Playing In The Yarn Stash

I have to hurry and get this posted if I get everything done that needs to be today. It's late afternoon and I still haven't gotten in the pool for my exercises yet and I haven't picked up my knitting needles today either. I've spent the biggest part of this afternoon cutting grass. The downpours we had a couple of nights last week wasn't enough to allow some of the surrounding counties to have their water rationing lifted, but it was just enough to cause the grass to grow at a rapid pace. It hasn't been a full week since I rode the mower an entire afternoon cutting while DH used the hand mower and weed-whacker. I will have to cut outside the fence out back tomorrow, I gave out of steam today. The only other thing I've done today worth a toot was answer some e-mails and do a bit of straighten up around the house. I did sit awhile with my neighbor when she came over this morning.

Yesterday I pulled out a bunch of my wool yarns to see what I had on hand and if I had enough for all the projects I'm getting ready to start. Yes, I'm going to start a few more since the stole is progressing along well and the afghan has had a few more rows added to it. I played in the yarn putting colors up against each other and stacking and re-stacking to see if I could come up with a different color combination that would be exciting. I declare, it was as much fun as playing house used to be. I was surprised at how many different shades of purple, plum, grape, etc. I have. Although I like purples, I didn't realize I have more yarn in that color than any other. Next was ecru but that wasn't a surprise to me. I like the neutral ecru alone or especially in combinations with browns. After I'd played in the yarn, I pulled out a couple of books and wished awhile and I really enjoyed looking through 200 Knitted Blocks again by Jan Eaton. I've had in the back of my mind to someday make a knitted quilt using these designs as squares. It is so easy for me to while away time looking at knitting books and magazines.

I have to post my questions and answer for the contest being held by the Fall Felted Bag Exchange. Don't want to be left out; it has to be posted by Sept. 2nd. All the exercise I am getting here is in the fingers, now I must go kick my legs awhile before I make dinner. Tonight its is going to be lasagna.

Fall Felted Bag Assignment

I was been busy with my family over the weekend. Christopher was home, always a treat, and Dariana and parents were out for the afternoon and evening on Saturday, another treat. I decided on Friday to do a Mexican menu for dinner on Saturday so DH and I went and purchased a pork lion after my doctor appointment on Friday morning (more on this below). Yesterday Christopher and I started early, chopping vegetables and meat, then browning them quickly to go in the crock pot. We were making Chili Verde; a chili using the vegetable tomatillos, and lots and lots of chilies, garlic, onions, cilantro, spices and pork, simmered in beer. Oh it smelled so good cooking all day and tasted even better for dinner along with Spanish rice and refried beans, tortillas, and all the garnished you would expect with a Mexican meal.

Everyone was stuffed when we left the table however, Dariana still found room for a few Jelly Bellies and another glass of milk before they left for home. Sunday morning I made an egg casserole for breakfast and used the left-over chilies, onions,cilantro, and cheeses along with some ham, cream and eggs; and I made grits for Christopher and me. All this heavy food means lite eating for the next few days for DH and I. I've already prepared for it, picked up fixings for salads and a good stick of bread to go along with them.

I've gotten my assignment for the fall felted bag exchange and I think I've already decided what bag I'm going to make for her. From reading my partner's blog, she seems to be a pleasant person and I'm looking forward to getting to know her. She lives in one of my favorite states; I'll not say which one it is, but I'd love to visit it again sometime.

I've been looking over some of the shots from previous bag swaps and as always, I'm amazed at the amount of talent out there. The needle felting on some of the bags is gorgeous and the embroidery is absolutely stunning. I'd love to own one those bags. I must work on these skills so I can make one for myself. Anyone with pointers?

My entrelac shawl is coming along nicely; the knitting is about half finished now. The fringe used on the shawl in the shop is a bit more than I like, although it was beautiful on their shawl, so I may decide to do something different. If not, I think the fringe will take the biggest part of a day to cut, weave, and tie in.

