKnits. I know exactly what this is for, a bobble-less tea cozy. Now I just need 4 really cute buttons or beads. If it goes well, there will be several made for Christmas presents this year. My daughter, who never comments on my yarn except to tell me she does not like it, loved this yarn as soon as it came out of it's package and wanted to know what I was using it for. It really is quite lovely. Thanks to my new swift, both hanks were wound right away.

Decisions, decisions. I have two sets of buttons for my Neck Down V-Neck Cardigan. I think I am still hoping for polymer cane buttons to show up in the right color.

But I am leaning toward these from eBay.....

Things Finished

2010-03-21T20:25:00.004-05:00

The secret of a good life is to have the right loyalties and hold them in the right scale of values.
Norman Thomas

Susie's Reading Mitts are finished and with their new owner, modeled here by my daughter. I enjoyed making this pattern so much, I will be starting a pair soon for my daughter. She would prefer nit to have hers made from alpaca. Have to pay the model.
My 5 year old Granddaughter's socks are finished. I am not sure which pair I will be knitting in April, but I know who they will be for.

A bookmark recently finished.

And the 5 year olds best friends! Meet brown duckie, the all time favorite, and yellow duck....

Lose One, Gain One

2010-03-07T20:37:00.006-06:00

When we lose one blessing, another is often, most unexpectedly, given in its place.
C.S.Lewis

From the time I was 16 and drove a 1948 Chevy pickup with a deluxe cab, that was geared down for towing and had the most delightful wrap-around windows, I have always owned a clutch. Always. I am a type A control freak that needed the control of a clutch. Now I am much older, 51 if you can believe blogger (I think they must have miscalculated). This baby is an automatic. Losing my clutch is the most recent battle that MS has won. I am turning this loss into a gain, who needs a little red sports car when you can drive a big, beautiful, black beast?

I finished the reading mitts, I just need to get a good picture. I have started 5 year old socks, but left them in Penny's car after an appointment last Friday. I have one remaining UFO besides the socks.....I could be free to start a new project soon....soon....

Thanks for stopping by. Take care and God bless.

People Let Me Tell You 'Bout My Best Friend

2010-02-28T15:53:00.008-06:00

“It’s not whether you get knocked down. It’s whether you get up again.”

Vince Lombardi

Meet my best friend. She, unlike me, is just a petite thang. The snow that seems to go on forever can't even be seen over the top of her head. That still puts that snow bank well over 12' tall and it goes on for at least 75-80 feet. There are little rooms cut out of it I am soooooo ready for Spring.
February socks are done and headed for a cute little girl in northern Montana. And according to my son who was home on leave this month, "yes, Mom...you do have more snow on the ground than we do." Exactly what I was aspiring to. >sigh< This is my current tween (the in between socks project). These are adorable and so soft, being a wool and alpaca mix. The pattern is on Ravelry.
No big surprise, I have MS. I was diagnosed late last year. I have been dealing with a relapse for the last couple of weeks. I lived through my first bout of IV infusions of Solu-Medrol, I made out much better than most, but I am still waiting to feel better. Any tips would be appreciated. The wool you see on the table, for the Wool Crazy Sew Along (you will find a link on my sidebar), is a part of my physical therapy. I used to make beautiful cotton quilts with fine stitching before MS. My therapist thinks this project is a great idea, it should help the cramping in my hands. I told her the stitching would be larger and more rustic and I am pretty excited about it. She wants me to keep knitting. I am also winding all my yarn by hand, but I always have. I love knitting, but I really miss quilting.

Another Snowy Saturday

2010-02-13T16:44:00.005-06:00

We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.

~Author Unknown

My son came home this week. His Grandmother passed away and he was a pallbearer. I know it was a very sad reason for him to be here, but I treasured every minute of our time together. This was a difficult time for both my children.

This beautiful yarn was from that Magic Yarn Ball that came last weekend, thank you Rhea. I could not wait to start knitting with it to see what would unwind. There were beautiful treasures inside, more on that later. The buttons just got sewed on today. They were part of my Grandmother's buttons and appear to be walnut. The pattern was Be Squared Neck Warmer on Ravelry.
I started a pair of socks for my Granddaughter in Montana. This is a Regia yarn, Schachenmayr nomotta Regia Flusi Das Socken Monster, very fun to knit up. I wish I could be there to give them to her in person later this month.

Magic Yarn Ball Received

2010-02-06T15:53:00.004-06:00

If it's not fun, you're not doing it right.
Bob Basso

I got my magic yarn ball in the mail! Didn't she do a wonderful thing, here...I want to do this again! Stop over at her blog and take a peek, she is a wonderful photographer. This ball of wonder will become a Be Squared Neck Warmer. There was a bar of Cadbury Dairy Milk in the box, but since I am not sharing that with anyone (mine, all mine) I will not tempt you with a picture. It is absolutely my favorite, barring none. The true moral in all this is never desecrate chocolate with nuts and never, ever share! Sharing yarn is good, but Cadbury is not a team event!

Magic Yarn Balls

2010-02-03T20:47:00.003-06:00

Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.
Dr. Seuss

I joined an online swap started by T Does Wool. I am usually tempted, but seldom join. Magic Yarn Balls. If you are interesed in taking a peek, we have a Flickr site. My swap partner has already received her package so I can show you now what it looked like when she took it out of the box. The premise of the ball is that you take a skein of yarn, alpaca in this case, and wind it into a ball, winding little trinkets and bobbles into it as you go, starting with something somewhat round in the center. That way, when your swap partner is knitting from the ball, little things begin to appear. Sounds like great fun, doesn't it? I had a blast putting this together, I hope she likes it as much as I did. Even my friend, Penny, got involved and found me a tiny pair of wooden knitting needles to wind in.

"So Long, January" Sunday

2010-01-31T20:34:00.004-06:00

"A new British survey has revealed that 9 out of 10 people like Chocolate. The tenth lies."

- Robert Paul

Last weekend was spent with a good book, great tea and new yarn. I am loving the way the Bamboo feels. It does split a little more than Superwash Merino does, but with a little care taken, it is well worth it.
And they came out so cool!!
This beautiful yarn is, I believe, destined right now for the Evenstar mystery shawl on Ravelry. I have signed up, but I haven't finished my sweater yet and I may put the pattern with the yarn for another time. I still wind all my yarn by hand, I am a very tactile person that way.

Icy Wednesday

2010-01-20T08:17:00.003-06:00

Before God we are all equally wise - and equally foolish.
Albert Einstein

One of the many joys of living in the heart of the Midwest, is dealing with the crappy weather. Can I use that word on Blogger? Believe me, it is much better than the word that came to mind this morning when I got up and could hear the ice tinking off the windows. There is no let up in sight. There are accidents everywhere and semi trailers in the ditch off the Interstate and some of us still need to try and brave it to go to work....

I found a necklace thrifting that had the most interesting elements....they all came apart to make row markers for knitting. Do I really need so many row markers, you may ask? Well, of course not, but now I have some to share with friends! I love that part of it.
I have been dyeing yarn again and it is wonderful to see it come together. This yarn was dyed very quickly in lime Kool-Aid, heat set and allowed to dry before three different sessions in tea. The color is as close as i am going to be able to get to the color in my head. It is destined, one day (probably not anytime soon) to be Anne Hanson's Honeybee Stole.

And this lovely table mat was made for me by Cathy of Cath's Pennies Designs. If you have not been to her blog, she has begun selling her patterns of some of the most whimsical designs. I just love her Love Ewes pattern, a sheep candle mat that has buttons to accent the little feet. This is one talented lady. I am expecting her newest pattern, Scarecrow Jack in the Pumpkin Patch, in the mail almost any day. She does tutorials on her blog to show you how to put her patterns together.

Holiday Mondays are Wonderful!

2010-01-18T12:53:00.005-06:00

“Waste your money and you’re only out of money, but waste your time and you’ve lost a part of your life.”
― Michael Leboeuf

My very smart Daughter-In-Law and Son contacted my favorite yarn dyer, Qutecowgirl, for my Christmas presents. These yarns were dyed with me in mind. The yarn in the foreground was hand-dyed, the dark you see throughout the skein was the word "Health" spelled out during the dyeing process. The yarn in the background was her daughters first yarn. She knows how much I love her daughters yarns. My Son and his Wife sure put a lot of thought into this. Thank you so much, Perry and Kim!
The new sock project bag has been going everywhere with me. It was included in the gift. There is a small pocket inside, just the right size for a little something else. Something like, oh...I don't know, the gorgeous stitch markers that also came along with the gift. All I can say is WOW. I was thrilled to open this package Christmas morning.
Have you ever knitted with bamboo? Well, until this month, I never had. My Dad gets my next pairs of completed socks and I wanted him to have something soft. These feel like chenille.
It is no secret I love hand-thrown pottery. I thought I would show a couple of pieces I collected over the summer and have put to good use. I can never walk by a pair of knitting needles at a yard sale or a thrift store. You never know when you or a friend will need just the right set. And they look like little bouquets!

I have more to show you, I got some beautiful soy yarn from a dear friend....stay tuned.