On Friday I saw the oncology-radiologist for a report on the CAT-scan I'd had on Monday, the report is both good and bad. The bad first, the mass (tumor) is still there and appears to be mostly un-changed since November of last year (we were hoping it would be gone). On the good side, it could be just scar tissue or a thicken in the lymph node and since I feel good that is the path I'm letting my mind lean into. I'll see my oncologist September 12 and he will go over the report with me again and we will discuss what, if anything, is the next step. I expect he will order another PET-scan which will show if the mass is still active (growing cancer) or if it is just residue left over from the chemo and radiation treatments. The radiologist says no more radiation since I had a high dosage and it didn't make a difference and the oncologist had said no more chemo but he did mention stem-cell transplant if it became necessary. I will cross that bridge when I come to it. Today I am thinking I'm well with a bit of garbage left in my body as a reminder that life does have some kinks and turns in it but doesn't always lead to a dead end.

Fall Felted Bag Questionnaire

I'm a bit late with this but blogger didn't let me have access to my blog or the Felted Bag blog earlier. Here are the answers to the questionnaire, I think most of them were already answered in the SP-11 questions but just in case I'll post the entire questionnaire for the Felted Bag Exchange.

1. How long have you been knitting or crocheting? How did you learn? or from whom? My sister taught me to knit about 35 or 40 years ago. I knitted for a year or so and then off and on whenever someone needed new booties until about 3 years ago. When I picked up my needles this time, I kept knitting.

2. What was your first felted object, and why did you decide to try felting? The first thing I felted was a bag and it turned out wonderful. It was a class offered at Lettuce Knit, my LYS, and since I was already a bag-a-holic, I couldn't resist taking the class. I had never knitted a bag before but I had crocheted one back in the seventies, a big red and blue, granny square satchel I lined it with navy blue and used it for months, I was very proud of it at the time.

3. What are your favorite colors? Any you hate? I love jewel tone colors and I love color combination like black & white, grey & white, and navy & white put together. I also love the color chocolate. I don't hate any color but doubt that I'd ever use an orange colored bag.
What are your favorite styles\types of bags? (Long straps? Short handles? Handbags? Totes? Embellished? Plain? Include links to patterns or photos if you’d like – give your pal an idea of what you enjoy!) I generally like a strap long enough to just swing over my shoulder, but not a shoulder bag length and I don't mind short handles on dressy bags or handbags. Embellishment is nice as long as it is something like fun-fur or glitzy. I love the embroidered flowers that I've seen on some of the bags and also the hand felting that’s being done. I love dressy but not flamboyant.

4. What handbag or bag are you carrying today? Do you use a separate bag to carry your knitting? Right now I am using a gold thread chevron shaped bag with leather handles and trim. It is not a showy bag, rather casual, but smart.
Yes, I use a different bag for my knitting, actually I have a nice basket I bought at Portland's Saturday Market last year while on vacation.

5. What other things do you enjoy knitting or crocheting? I love to knit hats, shawls, and sweaters. I've been thinking about knitting some placemats to match the grape tint in my great room and kitchen.

6. What sort of needles do you enjoy working with? (straights vs circs, bamboo vs aluminum). It depends on what I'm knitting whether I want straight or circular and also what material the needles are made from. I love the circular Addi Turbo needles put out by Skacel for hats, bags and afghans and shawls, unless it is lace, I like bamboo circulars for bags and sweaters, Denise's plastic for lace or light weight yarns (they have sharp points). I have one pair (10.5 circulars) of Susanne's ebony and dearly love using them, I'd like more. And … one of my favorite and the least expensive of all my needles is Bylene needles distributed by Boyle. They are really good to knit with if you have problems with your wrist or hands and they have really sharp points that picks up well. They bend with your hand and arm movement and are warm to the touch. I generally don't use aluminum needles but I do own at least one pair in every size of the straight needles and probably most of the sizes in the circulars.

7. What’s one project you’ve not yet tried but are dying to make? Well, I can't say I'm dying to make socks but I've never made any so must get around to them someday. I've never made a Mobius scarf and I'd also like to do that and I've never felted shoes which I'd love to do. That’s probably it shoes, I must do some shoes this fall.

8. What’s one yarn you’ve not yet tried but are dying to work with? This is a hard question, there are so many wonderful yarns that I haven't used. I'd say anything out of natural fibers as long as it's soft, sturdy and is pleasing to the eye and on the skin.

9. What other hobbies do you have? Do you spin? Sew? Garden? I don't spin but I do sew and garden. I also love to bake and entertain and enjoy embroidery and reading good books. I enjoy cookbooks and knitting books and gardening and knitting magazine.

10. Besides yarn, do you collect anything? I use to collect Byers Choice Caroler Dolls, teapots and teacups & saucers, and cookbooks from all the states and countries that we visited. I had to give most of this up when we downsized two years ago. And oh yes, I still collect Waterford Crystal if anyone is interested in contributing to that collection.

11. What kind of goodies do you enjoy? Sweets? Salty? Anything you hate or are allergic to? I like salty better than sweet, but I do enjoy good cookies and candy. I'm not a real big chocolate lover but if it is filled full of nuts or coconut, yum!

12. Do you have any kiddos? (Furry kind count!) I have a beautiful four legged baby, Maestro (Lhasa Aposo), age 11 and I have a two legged baby boy, age 37 and a two legged baby girl, age 42, and a wonderful little granddaughter, age 2. Then of course there is DH, I won't tell his age but he is definitely one of my babies and requires more of my attention than all the rest. (I don't kid myself thought, I love giving it to him.)

13. What kind of project best personifies you and why? Gosh I always have so many projects going. I like big projects but tend to get bored before I finish them and so pick up something else, then something else and it might take me two or three times as long to finish a big project as it would someone else. I like something that goes quickly, but is different enough to hold my interest. I am somewhat of a perfectionist (so my family tells me) so I rip back as often as needed to get things right and I love vivid colors and/or definition in my knitting project. Why ? – My mother always taught me I didn't have to be like everyone else and if I was going to do something to work on it until I got it right. Besides, I'm a Gemini so I need to live up to my expected characteristics don't I?

14. What is your favorite part of autumn? You can also share a special autumn memory if you'd prefer! The time for re-grouping, finishing off summer's chores then taking a deep breath and starting something new; sort of like the ending and beginning of a new year. To me fall means crisp air and it's smells, and a warm kitchen with it's aromas and lots of stunning colors. It always brings to mind, that wonderful song, Autumn Leaves. I can just hear Roger Williams playing that beautiful tune; and as his fingers touches the piano's keyboard, I imagine seeing ever-so-many colorful, brilliant leaves falling and floating by the window in the autumn's sunlight.

15. Tell us 3 things you would do if you won 10 million dollars in the lottery. According to nature, I'm in the autumn of my life so I'd try to remember that and use the 10 million dollars accordingly. That said, I would (1.) enjoy the money, (2.) share it with those I love, and (3.) use it for a good deed that would benefit others that are a lot less fortunate than I. Actually this could all be covered under (1.) enjoy the money.

No Sleep For Me

I'm wide awake. For some reason tonight, a zillion things seem to be going through my mind. I hate having nights like this, when the body is tired and denies sleep and the mind is continuously turning over and over, as if it is in a rush to catch up and so is working overtime. I've learned that the best thing I can do, is to DO something, to get up and get busy. Eventually I will become exhausted enough to sleep. Sometimes I just read or knit, but other times I need to do something more physical, like baking cookies or felting a hat at three o'clock in the morning. I know I'm not crazy because I hear too many other women talk about the same problem. Is it gender related or what? I don't hear men talking about being awake half the night, it does make one wonder.