Sunday Without Football

2009-12-20T15:02:00.006-06:00

I love deadlines. I especially love the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.
Douglas Adams

One of my passions is thrifting and finding a great piece of discarded jewelry that I can turn into something new that will be loved and used. These little stitch markers, all 30, came from an ankle bracelet. they will be perfect for lace. They happen to be laying on my current sweater. The sleeve is progressing. I had to put it down for a while to get my Christmas knitting done.
How about a hand thrown pottery bowl and plate (reclaimed from a thrift store) with some pretty, blue, reclaimed wool, all beautifully wound by the woman who reclaimed it, forgottenfleece. She generously offered to wind ths lace weight for free. There are hundreds of yards, plenty for about any shawl I choose.
This cute little pillow was made by a good friend named Blyn several years ago. So wonderful that I thought you might like to see it. It is special to me because my Grandmother had a pear tree in her yard and I remember her pear jam very fondly. It is my brother John's favorite.

Why no football, you ask? We no longer have TV. We gave it up about 6 weeks ago and really haven't missed it very much.....well....except for my Eagles.

2009-12-15T20:50:00.002-06:00

"Out of the strain of the doing
Into the peace of the done."
Julia Louise Woodruff

It has been an interesting week. I learned to do something I never ever thought I would have to do, and hope never to do, and suffered the side effects. Luckily, they only lasted 24 hours and I only have to do it once a week. So, into the peace of the done lasts 2 more days before I get to experience the pain to the doing again....a very fit quote this time.

And now for something I really like (imagine my best Rocky voice here):Three of my favorite things, felted wool, hand thrown pottery and beautiful wool yarn for a scarf...eventually. These must be favorites of the many because two cats kept trying to help me take the picture. Apparently the yarn had to be just so in the bowl....critics everywhere.

Mother Of All Giveaways!

2009-11-30T19:53:00.002-06:00

Check out the Rochester NY Street Team. They are having, as the title of today's blog might suggest, the Mother of all Giveaways!! Before they get to the big giveaway, Lauren's Lovelies (you will find a lonk to her on the sidebar) is the guest host this week.

Wool & Alpaca & Silk...Oh My

2009-11-26T15:52:00.005-06:00

“The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest.”
William Blake

Yesterday, in a dim moment, I received a box. A plain white box. When I opened it, a bounty of colorful fiber sprang forth. They appear here in no particular order, as I could not select a favorite if I tried really hard. The first three were dyed specifically with me in mind.
During the dye process, my name was written on each loop of yarn. That story made me cry. The absolute best yarn dyer in the world, Qutecowgirl (and no, I didn't know her before purchasing my first skein of yarn from her and no, I couldn't tell you how many I have purchased from her...let's just say a lot), knew I was going through a difficult time and look what she did:

These first three will stay with me, as socks or mittens or.....whatever. They are mine.

I asked her if she could recreate beach glass. Bruce and I love to walk on the beach.

This alpaca is truly wonderful to just sit and touch....

Black Cherry.....wow.

"Every Color" & "Monet" are really quite incredible in person. Remember my favorite yarn dyed by a five year old young girl not too long ago? She and her sister had a hand in these. They can dye for me anytime. And I am sure they will be asking to....:)

And now, for what I have really been getting to, the caramel colored yarn I asked her to dye. I want to knit Anne Hansen's Honeybee Stole. Of course, being female, I may have changed my mind. I also have fallen in love with her Dovecote Shawl. Take a trip through her shop and see what you think. It really is hard to decide.

Ladies, I don't ever leave many skeins in Qutecowgirl's Etsy. Go often and take a peek, you just might beat me to a beautiful gem. Tell her I said Hi!!

Much To Be Thankful For

2009-11-25T21:34:00.003-06:00

A happy life consists not in the absence, but in the mastery of hardships.

Helen Keller

We all have our challenges. It has been a grueling two months of MRIs, a spinal tap, evoked potentials, EMGs, nerve conductions, being poked and prodded and blood letted. We won't count the falling down and the light-headedness, the dragging my left leg. Switching one neurologist who was too busy for me to one who cares and who has a staff who is amazing. Yesterday it became official and definite. I am the first person in my family to suffer from MS. I am so thankful I am not in a wheelchair and that I will soon begin a medication regimen that will hopefully prevent that. I am thankful for a good Doctor and a good Neurologist. I am thankful my family loves me. I am thankful Bruce does. I am thankful Penny does and we will all get through this together. They are very accepting and supportive. Now, I need to learn to accept help, plenty hard for a control freak.

On a much brighter note...I got the best box in the whole world in the mail today....I think it came from a little slice of heaven. I know the best yarn dyer in the world and her daughter's helped. You just have to see what I got...you just have to. I will drag out my camera tomorrow and start taking pictures...just wait until you see......

Do You Eat Jellybeans?

2009-11-15T20:04:00.004-06:00

You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by his way of eating jellybeans.
Ronald Reagan

The eBay gods have been kind to me. I walked away with my new toy for a song. I now have a new way to show off my completed socks.
Inside this cute little bag that I knitted on Magic Loop toe up, is my daughter's IPod! I got the idea from Bells Knits. No seams. Thanks, Mary!! You taught me well. I have made four of these little bags now, all from leftover sock yarn dyed by a 5 year old. I dearly love this yarn and it is almost all gone, just a few yards left.

A Global Force For Good

2009-11-15T17:32:00.002-06:00

I have never posted anything political, other than footbal, here before, nor will I get in the habit. And who doesn't love them Eagles. Okay, today is probably not the best day to ask that question. This is definitely worth sharing, it is moving in the direction of showing the world what the Navy really does in times of peace and war.

Wordful Wednesday

2009-11-11T20:43:00.003-06:00

HAPPY

VETERANS DAY

To all the heroes in my life:

My Father,

My Sister and her Husband (the best darned martini artist in the world),
My Brother,

My Son and his lovely Wife,

My Bestest Friend Forever, Penny,

The brave young men and women I have the honor to work with everyday.

Each and every one of you make me humble and proud.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR AWESOME COUNTRY!

MAY GOD HOLD YOU IN HIS HAND.

Magnificent Monday

2009-11-03T20:13:00.005-06:00

"You will never reach your goal until you start to take action, any action."
Byron Pulsifer

My KoolAid socks are finished!! I really love the way they came out. You just never know what you are going to get when you take a chance. I need...I need to dye more.....more colors...
I am trying something new. Qutecowgirl mentioned to me how she could knit like the wind with her 9" circulars. I saw Judy at Athena Fibers knitting with 8"ers and had to try them out...wow, I love them. It didn't take long to get used to them either.

They are super affordable and definitely worth a try. I bought a second 9" today, you know, just in case. They have them in metal (my personal favorite) and bamboo.

Sorry for the blur, i thought I could get you up close and personal...ask you to take a few stitches to see if you like it.

Look at these beauties I found on Etsy!!! MadeForFun has a real treasury of beach finds. These buttons are to die for and will be just great on my next sweater!!

And now for something you will really like. Cathy over at Cath's Pennies has listed her very first pattern for purchase. Her pictures and tutorial is much better than my picture. Pop over and take a look. She is getting her second pattern ready for it's debut...I will try to be first in line again....

Take care and God bless.

Sunday Comes Back Around Again

2009-10-25T22:27:00.003-05:00

Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.
Albert Einstein

A long, long time ago, in a land still far from here, my Grandmother taught me to knit. It was the summer I spent with her and my Grandfather, the year I turned fourteen. I learned to knit socks some years later, in a tiny village in Germany. Almost two decades ago, I entered thirteen items in the Sioux Empire Fair and brought home fourteen ribbons. A sweater I knit for my young daughter with blackberries and cables took Best In Show. What a moment that was.

This is my sweater from a class I am taking through Athena Fibers in Sioux Falls. I still love to take classes. I always learn something new, like spit splicing, and I always enjoy the company of other knitters. I enjoy watching others knit as much as I love to do it myself.
I was lucky enough and smart enough to sign up for a sock class. Not just any sock class, but a toe up, short row heel, magic loop sock class. This was a class of many firsts for me. I learned how to do a sewn bind off. It was my pleasure to take this class from a lovely woman named Mary and I am hoping she will give another class soon. Do a great thing for yourself, I encourage you to sign up for a class.
And now...for something I really like. It is no secret I love hand thrown pottery. I have combined this beautiful yarn bowl with my current favorite hobby. Now, if I could just find enough time to get these KoolAid socks finished.

A Good Mystery Is Fun

2009-10-18T20:34:00.003-05:00

When I was young, I said to God, 'God, tell me the mystery of the universe.' But God answered, 'that knowledge is for me alone.' So I said, 'God, tell me the mystery of the peanut.' Then God said, 'Well, George, that's more nearly your size.'
George Washington Carver

Kirsten over at Through The Loops is having a Sockoberfest Mystery. It is a fun little lace pattern, very well written. It was very generous of her to share. She just uploaded the heel, week 3, last Thursday. I really do need to catch up. I need to take a better picture of the little pottery yarn bowl to show you. I found it on Etsy in the Soaringstudios Shop. This beautiful little bowl is perfect for the sock knitter and this one was made specifically for me. She will make them in different colors for you.

Mr. Woolly Bear

2009-10-08T22:42:00.003-05:00

When the bold branches

Bid farewell to rainbow leaves -

Welcome wool sweaters.

~B. Cybrill

It is all about the wool......I was sure happy to see the picture my daughter took tonight of the woolly bear. We have had some pretty dire predictions for the coming winter, including what may amount to measurable snow this Saturday. Nice to know one species is scoffing......maybe I should make some woolly bear socks......