This morning I was up early and at the hospital before 7:30. I had forgotten on Friday to pick up the contrast drink for the scan I was scheduled to have this morning. My appointment was for 11:30 so I knew I'd have time to drink the gunk down at home if I picked it up early; better than sitting in the waiting area for two hours while drinking the stuff. This is the scan that will tell the radiologist and oncologist if the mass from Hodgkin's disease is gone, or if it is still there and not active, or still there and still active (meaning the cancer is still alive). I believe that it is gone this time, a feeling I haven't had before. I will see the radiologist on Friday to learn the results; wish me well.

Tonight I drove into the city to knit with a knot of lady-friends and what fun we had. I worked on my entrelac shawl and enjoyed the oohs and aahs from the knitting group. One lady was knitting on a prayer shawl, one was knitting a throw for her niece to use on her bed at college, one was knitting a winter scarf, and one in the group (having hand problems) was doing Temari (Japanese thread balls). How beautiful they are and what wonderful designs she creates with this craft.

Tomorrow is to be a busy day, and I'm still awake! How will I function? There wasn't anything on the calendar for tomorrow and I'd planned to clean the pool and maybe do some gardening. Early this afternoon I decided I wanted to go to the library in the morning and check on a couple of books I'm interested. I called my neighbor, Sally, and asked if she wanted to ride into the village with me and stop at the Garden Café for coffee. She was delighted saying she has books that need to be returned to the library anyway. So, one thing is now on the calendar. A short while later I receive a phone call from the flooring contractor asking if they could come tomorrow to install the new kitchen and bathroom floors. Something else added to my calendar, then an e-mail from Kathy at the LYS saying the basement was flooded and full of mud again from the storm we had on Thursday night and she and her husband were in the middle of moving the shop from the edge of the village to a shop across from the courthouse. There will be more foot-traffic for the shop and hopefully there will be no more flooding (this is the second time in six months that she's had water damage in the shop's basement). Anyway, to celebrate the move and her introduction to a new line of yarn called Scarlet Fleece, she was invited our old Monday night knit group to her home to knit and jabber tomorrow evening. Of course I can't miss this so it will be a busy, but good, day I think. The pool and gardening are now pushed back for Wednesday.

I got my SP-11 assignment and have made contact with her. I have to get busy now and decide how to spoil her. Perhaps a felted hat would do the job. (Scroll down side bar)

SP-11 Questionnaire

I haven't gotten my SP-11 assignment yet but see that some participants have; my upstream pall being one of them according to a message left on yesterday's blog. I'll go ahead and post my questionnaire although I think that most of the questions have already been answered on my blog recently. Hope everything you need is here, if not I'll try to provide it later.