Friday Mutterings

2009-10-02T05:58:00.004-05:00

Estimated amount of glucose used by an adult human brain each day, expressed in M&Ms: 250
Harper's Index, October 1989

Free association (because these days, not much is free):

What pleases you? :: Family
Whatever :: Arrrrrggggg

Chime :: Ding

Pleading :: Desperate

Simulate :: 7 of 9

Flashing :: Lightening

Directional :: One Way

Pink :: Grandmother

Access :: Denied

Ugly :: Beholder

Just for fun. Give it a try.....

October Scarf

2009-10-01T20:47:00.003-05:00

"People don't notice whether it's winter or summer when they're happy." -- Anton Chekhov

I have a new friend. She has just moved to South Dakota from California. I doubt she has ever seriously needed a scarf in her life. This one is a little wider than usual with pockets, made just for her. Welcome to this cold, snowy, windy, beautiful State, Lydia!

Sock Yarn & KoolAid

2009-09-20T14:09:00.006-05:00

"Every artist was first an amateur."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

These socks are very special to me. I dyed the yarn myself. This is the first yarn I have dyed that I am actually turning into something. The big secret? It was dyed with KoolAid!
This KoolAid to be exact. A little strawberry, a little grape, I threw in some cherry and berry and I am thrilled with the outcome. I purchased a couple more blanks because I really think I am starting to get the hang of it.
While I was at Athena Fibers in Sioux Falls picking up my needles for a class on Saturday, I asked about a sweater above the fireplace and came home with the book. It is a wonderful book with more patterns in it than I could ever complete.
But I am adding this one to my list of sweaters I will be knitting.....one day.....

This sweater is the next one, though. They are offering a class starting on the 26th and I may have been the first to sign up for it. It will keep me motivated to finish and the two shop samples are beautiful.

Garage sale finds. My friend, Penny, and I took off during lunch on Friday and found a couple of sales. I got this new leather purse for $3 and the doily it is sitting on for less than a buck. Must have been my lucky day!

September Socks

2009-09-13T19:42:00.004-05:00

"Fear less, hope more;
Whine less, breathe more;
Talk less, say more;
Hate less, love more;
And all good things are yours."
Swedish Proverb

Great news...my biopsies are all negative!

My September socks, Lilac Seeds. Made from another beautifully dyed yarn by Qutecowgirl. These took me forever and I even tinked the whole first sock. That means I actually knitted three socks. I changed the band up a little to make it wider.
Milkweed Shawl. I made this while I was down in Florida, it just took me a little time to block it and then to take pictures. Another great Alpaca-Merino blend hand dyed by Qutecowgirl. This was a breeze to knit.

And now....for the unblocked state:

I read something interesting just before I blocked this, tuck the ends in after you block it....I did! I am just thrilled with the way it turned out and how soft it is.

This lovely basket was a thrift find. I prefer to think the animals are not giraffes as my daughter thinks, but llamas or alpacas.

This is replacing the little basket next to my rocker to hold my socks that I work on at home. No way will it replace the cute sock bag my friend made for me that lives in my car for doctor's appointments and just general waiting time anywhere.

Back to my KoolAid dyed yarns. This is another attempt to come up with something I like.

This one is definitely interesting, but I am not sure I will like it as much as I like the ones I get from Qutecowgirl. Maybe I should just leave the dyeing to her.

Let's Roll

2009-09-11T03:57:00.004-05:00

Today is a day to remember where we were, what we were doing, how we felt, the absolute horror that shook our foundations.

Today is a day we should never forget but too many have.

Today is a day we honor our fallen and those heroes that came to their aid.

Today is a day to honor our heroes who go forth and do battle. Support our troops, our loved ones and our friends who chose to serve this great Nation under God.

Lest we forget.

Giveaway

2009-09-06T08:23:00.003-05:00

T Does Wool is giving away the most delightful hooked bag for HER birthday! Happy birthday!! Good luck.

Smile of the Week

2009-09-06T07:20:00.007-05:00

Too often we underestimate the power of touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.
Leo F. Buscaqlia

I saw something great over at A Ball Of Yarn And A Remote Control. She asked a wonderful question....what made you smile this week. A lovely question and I began to think of all the blessings that had been bestowed on me this week. I spoke to my parents on their 62nd wedding anniversary. In a day when nothing lasts, imagine being married for that long. These two people are the glue that holds my sometimes dysfunctional family together. They always make me smile.

I am missing one huge hairy mole on the right side of my chin. Now, I have to tell you, apparently I am the only one that saw it as the largest witch's mole ever. Bruce (I just love this guy) said "What mole?". How awesome is he? That really made me smile.

Look at what I found so unexpectedly in my mailbox from my parents this week. My Mom is the Garage Sale Queen and she knows how much I love teapots. It was accompanied by a beautiful white sweater and and Dad tucked in a box to hold my printer cartridges for the Canon printer. Jackpot! This all made me smile,too.
I found this at my local favorite thrift haunt. It is so cute, my daughter hinted that she wanted it...
On the way back from being surgically separated from my Siamese twin sized witch's mole, I saw a garage sale sign, but drove right on by. I stopped in at work for just a couple of minutes to water plants and told Penny about the sign. It was her lunch hour so off we went in search of treasures. Boy, did the two of us make out. Above are three cones of Hochwertige Qualitat fur hochste Anspruche mohair yarn made in West Germany. My German is just good enough that I know this means it claims to be the highest quality. Each cone has 600 meters. I happily paid a mere $2 a cone. My luck did not end there.
I have no clue what this is, but there has to be enough for a scarf or two. It has the most incredible feel and it was cheaper than the mohair. Add to this a basket full of dishcloth cotton for 50 cents a ball. By this time, I had started a rather large pile, making both the sale owner and myself smile. She had crochet cotton and antique blue glass quart jars with the zinc lids for $1 apiece ( I bought all 11 of them).
I can't wait to see this wool fabric felted....maybe sometime this morning. For $3 for the lot, I got a supreme bargain.

The toille was the icing on the cake. Deb over at Homespun Living makes the neatest bags out of similar finds. Some of that dishcloth cotton yarn I got was red....

The biggest thing that made me smile this week was not material. It was something so priceless. My soon to be 5 years old Granddaughter decided she wanted to sit on my lap and watch her show and she wasn't even sick! I am truly blessed.

So...what made you smile this week?

Sunday Again

2009-08-30T18:34:00.004-05:00

"Success is following the pattern of life one enjoys most."

Al Capp

My employer sent me out to Florida for a couple of weeks, but I am home now. It was a good trip, but I turned into one of the statistics CNN is talking about recently. I, along with a full plane load of people, sat on the tarmac in Florida just long enough to miss my connecting flight in Atlanta with no more flights out to South Dakota, or anywhere that could have gotten me home, that night. So, I spent a night there. I have to tell you, the people I met in Atlanta were all very nice and helpful.

Meet Bruce's little buddy, Henry. How long has it been since you have seen one of these? I know for me, it has been way too many years.
Yesterday, I attended a workshop at Athena Fibers in Sioux Falls on dyeing yarn with KoolAid. I met some great women, including a young lady who was 8. Her yarn was just beautiful. The yarn above is Treadsoft and I dyed it with orange, lemon-lime and lemonade. It smells as good as it sounds. The ladies in the group named this "Melon" and it should be mottled. The color that looks white is actually yellow.
My first attempt was with grape, lemon-lime and pink lemonade, this one should be self-striping. I haven't come up with a name for this one and I am open to suggestions. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole process and learned a lot from my teacher.

I do love hand thrown pottery. I picked this beauty up at my favorite thrift shop recently. It may be the prettiest piece I own.

Almost Sunday Moments

2009-08-08T22:10:00.005-05:00

These socks are really quite incredible, not because I knit them. A 5 year old girl hand dyed this yarn. She did an exceptional job. This yarn, Child's Play II, came from Qutecowgirl, my favorite designer. All I can say is Wow! The picture doesn't do the yarn justice.

On a side note, I will be taking a two week hiatus....God Bless.

Giveaway Alert!!

2009-08-03T18:56:00.004-05:00

After all, the wool of a black sheep is just as warm.

Ernest Lehman

If you haven't already been over to Cath's Pennies Designs on the right column of my blog, quick stop over and enter for her drawing. She has made the loveliest pumpkin penny rug. It is a very generous giveaway. Just beautiful. Fall is sneaking up on us.

Tuesday Thoughts

2009-07-28T05:25:00.004-05:00

Don't follow your dreams; chase them.

- Richard Dumb

Have you ever wanted something so badly that you just didn't want anyone else to share? Well, that is what this picture is all about. I showed you a picture of my Mother's hummingbird feeder with a little female sitting on it. This is the male sitting on the top of the bird house, laying in wait to stop her from feeding at his personal feeder. Schmuck! Click on the picture for a better look.
My daughter and I stopped at Barnes & Noble. I was looking at magazines when she found this on the shelf right behind me. Turns out it was a pretty good find. Thanks, Dear.
My parent's yard is filled with the most interesting volcanic rock. The big one will find a place in my garden, the smaller one in a bowl full of heart shaped rocks.

Have a lovely day and God bless.