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I enjoy knitting with 'good quality' but not necessarily 'pricey' yarns. Elann.com carries a good selection of yarns at reasonable prices, especially if you catch their Tuesday specials. I do not care for novelty yarns except occasionally as an accent on a few items.
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Most anything. Actually, I have three artist brush kits for straight needles and I use a 3 inch, 3 ring, binder for my circulars. I take zipper-lock bags, punch a couple of holes in them, label the outside with needles size, length, and manufacturer, then place the needles in the zip- lock. I also use a big pitcher to hold the larger size needles and some of the extras that I don't use often.
3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I've been knitting off and on for about forty years but steadily for about five years. My sister taught me the knit and purl stitch and for many years anything else was self-taught. When I picked my knitting up this last time I decided it was time to take some classes and learn something besides knit and purl. I consider myself an advanced intermediate knitter.
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? No but I'm going to start one on Amazon today, I think it would be helpful.
5. What's your favorite scent? I'm not a fan of most perfumed fragrances. I like clean and not heavy smells. I do enjoy good soap and rose or lavender body products like body wash and shampoos.
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? I do enjoy sweets, but I'm not a big chocolate fan although I love chocolate with nuts and coconut in it. I generally prefer salty and cheesy treats over sweets.
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I love knitting most,but I also crochet, embroidery, cross-stitch, sew, and do a bit of crewel. I love the look of appliqué and have been thinking to make a few things with appliqués on them. I do not spin.
8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD). I'm not very technical but I don't believe we have MP3 in our home or car, just regular CD's. I like Easy music, Blues & Jazz, and Classical.
9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I like chocolate, greens, aqua's, purples, blues, pinks, and ' I do like puce' (also know as magenta and/or burgundy.) I like vivid, jewel tones but also love grays, whites, blacks and reds used together.
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I have a husband and a four legged baby (dogie) that live with me. I have an adult son and daughter and one granddaughter.
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I have worn them all sometimes, but not any of them often. I have a poncho that I knitted a few years back from a Collinette Kit and enjoy wearing it because of all the gorgeous yarns that were in the kit. I have worn hats a lot in the last year because chemo-therapy claimed my hair for several months. If I wear hats, I like them to have a brim. Since I'm retired I don't wear scarves any more and I prefer gloves over mittens.
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Gosh, it depends. I enjoy knitting cardigans but they take so long that I put them off and end up taking forever to finish one. I love felted hats and bags and I enjoy knitting shawls out of nice fibers for gifts. I have never knitted socks or gloves but probably will someday just so I can say I have. I've done a bit of lace but no longer have the concentration for following a complex pattern.
13. What are you knitting right now? OTN's – Entralac shawl using Nora's Silk Garden wool. Chris Bylsma's Crayon Box Jacket using mostly wools in lots of textures and color blends. Lilly Chin's Central Park Jacket from her label yarn, and a queen-sized bed cover for my son out of various textures and colors.
4. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Love them.
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? It depends on what I'm knitting and what type yarn I'm knitting with. I am not a big of fan of aluminum needles but do love Skacel's metal needles and want a set of Knit Pick's Options. I especially like the one pair of Susanne's circular ebony needles that I have my 'el cheapo' Boye's Baleen II straight needles, haven't tried them in a circular.
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Yes, both; couldn't do without them.
17. How old is your oldest UFO? Around a year I think.
18. What is your favorite holiday? July 4th – Because that is the day our adopted granddaughter came to us. National Holidays would be first Thanksgiving, then Christmas. Our family celebrate both these holidays with lots of love and thankfulness.
19. Is there anything that you collect? Yes and no. I use to collect Byer's Choice Carolers but ran out of space and I use to buy a cookbook from every country or state that we visited. It was a remembrance that could be used and enjoyed over and over again and I still love reading cookbooks. When we downsized two years ago I tried to get rid of lots of 'things'.
20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I have a subscription to: ' Interweave Knits' and one to 'Creative Knitting' and buy and enjoy other knitting magazines, especially the ones from Great Britain. Books on want list are: 'Bag Styles', (Interweave) when it comes out in November, and 'The Best of Interweave Knits'. Needles I'd like to add to my supply: Susanne's ebony needles (I have one pair size 10.5 circular and love them), some 7" single point knitting needles in any sizes between 3 -9, Knit Picks new Options set. Yarns: Cornucopia, want to make a shawl I think, hand painted worsted weight wools, self-striping worsted weight wool. Patterns: 'Ruched Bag', 'Bucket Bag', and 'Lucy Bag" by Two Old bags.
21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Well I have to do a pair of socks someday, and I have to do cables and Fair Isle someday. I guess the reason I haven't done them so far is they aren't my favorite look. But, I'm always interested in learning new techniques even if it is just for the learning process. I'd also like to do some free-form and magic ball knitting; they're interesting I think.
22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? No, I don't knit socks but would like to have a hand knitted pair if they were not to short on my feet; I wear a size 9 shoe.
23. When is your birthday? June, when else? The day is the 7th.
24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? I'm signed up but they haven't gotten to my name yet. Hope it won't be much longer.

Entrelac Stole

I'm working on the entrelac stole using Nora's

Silk Garden yarn. The colors are beautiful I think although I'm not sure if I like the yarn for something I plan to wear; it is a bit scratchy. I've only used two skeins of the nine that was called for so I still have a long way to go but it does move along rather quickly once you sit down with it. I should have it finished in plenty of time to enjoy this fall, providing I don't give it to a sister; if I do, then she can enjoy it.

I prepared tomatoes and other vegetables this morning for vegetable soupso the tomatoes wouldn't go to waste. Mr. Ro helped me ladle it into the jars and get them ready for the canner. We canned 10 pints and had a bit left over for lunch. I'll be glad we made it this fall and winter when a bowl of hot soup will be so good.

I received my dishcloth from the quarterly exchange yesterday. My partner was from Oregon state and she knitted the Fan and Feather pattern for my cloth and used the new S&C stripes yarn. There was also a magnetic photo frame and a magnet for the frig. Thank you Mary. I sent my cloth out last week so my downstream pal should be getting it on Monday or Tuesday of this week. I'll post a photo after she receives it.

Project for WhoDuKnit Finished

Today I knitted my little project for the WhoDuKnit group over on Yahoo. Our July mystery read was Virgin of Small Plains and this month everyone was to devise their own project for the book. The story line is about deceitfulness and how it affects the lives of others; it was actually a very sad story. I'm glad I was able to come up with a project that I hope will add a bit of humor for this group of knitters and mystery readers. Here is a photo of what I made for two of the characters in the story. If you want to know why, you must read the book; it's by Nancy Pickard.

Although this was a bit of a 'silly little project', (a condom amulet) I learned a new knitting technique. I had never done double knitting before and this little amulet was a double knit. It was quick, and it was fun. I will use that technique again soon to make little Dari a new purse and of course this pouch will be hers to play with.

Yesterday I went shopping with my daughter and Dariana for the first time since Dariana has been a part of our family. Melody and I use to shop, shop, shop and I could usually go as long as, or longer than, she could before exhaustion hit. But, for a few years before I started chemo, I wasn't able to walk very much and as the Hodgkin's disease got worse, I could walk less and less. For the last two or three years, I haven't shopped except for necessities. Yesterday we shopped and had a nice lunch and enjoyed Dari. I was exhausted before I left to drive home but it was such an enjoyable time being with my daughter and granddaughter. Melody called tonight to tell me how much fun it was for her and how proud she was to have me to go shop with her like we use to. How sweet it is.

Tomorrow I am going to think about sewing while I knit on my entrelac stole. It has been picked up in so long I will have to find where I left off in the pattern and set my pace again. Once it gets going it is a fun project to knit but the right side triangle will probably make me stumble the first go around. I have so much I want to do, not just knitting, but I'm itching to get out my embroidery and work on something. I've been letting sewing wonder across my mind quite frequently too and even bought some lime green fleece and a jacket pattern, zipper, and thread when I was in the fabric store last week. And I've been toying with the idea of learning appliqué. I love appliqué on children's clothes and on kitchen linens. I have done a bit many years ago but would like to learn to do it well and use it on some pants and dresses for Dariana.

DH is working on his iris beds, making new beds, digging, dividing, moving, and replanting. I would like to help him more but the sun is too brutal for me right now. Tomorrow the temperature is supposed to be 100° and even now, at midnight, the humidity is unbearable outside. Tonight when I took my water exercise the pool was warm like a bath in wintertime. Maestro loved it and I must have floated him on my arm for over thirty minutes; he loves it. Look at him and Dariana. What a sweet pair of angels they make.

What I Have and Have Not Knitted

Below is a little survey of what I have or have not knitted and of things I would like to knit in the future. It's been around for awhile I think, I've seen it on other blogs, so I decided to add it here. Maybe it will help some of my partners in the exchanges I participate in. Some of you other knitters that enjoy the exchanges might enjoy adding it to your blog also.

That said, let me make a couple of other comments.