Sunday Moments

2009-07-26T19:14:00.005-05:00

Surprise is the greatest gift which life can grant us.
Boris Pasternak

Remember this hank of yarn from yesterday?
This is the self striping butterfly that is turned into. Believe it or not, this beautiful yarn is called "Child's Play 2", for a very good reason. A delightfully talented 5 year old....yes, she is 5 years old...had a hand in dyeing this masterpiece. It is a wool silk blend and it is a pleasure to knit. I am so excited about how it is coming out that I put a pair of socks I was knitting on hold to do these. I also am lucky enough to have "Child's Play 1"!
In my Christmas box of yarn that I opened this week, Qutecowgirl made a wonderful sock bag to enclose as a surprise. Wow!! Look at the charming interior. Those little ladybugs are the color of my car (which also looks a little like a bug to me). The pocket is just the right size for my measuring tape, scissors and tapestry needle, the bottom of the bag will probably hold a little chocolate.... This bag will go into my car for appointments and anytime I get stuck somewhere unexpectedly. I hate not having something close at hand to work on. She has a few left in her Etsy Shop. If you go over to take a look, tell her I said HI!!

While I was away, I picked up a book. What are the odds that she made markers for me for this book? I didn't tell her I had bought it. Aren't they adorable? If you click on the picture, you can get a better look.

2009-07-25T19:57:00.004-05:00

Life is like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt you represents determinism; the way you play it is free will.
Jawaharal Nehru

My July socks. Finished in Washington this time. When I got home, there was a box in the mail, like Christmas in July. These yarns of many colors were dyed with the help of a 5 year old talented young lady.....very delightful yarn. Child's Play 1 and Child's Play 2.
Raspberry and Sea Glass, Qutecowgirl still has another skein of each listed on her Etsy if you hurry.
Her yarns just get more beautiful!

Tomorrow I will post pictures of the ladybug sock bag and the wonderful stitch markers she made me.

I am stopping everything to work on this multi. I was thinking of Joseph's coat of many colors when I first saw it, these will be my socks of many colors.

These are the socks I am putting on hold, Qutecowgirl's "Lilac" yarn.

Emergency Broadcast System

2009-07-24T23:20:00.003-05:00

If you pray for RAIN, don't be surprised if you're struck by lightning.
Damien Cannon

I wonder if the State of New Jersey knows that Bruce took this back with him as a keepsake? I think the poor guy thought he might be a little lonely for the Midwest without a little EBS. For those of you that have never seen one, this is a fair rendition of a wall cloud, the kind that when they occur out here in the Midwest, often spawn tornadoes.
I was very impressed. He said people were just standing looking at the sky wondering about the little funnel clouds that had not touched the ground.

Pretty cool, huh?

It's Thursday Again

2009-07-23T16:06:00.004-05:00

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product.

Eleanor Roosevelt

We are home after a wonderful trip! I don't go home near often enough and have decided to win the lottery....right now! Wish me luck.

Bruce and I took a car trip out and it was uneventful until we were on the flip side coming home. Let me start with the fact Bruce had never heard the Emergency Broadcast System except as a test...ever in his long, long, long, (sorry Bruce) life, until he came to South Dakota a couple of years ago. A few tornadoes and severe thunderstorms later, I think he is was pretty much in a hurry to get the Heck out of Dodge, so to speak. This trip, he tried to get me to promise he wouldn't hear it again. Well, all was well until we crossed into Wyoming coming back. I laughed so hard when the emergency beacon came on the radio and we had to pull off in Sheridan for a while to let it blow over. Well, I had done this before, years ago, and discovered the neatest place...Crazy Woman Trading Company. It is still there! We had a ball, walking Main Street, looking at the sculptures and window shopping. Here is someone else intent on window shopping, in my parent's screen to their front door. And yes, he was really that big! About the size of a plum. I say he, but to be that curious, don't you think he had to be a she?

This hummingbird feeder is right outside my Mother's kitchen window. Bruce loves hummingbirds and they put on quite a show for him. There was always one or two at the feeder, although one male did not share well.

Well, I am fairly newly home with lots to do...like laundry and putting things away. I am hoping tomorrow to post pics of the socks I completed on the trip as well as the ones I started.

Try Something New Thursday!

2009-07-09T19:21:00.005-05:00

Knitting is very conducive to thought. It is nice to knit a while, put down the needles, write a while, then take up the sock again.
Dorothy Day

I received a gift in the mail recently. Qutecowgirl had asked me if I had ever knitted with alpaca and sadly my answer was no. The Germans had beautiful yarns when I lived there, but I didn't find any alpaca. She sent me this gorgeous alpaca to try to see if I would like it. I took my time, mostly because I was working on my July socks, which still are not quite done, just 2 1/2 inches to go! I wanted something special for this yarn. I have never knitted with beads and thought a small project may be just the way to go. Qutecowgirl is helping me expand my horizons and I am loving it!
What do you think? I went to the bead shop and asked for help. A kind gentleman escorted me through the store and we found something even better than had been in my minds eye. Things are never disappointing when I keep an open mind. The beads are bronze and I think they are really going to highlight this wonderful yarn without stealing the show. I tell you honestly, this is yarn lady is the woman to buy from!! And she has her DK on an incredible sale right now.

Her sock bags are a great asset. She sent me one recently and I think it is a great idea to keep a pair of socks on needles in my car, you know...for appointments and getting stuck somewhere. The inside of the bag has all these cute little pockets for measuring tapes, stitch markers, tapestry needles, and chocolate (okay...leave the chocolate out if you have to leave it in your car or hard candies, yeah...that's what I meant....).

Happy Independence Day

2009-07-04T06:28:00.005-05:00

Independence - is loyalty to one's best self and principles, and this is often disloyalty to the general idols and fetishes
Mark Twain

This past week, my employers sent me off on a little excursion. I am always fascinated by these huge wind monsters slowly twirling through the air. I mentioned this to the driver and was informed the speed of the tips reaches about 100 mph even though they appear to be creeping.

On this day especially, please take a moment to remember our men and women serving in the armed forces....the very people that ensure our freedoms to do as we choose this and every important day.

It's the soldier, not the reporter,

Who gave us our freedom of the press.

It's the soldier, not the writer,

Who gave us our freedom of speech.

Serviceman's Prayer

Gus Has Arrived!!

2009-06-27T18:16:00.006-05:00

Really, all you need to become a good knitter are wool, needles, hands, and a slightly below average intelligence. Of course, superior intelligence, such as yours and mine, is an advantage.
Elizabeth Zimmermann

Gus is here!. That is the fat happy cat above was designed just for me. I had trouble getting a great picture, believe me, he is special! Lauren over at Lauren's Lovelies made him for me, THANK YOU Lauren!
You've seen his front....now his back:
He is my new traveling binding kit. The tin is the perfect size for all my little bits and pieces. I just cut a piece of felted wool to fit the inside. When it isn't a binding kit, it will be holding stitch markers and holders, measuring tape, and tip protectors for my knitting needles.

I had a lot of fun playing with my wool today, thanks to Woolly Mammoth Woolens . I decided this beautiful tin needs a dust cover. This is going to be fun.
Meet the original Gus....except his name is Dexter:

He was adopted from the Cedar Rapids flood in Iowa last year.

My wallet would not close today. I am not lucky enough that the bulk of my paper money was the cause. No, it was all the cards I have in there. You know the kind. The ones from your favorite stores that offer $25 off if you have 20 stamps, and business cards. You can't get rid of them and if they are not in your wallet close at hand, you will forget to use them. I think I really need to order another tin for all of those. It will fit conveniently in my purse so I will have them when I need them and my wallet will close again.......just an idea.

Come Monday

2009-06-15T19:43:00.005-05:00

"Once had a rose named after me and I was very flattered. But I was not pleased to read the description in the catalogue: "No good in a bed, but fine up against a wall."

Eleanor Roosevelt

World Wide Knit in Public day....and I did, twice. I had a great day with three dear friends that live in a small town north of me. The drive was beautiful and the weather cooperated. I got to spend time in a peace garden, it was everything it's name implied. One the way home, I stopped at a favorite thrift shop and look what I found:

I was reading Rag-A-Muffin's blog about threads for penny rugs and I could not pass all this crochet cotton up....not at this price! I might even find a crochet or knitting project to use some of it up. I think it would make a beautiful shawl.
This was one of my more recent purchases. I was in Barnes & Noble a few weeks ago and this just jumped into my arms and begged to go home with me, honestly, could you have refused? This is what I was knitting in public:
This is my first sock out of the box of cards. This is a great way to market the patterns. They are the perfect size to take along with you.
This truly fabulous yarn is called Fall, from Qutecowgirl.....of course. She has a really beautiful "African Violet" colorway that will be coming home to me soon, if one of you don't snap it up first.

Saturday Beauties

2009-06-13T06:46:00.006-05:00

Rarely do great beauty and great virtue dwell together.

PETRARCH

Not too long ago, I was lucky enough to meet a wonderful young woman named Lauren and she has a shop on Etsy. I purchased one of her necklaces made from a domino. Her work is very unique and very beautiful. Her tin boxes are oh so cute! I have spoken to her and she is making a special one for me with a fat cat, I can't wait to show you when it gets here. I will be using mine as a mini binding kit. I will put a piece of felted wool inside for pins and needles, as well as a tiny pair of scissors and a few binding clips. For those of you who work with felted wool applique, this would make a great "tool" kit for on the road. I will be buying several from her for Christmas gifts for my quilting friends, they will hold scratch lottery tickets beautifully and fit my handmade challenge pledge. Check her out, she is on my artisan list on the right side of the blog. Tell her I said hi! Ask her about her banners, too.

Sunday Moments

2009-06-07T19:08:00.003-05:00

"One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries."

—A.A. Milne

I just finished a pair of socks for my daughter. She is a huge fan of Halloween and this yarn is called "Wicked". The socks were a continual challenge, I had to rip one out that I had already finished the gusset on. I guess my brain just wasn't into them. I started them the same time as the Marigold socks. They both had a different number of stitches. One set I knit at home, the other set while I was at appointments. The moral of my story is that I will only knit on one pair at a time from now on....

May Marigolds

2009-05-26T20:00:00.003-05:00

Each flower is a soul opening out to nature.
~ Gerald De Nerval

I believe these are my coolest socks this year. My favorite yarn designer, Qutecowgirl, has done it again. I think she hit the colors dead on perfect. These socks were fun to knit. I found the pattern, Bricker, over at Knitspot, designed by Anne Hanson.
This is an interesting....press. I got it at a garage sale for $1. It is copywritten 1987. I have never seen anything like it. Won't it be cute to make raviloi with at Valentne's Day? Or filled cookies for a loved one?

Sunday Moments

2009-05-24T21:05:00.003-05:00

As I get older, I prefer to knit.

Tracey Ullman

I received Christmas in the mail. Qutecowgirl has been dyeing more fingering yarn and this time it was difficult to chose. I left a few if you are interested, but move quickly as I am reconsidering. These yarns are merino/silk blends. I have never knitted with silk before so this will be a brand new experience. Sunflower is on the right, Drama is on the left. They are really quite lovely. These are merino/nylon blends that will make them washable. Her yarns knit up wonderfully, slide well on the needles and don't split. The one on the right, Fall, is my all time favorite of all the yarns I have bought from her. The other, Night Sky, almost has a storm brewing kind of look.

Sunday Moments

2009-05-03T16:08:00.006-05:00

Your first job is to prepare the soil. The best tool for this is your neighbor's garden tiller. If your neighbor does not own a garden tiller, suggest that he buy one.

Dave Barry

My neighbor does not own one, but he doesn't garden either. I had a tremendous day yesterday. My friend Penny and I went to the greenhouse in the town where she lives. Boy, did I find a haul. I thanked the owner and told the man how lucky I felt that he had Perpetuo Basil again.....He had it last year and hoping, hoping hoping, that is why I made the trip again this year. He told me he only sold a few plants last year (to me) and considered not growing any this year (I will need to buy more!). I came away with Perpetuo, Opal and Cinnmon Basils, as well as thymes and a pelargonium, chocolate and lemon mints and various sages. The ornamental grass that used to be in this front yard has found a new home in Penny's yard.

From there, we picked up her brother and lunched in Sioux City with her family. I have a little secret....I love to play poker. We stopped at a casino on the way home. As a rule, I do not gamble, my money comes too hard and there are always other more important things....like wonderful wools, to spend my money on. Well, I came away as the big winner. I played for a half hour and walked away a quarter richer!! Penny gifted me with the Space Needle charm she found at an estate sale we went to on Friday. I am originally from Washington State. She and I turned it into a row marker.

The leaf I harvested from my Mother's plant is now blooming, does anyone recognize it? I would sure love to know the name. Is it a Primrose?

Have a blessed week and thanks for stopping by.

Mission Accomplished!!

2009-04-29T19:36:00.002-05:00

Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.

Pope John XXIII

Sometimes failure is not failure so much as it is triumph delayed. I am still going to learn circular needles, but as QUTECOWGIRL suggested, maybe one 40" circular will be easier. I will have to give it a try. As for now, I have succeeded with a very beautiful pair of blue socks to add to my Christmas present pile.
I told you I could not wait to begin the marigold yarn. I can't wait to see the first sock done, but I will have to finish a Mother's Day present first....

I Feel Better!!

2009-04-14T21:11:00.005-05:00

One thing life has taught me: if you are interested, you never have to look for new interests. They come to you. When you are genuinely interested in one thing, it will always lead to something else.
~ Eleanor Roosevelt

I can tell because my muse is back, I hope she had a great vacation...one down, one to go. My April socks. You must agree that Qutecowgirl really knows what she is doing with yarn....I can't wait to get this pair done and start on the marigold yarn.

You Are Tea

You are mellow and reflective. You don't allow yourself to feel in a rush and frenzied.

You're likely to appreciated the ideas or connections that come up over a warm cup of tea.

While you do enjoy the energy of a caffeine boost, you love that it allows you to take a break.

You're not in a rush to do anything. You're content with your life, and in no rush to change it.

Are You Coffee or Tea?

I quite love tea, decaf is my drink of choice. Earl Grey Decaf is my favorite, but I love many different kings, including PG. I always have a pot going, both at home and at work.

Good Friday

2009-04-10T17:40:00.003-05:00

I could not at any age be content to take my place in a corner by the fireside and simply look on.
Eleanor Roosevelt

The truly bad thing about feeling bad is losing my muse over the past week or two. I just didn't have the energy to take anything on. Yesterday, I finally started feeling better and today was even better. At this rate, going back to work on Monday should be a breeze. Or, at least, one can only hope. I found out my daughter, bless her, called my office last week to tell them they weren't to call me unless someone died. I did get lots of rest, that's for sure.

In the meantime, I got to play with wool pennies. They were a gift in more ways than one. They were like little bits of a rainbow to be arranged and rearranged. I started cutting a pretty green wool from my stash for the back pennies and I even got one done! Thank you for stopping by and God bless.

Sunday Moments

2009-04-05T18:35:00.003-05:00

I never lose sight of the fact that just being is fun.

~Katharine Hepburn

I did miss the flea market yesterday, I slept right through all of it. My daughter knows how much I adore hand thrown pottery and brought me home this little guy as a gift. It was made by an 8 year old for her Grandmother, she received an A in her art class for it. It is precious! I would never sell it. My daughter wants me to keep my small collection of stitch markers in it. I think that will be a perfect use.
Penny Rugs and More is one of my favorite blogs. Last week she added this wonderful pin cushion on her Etsy page, I quick snapped it up. She has others listed, too...take a look. Not only are they adorable, they are really functional. There is protection inside so you don't stab yourself.

She was very generous with me and sent along luscious wool pennies that were already cut. I played with them this afternoon, trying to decide how to use them. It was very soothing, I am a very tactile person.
I have purchased from her in the past. My sister and I both love the coin purses I bought. She sells plastic templates already to use on your own wool, which I did today, but not for as long as I would have liked. Maybe I will get a little more done and show you tomorrow. She has a tutorial on her blog for 3 stack pennies with a personal backing that is very informative.

Our blizzard came and went, with power flashing on and off. It left us better off than the news people led us to believe. I90 was closed for a while and conditions were bad, but we all came through what I am hoping was the last snow storm of the season. I made out better than most, I slept through it.

Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

Knitting Gusset Tip

2009-04-04T09:56:00.007-05:00

No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow. ~Proverb

Just not quite yet. There is a blizzard forecasted for my part of South Dakota today and tomorrow, to begin early this afternoon. I intend to sleep through it. I was more sick than they originally thought and will be in bed for maybe another week. I am very pouty this morning. My daughter and granddaughter are on their way to the flea market....one of my favorite haunts. I just know I am missing out on treasures...I just know it. It is only on one weekend a month and I am missing this one. Darn darn and darn. Oh well, there is always next month.

On to gussets. Being of unsound mind and body (quite literally), I am forever forgetting which row I am knitting, the plain knit round or the decrease round. There are always interruptions....the phone, a child, the TV....you get my drift. I have to go back and count and try and decide which is next.... Now, each row I decrease, I hang the little stitch marker from my needle. If I get distracted, I know to check for the marker. It has really save me much time, maybe it will you, too...now. As always, the exquisite yarn is from Qutecowgirl as is the beautiful stitch marker.

Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

A Long Lomg Time Ago......

2009-03-31T15:53:00.006-05:00

“The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.”
- B.B. King

I was blessed to have two of the most dear, creative Grandmothers in the world, Lillian and Cordia. My Grandmother Lillian taught me to knit when I was 14. That pretty much means I have 36 years of experience. Years in which muscle memory took over and things became second nature. In 1980, I lived in a German farmhouse, in the tiny village of Turkheim Germany, on the third floor. A friend named Ursula, Ush for short, taught me to knit socks without a pattern. My first pair was the softest gray German yarn and I wore them until I must have looked like a pauper. Fast forward, quite a few years later (okay, you got me...almost three decades), to modern day South Dakota. I went to Urgent Care on Sunday to find I was a pretty sick woman. I have been on antibiotics and sleeping most of the time since. This was my falling down moment for the new sock pattern on the circular needles. Let's just say, the circulars and the new pattern have gone by the wayside for a little while until I feel well again and have more patience to try and retrain these hands. It must be an old dog-new tricks kind of thing. So....instead of showing you socks...how about I show you the shawl I have been working on for my Mother....Dad...don't show her this post. My Mother refuses to use the computer, so I think I am safe there. Her favorite color is blue. You will find the book the pattern came out of in a post further down. I am feeling much better and I am going back to work tomorrow! Watch out guys...

I have a wonderful friend out west. She hand dyes the most beautiful fabrics. She has a website now that I would love to share with you, Nette's Quilting Fabrics. I will be adding her name to my sidebar for favorite artisans. No one will ever appear there unless I have tried their things and I have to absolutely love them! Check her out and tell her I said hi....