• I am not a sock knitter, I've never knitted a pair of socks, really; but, I plan to knit a pair at some point in the future just so I can say 'I've knitted socks'. I personally can't justify spending the amount of money or of time making a pair of socks that I can go buy three pairs for less than what the yarn cost for one pair. I DID SAY 'PERSONALLY'. On the other hand, I'd love to receive a pair of hand knitted socks, I've never worn any. Perhaps it would change my mind and I'd become addicted to hand-knitted socks.
• I have knitted (tried that is) with both wire and with beads. I didn't enjoy doing either. I think beads are very pretty accents on a knitted sweater, shawl, or bag, but as far as knitting a piece of jewelry with them, it's not my cup of tea.
• I do not bead - but I do appreciate all the wonderful markers that I've received (don't really need any more)
• Although I have yet to knit a 'project' using the new fiber yarns that are on the market, I can hardly wait to put something on my needles.
• Things I really adore knitting are brimmed hats and bags and especially fulling them. Next would be cardigans. I've only completed two. one for hubby and one for grand-daughter and there are two others currently on my needles (these are for me).
• I have designed and knitted a shrug and a shawl that I think are worthy of a pattern and being published but I haven't found the necessary time to sit down and write a good pattern.
• I love knitting for others, sisters, nieces, good friends and good causes.
• I love learning new stitch patterns, finishing techniques, or doing something I haven't done before. For some reason I've never knitted cables and I really must try to accomplish that. I think the reason is I'm not particular fond of cables on sweaters, bags, etc . so I always look for a pattern that doesn't have them. The same goes for Fair Isle Knitting.
• I'm a Gemini all the way. Impulsive, changeable, doing a dozen things at once (or trying to), and mind always working in overtime.

Mark with bold the things you have ever knit, with italics the ones you plan to do sometime, and leave the rest.

• Afghan
• I-cord
• Garter stitch
• Knitting with metal wire
• Shawl
• Stockinette stitch
• Socks: top-down
• Socks: toe-up
• Knitting with camel yarn
• Mittens: Cuff-up
• Mittens: Tip-down
• Hat
• Knitting with silk
• Moebius band knitting
• Participating in a KAL
• Sweater
• Drop stitch patterns
• Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
• Slip stitch patterns
• Knitting with banana fiber yarn
• Domino knitting (=modular knitting)
• Twisted stitch patterns
• Knitting with bamboo yarn
• Two end knitting
• Charity knitting
• Knitting with soy yarn
• Cardigan
• Toy/doll clothing
• Knitting with circular needles
• Baby items
• Knitting with your own handspun yarn
• Slippers
• Graffiti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
• Continental knitting
• Designing knitted garments
• Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
• Lace patterns
• Publishing a knitting book
• Scarf
• Teaching a child to knit
• American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
• Knitting to make money
• Button holes
• Knitting with alpaca
• Fair Isle knitting
• Norwegian knitting
• Dying with plant colours
• Knitting items for a wedding
• Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies...)
• Knitting socks (or other small tubular items)on two circulars
• Olympic knitting
• Knitting with someone eles's handspun yarn
• Knitting with dpns
• Holiday related knitting
• Teaching a male how to knit
• Bobbles
• Knitting for a living
• Knitting with cotton
• Knitting smocking
• Dying yarn
• Steeks
• Knitting art
• Knitting two socks on two circulars simultaneously
• Fulling/felting
• Knitting with wool
• Textured knitting
• Kitchener
• BO
• Purses/bags
• Knitting with beads
• Swatching
• Long Tail CO
• Entrelac
• Knitting and purling backwards
• Machine knitting
• Knitting with self patterning/self striping/variegating yarn
• Stuffed toys
• Baby items
• Knitting with cashmere
• Darning
• Jewelry
• Knitting with synthetic yarn
• Writing a pattern
• Gloves
• Intrasia
• Knitting with linen
• Knitting for preemies
• Tubular CO
• Freeform knitting
• Short rows
• Cuffs/fingerless mits/armwarmers
• Pillows
• Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
• Rug
• Knitting on a loom
• Thrummed knitting
• Knitting a gift
• Knitting for pets
• Shrug/bolero/poncho
• Knitting with dog/cat hair
• Hair accessories
• Knitting in public

Hummingbirds and Dish Rags

Here he comes, faster than a speeding bullet!