Hails & Farewells

2009-03-25T22:21:00.005-05:00

A good goal is like a strenuous exercise - it makes you stretch.
Mary Kay Ash

I have never tried to knit socks with anything other than double pointed needles. I decided to stretch my limitations and learn something new. I purchased a book last weekend that seems to be all the rage in the sock knitting community, as a matter of fact, I am probably the last person to own it. Knitting Socks With Handpainted Yarn. It may take me the entire pair of socks to get the knack of knitting on a pair of circular needles, but I am stubborn and I shall succeed. Any suggestions that any of you have would be greatly appreciated! That beautiful blue hand dyed yarn you see in the picture is a work of art by my favorite gal, Qutecowgirl.

I have been out of the picture for a few days because my only son was home with his family on his way to his new base. He is in the military and I don't get to see him as often as I would like and my darling grandkids are growing at an unrecognizable rate. I am blessed with a wonderful daughter-in-law. I could not have chosen a better wife for my son myself. I was happy to take time off work to spend with all of them. I will really miss them until we can gt together again.

Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

March Socks

2009-03-17T17:24:00.003-05:00

Why slap them on the wrist with feather when you can belt them over the head with a sledgehammer.
Katharine Hepburn

The socks for my sock club are done. March. Ta Da! Again, this yarn is a simple joy to knit up. The colors this time are splendid. Check it out before I get around to buying all her hand dyed.
And now....I was one lucky girl. I checked the sock blog on the 8th of March to see what my cohorts were making. As I scrolled down, I saw my name, in big black letters. I had won the February drawing for having my socks done and posted in time! This hand dyed yarn from Peru is a delight to the senses. I have never worked with DK yarn before, any suggestions?
And these lovelies were in the bag that came too. They are snag proof markers in purple, which is rapidly becoming my favorite color. Thank you, Zonda!

Surprise!!

2009-03-11T19:58:00.007-05:00

Things which you do not hope happen more frequently than things which you do hope.

~Titus Maccius Plautus

Imagine my surprise when I opened the mailbox to find this gorgeous hand dyed yarn. The surprise was not so much the yarn itself, since I did order it from my favorite yarn person. The surprised was how quickly she got it to me. I just ordered this on Friday....late. By the way, if you like this yarn, you can find Qutecowgirl on the right hand side of my blog at anytime under favorite artisans. This yarn is even more richly colored than the photos allow. Just beautiful. There are more socks to be knitted in my future. There is a generous amount in each skein, too. Look at the beautiful stitch markers she sent me. And Dexter was dying to know what I was taking pictures of, that is his handsome mug in the right hand corner, where he is not allowed.
Midnight, in the socks I am knitting right now, was the first yarn I ever bought from her. I am very pleased with the way it is knitting up. It is just beautiful. I think she may be surprised on how this is turning out, too. I never know what to expect when I am looking at yarn in a skein. I just pick colors that I think are beautiful and let the pattern develop from there. My friend Penny is excited about them, too. She tried on the first one last Friday and it fits like a dream. I am thrilled.
Another treasure, fresh from the dishwasher, I bought at the flea market this last weekend. It is smaller than it looks here. I am thinking berry cobbler like my Grandma used to make.

Giveaway Alert!

2009-03-11T18:13:00.001-05:00

Valerie over at the Pumpkin Patch Quilter has a giveaway going on. Stop in by Saturday, March 21st, and leave a comment! Her quilts are beautiful so take a peak even if you don't enter the competition.

Sinday Moments

2009-03-08T19:35:00.005-05:00

Perhaps imagination is only intelligence having fun.
— George Scialabba

Yesterday morning, we woke to a cold house and no power. What to do? Go to IHOP for breakfast and the flea market for fun and warmth. Of course, there are always treasures to be had, resisting them is part of the mandatory budget in action. Above is a beautiful set of bowls I picked up for just $2.00. Although they look hand thrown, I imagine they are massed produced, but they are beautiful none the less.
This wooden hook caught my eye and the price was well within the parameters of my budget. Another great addition to my collection. I also found a basket and a wonderful inexpensive gift for my Mother that will just thrill her when it shows up unexpectantly in the mail later this week. She lost her favorite Samta cookie cutter but my Granddaughter and I unearthed the same one at the bottom of another basket for only $1.00.
We returned home in the afternoon to a cold house and no power. After a call to the electric company, we found out that if we took a nap, the house should be warm by the time we woke up. Talk about a dream, lazy day of doing nothing but fun things. The house was indeed warm when we emerged from our cocoons.

This photo is just a reminder it is time to start on more felted sewing kits for my handmade Christmas gifts.
I was reading through my sock-a-month club to find I was the winner of a beautiful skein of hand dyed yarn for the month of February. I totally forgot they did drawings. I am beside myself with excitement!

Reflections

2009-03-06T18:10:00.006-06:00

Life can only be understood backwards, but it has to be lived forwards.
— Søren Kierkegaard

Today after work, I stopped at my favorite thrift store and found the cheese dome with no wooden under tray for next to nothing. I found this beautiful plate with the vining leaves that serves the purpose perfectly, they go together like they were made for each other. You are looking at a nursery for some of my seedlings I will start soon.

My dear friend Penny had a death in her family this week. Her husband's twin perished in a house fire. He lived out of state, as does most of their family. I was lucky enough to be able take a day off work to go to his funeral yesterday. He was a Vietnam Veteran. It was an experience I want to share. What some of you may not know is that I am also a Veteran. As the service was coming to a close, the Military Color Guard came forward to re-drape the casket with the Flag. The Sergeant in Charge addressed the congregation. He let us know that by order of Congress, all veterans, even those in civilian clothes, are authorized to salute the casket. We all snapped to attention and smartly saluted. I will tell you now, there was not a dry eye in the crowd when the bugler played TAPS. I was standing behind his Mother, holding the handles of her wheelchair just moments before. Still standing at attention while they folded the Flag and delivered it to his Mother, I was close enough that I could hear the words he whispered to her and he made me cry again. It was definitely the most moving service I have ever been to. The National Guard did a fantastic job. Their job is not an easy one, but boy is it important to a lot of people.

While I was out of town, I did manage to stop by a quilt shop I had never been to before and I did enjoy looking through everything, touching fabric and talking to friendly people. I brought a small haul home with me that I can't wait to play with.

God Bless and thank you for stopping by.

Blessings

2009-02-27T17:24:00.004-06:00

Beauty and reflection do still exist in the long lasting adversity of winter.

~Me

Have you ever seen a sundog? Well, today we were blessed with a pair, although you only get to see one of them, a farm was sitting in the way of the second one.

Sunday Moments

2009-02-22T19:16:00.004-06:00

In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.
— Aaron Rose

These are the socks for February that I just completed today. As I told you in my last post, I love Qutecowgirl's creations. She really does a beautiful job of dyeing and it shows. It knits up like a dream. The next photo is also one of hers called Midnight. The colors are so rich.

My newest purchase, Knitted Prayer Shawls. I have a couple of people in my life that I would like to make one of these for. Have a blessed week and thank you for stopping by. Please feel free to leave a comment.

A Little This, A Little That.....

2009-02-18T15:46:00.007-06:00

Everyone thought I was bold and fearless and even arrogant, but inside I was always quaking.
Katharine Hepburn
One of the most admirable women ever in show business, I do and always will admire her. I believe she is quite possibly my favorite actress of all time.

How beautiful is this hand dyed yarn? Qutecowgirl has her own Etsy page, really, take a look. I am in love with her designs.
I am excited about these February socks. The yarn is called "Remember When". It knits beautifully and looks great when it comes together. Someone is going to be very happy with these socks! These are great and small and go with me everywhere because you never know when you are going to be stuck somewhere for a few minutes.
And now for the continuing saga of my Brother-In-Law's quilt. I have decided that I really hate the PVC quilting hoop. I would pick this quilt up and work on it for a few minutes and set it back down. On Sunday, I finally kicked it to the curb and got out my trusty wooden hoop and I am loving working on this quilt. I think when all is said and done, I will give him his choice of quilts. The original heart quilt that I posted in November that he and my sister liked so much or this one.

Giveaway Alert

2009-02-13T17:01:00.002-06:00

The years between fifty and seventy are the hardest. You are always being asked to do more, and you are not yet decrepit enough to turn them down.

~T.S. Eliot

Run over to My Yellow Farmhouse and wish Mrs. Farmhouse a very happy 50th birthday and participate in her very generous birthday giveaway!

2009-02-11T20:00:00.002-06:00

A little craziness once in awhile prevents permanent brain damage - Anon

Some of my best stuff comes from my sister. I love her dearly. She is also probably my biggest fan.

Sunday Moments

2009-02-08T17:27:00.008-06:00

A woman is like a tea bag- you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water.
Eleanor Roosevelt

I am no stranger to hot water, I seem to remain there. I have heard it will make me stronger...I am waiting.....

Lake Michigan. The view from my hotel room while I was in Chicago. I spent a week out there for the company I work for in conferences. What a calming sight.
Tour of Tables 2009. This is a luncheon put on by the Dell Rapids Area Ministerial Association to assist with the Families in Need Fund. Once a year, volunteers get together and decorate tables. Seats are sold and donations are gathered for families that need help. They spoke of a single mother who has three part-time jobs that needed just a little more to bring her current on rent so they would not be evicted. There were more stories, but they all reflected the economy. My dear friend was the guest speaker and I have to tell you I was so very impressed. She should be doing this for a living and I told her so.
This little bag, I am calling it a binding bag, although others will use it for cosmetics, was the little gift on my plate. It was made by another friend and filled by the local quilt shop.

There was a quilt label, a tiny ruler and a bag of 3" charms. Help me, please, with any ideas on how to use these charms! They are beutiful.

The spoon is a little find I picked up at the local thrift shop. I am not sure what it is used for, but I will come up with something.

So, the last Friday in January, my friend Penny called me after work to tell me that she found a garage sale and an estate sale, can you believe that???? On January! I collect Royal Ruby depression glass and they had 9 of my ball stem goblets for sale, $16 for the whole lot. I sang all the way home! Five of mine were damaged...okay....shattered during the divorce. I was thrilled to be able to replace them for next to nothing. Believe me, they went to a good home.

I joined a sock of the month club. These were the January socks that got posted.

Have a blessed week and thank you for stopping by.

My Featherweight Case

2009-01-25T19:40:00.008-06:00

A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked.

~ Bernard Meltzer

A few years back, I went through a rather nasty divorce, as so many of us do. It always seems to leave us cracked and bruised. It was during this time I lost my Featherweight. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be to give it up to him, it really wasn't and I hope having it has made him happy.

A friend of mine had one in her closet and she had never used it. I was able to purchase it from her. The case had a slightly musty smell I could not get rid of no matter what I tried, and believe me, I tried every thing. My dear friend, Penny offered to help me pull all the black paper from the case. My idea was to get rid of the paper, seal the wood underneath and paint the case and apply stickers. Penny took it home with her to finish with the paper as I have asthma and I had started to wheeze. She took the first two pictures in her kitchen.

Penny is a wood worker extraordinaire! She stripped the glue, applied beautiful trim, stained and worked her magic until I had something better than anyone could have ever imagined.....and it didn't stop there.
Note the little inlaid maching in the bottom right hand corner of the back of the case. All the wood, with the exception of the inlays are original to the case and was buried under the black paper.
I took this picture for you tonight and it does not do justice at all. There is now a little brass nameplate with my name on it on the outside of the front. Penny made me a precious gem that I will treasure all the days of my life. I have to admit, this machine runs better than my old one, it looks better. And now, it has an incredible new home that was made especially for me. Thank you, Penny!

2009-01-19T11:30:00.004-06:00

Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase.
~Martin Luther King

I needed something small to take on a little trip and since I joined a sock of the month club, I figured maybe that was small enough. I only have until the 30th to get a picture of two socks posted....I think I can, I think I can, I think I can....
Do you have any clue what kind of plant this is? When I went to visit my parents last July, my Mother had this plant growing and blooming beautifully. I brought two leaves home and this is the one that took off. She didn't know the name of it, but I know one of you will. It has purple blossoms that look very much like a gloxinia, I have just never seen one with leaves this long.

Sunday Moments

2009-01-18T18:16:00.008-06:00

"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."

~Nelson Mandela

Congratulations to the Arizona Cardinals, the new NFC Conference Champions!

Jo Jo over at Home Sweet Home is having a 100th post give away. The rules are simple, just tell her what 3 crafty things you cannot live without. This was an easy one for me. My thimble will always come in #1. What hand quilter could live without the one she has bonded with?

My Featherweight is a definite #2. I will tell you the story of this precious machine another time.

You might not believe this, but I tend to fall on the forgetful side. It is probably a little stress induced. I used to lay my thimble down, Heaven only knew where, only to find it had grown legs and moved to a location only it knew. A friend took pity on me many years ago and gifted me with this incredible thimble cage. I wear it every day, always. You would be surprised how many conversations it starts. I would not be without it.

Wintry Thoughts

2009-01-12T13:53:00.003-06:00

Whose woods these are I think I know,

His house is in the village though.

He will not see me stopping here,

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

~ Robert Frost

I doubt you keep up with national weather to the extent that you know we here in South Dakota are in the midst of a blizzard. I thought I would share with you what we South Dakotans do for fun.....yes...that is a yard sale sign ( my Mother will be so jealous...) and please note, the beautiful colors that will stand out in any blizzard. This is where you are thinking to yourself that those people must be a hardy breed...(okay...I heard that about fools). That poem by Robert Frost is my favorite.

Sunday Moments

2009-01-11T20:18:00.004-06:00

There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.
— Jane Austen

"GO EAGLES!"

And Bruce said it wouldn't happen. My Eagles are on their way to the NFC Championship game next week.... Bunny Hill Designs is offering this free BOM. They have done theirs in cotton, I may do one in cotton and another in wool. This is the block cut out and ready to be stitched done in some hand dyed wool scraps I had in my stash. I intend to have it standing by for the next time I have to take a trip.

I hope your Sunday was as delightful as mine was.

Giveaway Alert

2009-01-06T19:07:00.004-06:00

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.

Sir Winston Churchill

Cindy, over at My Romantic Home, has a beautiful floral teapot or Victoria Blue & White In Your Home book she will be giving away this weekend. Definitely worth stopping over and leaving a comment for her. Good Luck to you! Check out the rest of her blog while you are there. If you are not already familiar with it, you may be adding it to your list of favorites.

Sunday Moments

2009-01-04T19:14:00.005-06:00

Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal.

~ Albert Camus

GO EAGLES!!!

Good game today against the Vikings......next week....the Giants. I wonder who my Eagles will play in the Superbowl?

Her couch, her domain...move the quilt and do NOT take her picture, Human.... Meet my daughter's cat, Gizmo.
This is a first time event for me, I have never used a PVC frame before. I prefer wooden hoops for lap quilting. I thought a square frame might be the way to go. The jury is still out. What do you use?
And now for some sexy legs. I never had the opportunity to measure him for these socks, since they were a surprise. I figured bigger is always better, right? He is a very good sport and claims to love them.

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T13:14:00.007-06:00

Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift. That is why they call it the present.

~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Eleanor Roosevelt was a woman before her time, an incredible inspiration. She is one of the people alive or dead that I would love to have lunch with, I consider her among my heroes. Happy New Year, Everybody!

The quilt top for my Brother-In-Law is together and ready for quilting. I am hoping he likes it as much as I do. I am thrilled to be getting one of his paintings.
These bowls are one of my latest thrift finds. They are Williams-Sonoma but they do not list the name of the pattern on the bottom. Maybe they didn't produce any pieces other than the bowls.
And today, one of my rosemary plants has blessed me with a blossom. Harbinger of the coming year? I hope so. I read a story years ago that Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus had been on the road for a very long time, running from those that would do them harm. They stopped beside a stream to rest and Mary washed their clothes and hung them over the bushes to dry. The bush she laid her blue robe on was a rosemary shrub. God blessed the plant with blue blossoms the shade of her robe.

The Eagles Are Playoff Bound!!

2008-12-28T18:30:00.004-06:00

To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.

~ Anatole France

The day went the way no one really expected and my boys are headed to Minnesota next week. I have faith......regardless of what my man says.....he calls them my Beagles.....
A little peek into what I have been doing. My Brother-In-Law is an artist. He liked the heart quilt on my blog so I offered to trade him his own for one of his paintings. This is the beginning of his. I am definitely getting the better end of this deal....Thanks Gary.

Merry Christmas!!

2008-12-25T13:47:00.004-06:00

And the angel said unto them, "Fear not! For, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, Which shall be to all people. "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, Lying in a manger.
St. Luke 10-12

"GO EAGLES"

And now for the saddest eyes I have ever seen:

Winter Solstice 2008

2008-12-21T19:36:00.003-06:00

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.

Albert Camus

So it begins, as of 7:04 AM EST, the days began to get longer, the nights shorter and the hope of Spring and of sprouts in the garden is revived. Today maybe the beginning of Winter true, but we know that with the beginning, there will also be an end.

The kitchen window...taken months ago, still looks the same except now there is snow past the plants. There are two bay trees (my freedom plants), a Christmas Cactus that I am reviving for a dear friend and an allspice tree.
My little sewing kit, complete with a little pocket for scissors and binding clips and a spool of thread. I would like to learn to wrap wire and make a piece of jewelry from this heart that I found on a walk a few years ago. I carry it in the red felted sewing kit.

Ohhhhhhh...The Weather Outside Is Frightful....

2008-12-20T10:18:00.002-06:00

I played as much golf as I could in North Dakota, but summer up there is pretty short. It usually falls on Tuesday. ~Mike Morley

Since South Dakota is much, much farther south than North Dakota...I figure our sumer last a day or two longer. We are in the middle of a devastating blizzard with no travel recommended. Quite beautiful from the inside looking out, or so the cats think. I am very thankful to have a warm place to ride it out with family.

Something you may not know about me....I always seem to run out of time. The plum puddings are all ready to go to their new homes...and here I sit unable to get them out today. Monday it is...my family never expects me to be on time and I love them for it. The basket is sooooo special....a gift from my daughter. I wish I could tell you where she got it. I was very very impressed....and thankful.

Sunday Moments

2008-12-14T19:17:00.005-06:00

It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it.

Eleanor Roosevelt

It seems like I am showing you a lot of basket quilts. I am not sure why, I do have others. I love baskets and have more than I would ever use. Of course, I have a lot of stuff stored in each one, after all that is the sole pirpose of a basket, to carry a load.
Another thrift store find. The sterling on these little condiment pots shined up beautifully.
It has been a quiet weekend. I went Christmas shopping with friends yesterday. On Friday night I went to a Christmas party and won a lovely prize, the twelve days of Christmas in chocolates. I think I will have a great deal of fun opening each of the twelve boxes.....

2008-12-10T19:54:00.003-06:00

And see the peaceful trees extend their myriad leaves in leisured dance—they bear the weight of sky and cloud upon the fountain of their veins.

- Kathleen Raine, Envoi

I just received this beautiful wool brooch in the mail today. You can find a similar one on Etsy at Kaylacoo's shop. They are all unique and completely awe inspiring. Take a peek, it will be worth your time.

Sunday Morning

2008-12-07T10:35:00.009-06:00

"Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan."

FDR

May we never forget....God Bless Our Troops!

Procrastinate. It frees up time to quilt!

-Unknown

After work yesterday, my daughter (who had borrowed my car), came to pick me up and off we went to our favorite thrift shop. The crocheted heart will look lovely adorning a bag or a quilt or a needle book for a friend or...... I think I will start a basket of small treasure like this one and the ribbon on the box of chocolates Bruce gave me and the buttons my sister gave me a few weeks ago and..... If they are all in the same place, do you think they will inspire me? What do you do for inspiration?
I believe this beautiful hand blown glass bowl will be doing duty holding cranberry sauce or maybe ambrosia very shortly. It is not overly large, but just about the right size for a small fruit salad.
As promised, a quilt from a while ago. I went to a quilt show years ago in Brookings, South Dakota. There was a basket quilt that caught my eye. I stood and looked at it long enough I was able to come home and make the block. The block stayed on my design wall for what seemed like an eternity until I was between projects and looking for something fast and easy.
What I really think I needed was something in the hoop. I piece to have something to hand quilt. Happy Sunday!

Beautiful Prim Doll Giveaway

2008-12-04T17:59:00.002-06:00

Check out Dawn's doll giveaway over at The Forgotten Barn. Wouldn't she look wonderful somewhere in your home? Or mine?

Baskets & Kitties

2008-12-04T17:32:00.004-06:00

"Cats seem to go on the principle that it never does any harm to ask for what you want." - Joseph Wood Crutch

Something not quite "old" but definitely not new. I enjoyed the hand quilting on this one. It was a pattern from Thimbleberries Club a few years ago.
Schuster did want to know why the quilt was getting more attention than she was. She definitely is a firm believer that she is cuter than any piece of cloth. If you look closely at the bottom right hand corner, Sebastian wants to know why Schuster is getting all the attention. He is a firm believer that she gets entirely too much attention all of the time and that cameras really do steal your soul. Ahhhhh...life in the household of cats.....

Sunday Moments

2008-11-30T10:21:00.009-06:00

“Fruits each in its season, are the cheapest, most elegant and wholesome dessert you can offer your family or friends, at luncheon or tea. Pastry and plum-pudding should be prohibited by law, from the beginning of June until the end of September.”‘Breakfast, Luncheon and Tea’Marion Harland [Mary Virginia Terhune] (1875)

In our family, my Grandmother Lillian, always made the plum puddings and it is still considered bad luck to cut into one before Christmas. She passed the torch to me years ago. Instead of steaming the puddings in bowls with waxed paper and foil on top, tied with string, I purchased molds...at Williams Sonoma and garage sales. You can't get the molds from them anymore, that I know of, but they sell the puddings. I still pick up the molds, even though I have more than I will ever need. In the course of a traumatic divorce after almost 30 years of marriage, I had no clue where the recipe was in storage. I found the molds this year and have yet to find the recipe.
I remembered most of it and found a similar recipe on the Internet. These are loaded with raisins, sultanas (golden raisins), currants, spices, and lots of beef suet. No bread crumbs here. Each pudding comes with a silver dime buried somewhere in it's depths. The lucky recipient of the dime is supposed to have good luck for the next year.

These little beauties steam for 9 hours, so this is an all day event. They have been on since very early this morning and will need to cool once they are done so I can get them wrapped in wax paper and then in foil to get them ready to be mailed all around the US, including Hawaii.

This post is filled with memories of a woman I loved dearly and still do. The wool penny ornaments for our tree are made with large buttons my family saved for me from her stash. I think about her every time I hang them on the tree. Today, my house smells like hers did. I love you, Grandma.

Binding Bag

2008-11-29T17:22:00.004-06:00

It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Can you believe I found this little handmade bag (that I am just sure was made by loving hands for someone special) at the local thrift place for less than $2? Completely my gain! I thought it might be ideal for use as a binding bag, to hold a small felted needle book, binding clips, a little pair of scissors and my thread. I am open to other suggestions.

Black Friday Ignored

2008-11-28T16:18:00.004-06:00

"Don't blow it - good planets are hard to find."

~Quoted in Time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zNwWrtVoCI&feature=related

This year I have taken the handmade pledge. I know I will not be 100% successful, but I am striving for 80% with improvement next year and more every year after that. I want my Grandchildren to see the things I have in my lifetime. How sad if they take all the trees and put them in a tree museum. I found it! I found it! It took going through several...okay....many journals. I got to see my children at a younger time. I got to read the obits clipped from newspapers of the people that I have loved who passed on. There are recipes I had forgotten about and pictures clipped from magazines that I wanted to try in my house or yard. There were literally armloads of quotes like the one you see at the top of the post. My sister shared this recipe with me quite a long time ago. It really is a great recipe. I figured if I posted it here, it would be around a while and easily accessible. Give it a try, it really is very good.

On a bright note, my port and stitches came out today and I learned I truly am a big girl....it didn't even hurt. I do have the most awesome Dr. in the world. I should have asked for a sticker! As I told my Dad, Lord knows I don't need a sucker.

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T21:57:00.012-06:00

"We can always find something to be thankful for, no matter what may be the burden of our wants, or the special subject of our petitions."

Albert Barnes

My daughter has chosen, through her workplace, to help a familyof six with Christmas. All the needs have been met, but she wanted to do a little extra. Today, she and I tied a fleece blanket for the two year old in the family. I can't begin to tell you how proud I am of her.

FIVE THINGS I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. The love and health of my family and friends, most especially that both of my parents are still with us after the events of the last month.

2. That I am truly blessed to have such a good man in my life.

3. That the people I love all have a job and a roof over their heads and food on their table. There may not always be excess, but thank God there is always enough.

4. That my son is not in the desert right now and is able to spend the holidays this year with his wonderful wife and beautiful kids. That is not always the case.

5. That I have an abundance of great quality time with my daughter and granddaughter.

Okay.....an unofficial number 6....The Eagles played an awesome game! During the game I said if they didn't keep playing the way they did tonight, the only way they would be going to the Superbowl would be as........before I could say as a wild card, my daughter said as spectators.....:(

May your Thanksgiving be filled with love, happiness, and peace. May God bless our troops, each and every one of them a hero, who cannot be home with their loved ones.

It is a tradition in our familyto go around the table so each person can tell the things they are greatful for. It was my four year old granddaughter's turn. She said she was greatful for her duckie (he is no longer yellow and has one eye a little mealted from the dryer). She was greatful for her kitties and her grandma ( I just beamed!). She was greatful for her toy and grass and helmets. She said "GO EAGLES!!!!

Sunday Moments From Home

2008-11-16T16:57:00.008-06:00

Believe one who has proved it. Believe an expert.
— Virgil

Dad has been home from the hospital for about a week now. He drove for the first time today and he is getting back to his old self. I didn't think Mom and I would have time for any of this. I originally had leave planned to come out and make fruitcakes. We did it last year and I thought I had fun. This year was even better. Mom thought we should go into business.

Is this not the coolest pan you have seen in a while? It belongs to my Mother and you can bet I will be looking for one like it at the thrift stores and garage sales. It was perfect for mixing large batches of fruitcakes.

We chopped cherries and dates and mixed dried fruits, mixed them with walnuts and soaked the whole darn thing overnight in the very best Brandy from my Father's closet. Yes, he was aware we did it and we bought him a replacement bottle. I can tell you VSOP is much less expensive in Washington State than it is in South Dakota!

We made 21 fruitcakes. Yes, I meant to type 21. Mom has a home for each one. She does this every year. I can tell you I had the best time doing this with her. We talked and laughed until our stomaches hurt.

My Mom had a lot of good tips to pass along, so I will share them with you, too. Bay leaves in your flour canister will keep bugs at bay (no pun intended) without imparting flavor. Always line your pans with foil for these little cakes, since they are hard to remove without it.

She wanted me to take a picture of the mess we were creating. I preferred to think of it as a production line. I believe so far we have cookie dough made for at least 52 dozen cookies.

The house has that incredible smell of baking...spices, fruit, brandy. I am sorry the rest of my sisters weren't here for this! They don't have a clue what they were missing. Maybe next year.

2008-11-15T10:20:00.003-06:00

I am on a little trek home to Washington. Dad has been ill and was in the hospital for what seemed like forever. I was lucky enough to see my brother and youngest sister when I first got here and then they had to go home. I stayed to bring him home and be here for Mom & Dad for a few days.

I am not going to be able to post pictures of what I am working on right now, Christmas and all that..... When I get home, I will post things that I have made in the past.