A smooth landing and all looks well!

Refueling time.

Lay-over and rest.

Zoom --- off into the wild blue yonder.

This is one of the hummingbirds that visits our feeders each year; once they find their territory, they return year after year. We have three that are always on a feeder or perched in a Crepe Myrtle and there are others that visit but don't seem to use our property as their home. It is so much fun to sit on the porch with a cup of coffee early in the mornings watching them fuel up for the day. They seem to be most active early in the day and then again in the early evenings getting ready for night. Sometimes we sit with the neighbors on their porch, or they with us on ours, and share a glass of wine, catch up on the days happenings and watch the hummingbirds flirt with one another. They do flirt. It is such fun to see them buzz around one another, sometimes actually smacking the other with their long sword length beak. They seem to really like the red petunias I planted in the bed across the front of the porch and there is a potted doubled hibiscus setting on the porch that some of my gardening friends brought out to me a few weeks ago. And then this, a Swamp Hibiscus brought home from our trip to SC a couple of weeks ago. Isn't it the most gorgeous thing? The bloom here is not fully opened. Once it opens all the way, it is about 8" or so in diameter and the petals no longer touch one another. It is a herbaceous perennial but I want to save some of it's seeds to plant next spring in case it doesn't make it through our dry summer and cold winter. Probably it will re-seed itself, but I want to be sure this plant is in my garden next year. The hummingbirds love it and so does the butterflies.

I decided to participate in a knitted dishcloth swap (remember when people use to say dishrag and washrag?) so I've been knitting on that today. I had a beautiful variegated yarn in all the colors that my partner likes best. I have the dishcloth about half finished and will probably finish it off tonight if there is time. It's getting to be late afternoon and there is still to take Maestro for his swim, do my water exercises, and make dinner. Dinner may take a bit more time tonight since the new kitchen range has arrived and I'm still tinkling around with what works best. DH wound up installing the range himself - which I try to always avoid since he is not a handy man and life is much simpler to just pay for installation. The opening for the 30" slide-in that was in place, did not fit the 30" slide-in that was delivered. The delivery team let us know immediately they only do deliveries, plug ins, and take aways, nothing more. I could see DH's nerves jumping around in his body when he realized what that meant. He had to make the opening in the counter about 1/8" larger, so, he went to work with his saw and sanding paper. He really did a great job as he always does, but what stress he goes through in doing it.

Tomorrow I want to bake something good in my new oven and visit a couple of old friends who are elderly and finding life to be a bit hard for them. If I bake early I'll be able to take them some goodies which they will enjoy. I love these two ladies dearly and it is so sad to me to see them in their situation. There are no financial worries for them but they live in a neighborhood that was once prosperous and is now quite run down and no longer safe. They are totally devoted to one another having lived in houses side-by-side all their married life and having no children of their own. Both their husband's passed away a number of years ago and their closes relative is a nephew. I sometimes wonder why life seems to be so much harder for some, than for others. I know that's the way life is, I just don't understand it.

I Must Be Getting Old

Perhaps I'm getting old, in looking back over my blog, I realized I've never posted a photo of the bag I sent to my Spring Felted Bag partner. I have referred to it several times thinking it was here but lo and behold, it isn't. Here is a photo of it and it's lining. It was sent out in June to my pal JoAnn. The bag isn't a true red at all, more of a deep rosy rust, I love it. I had to make two trips to the fabric shop to find the right lining. The first one I brought home didn't please me when I held it inside the bag but the second round I was pleased, the first piece of material will go in a bag for someone else.

I knitted on the blanket for Christopher yesterday and added some of Coats Moda.dea Cache in the rendezvous color scheme to give a color break for adding in a 'wild' color. It is a blue yarn with greens and oranges and a silver thread (among other colors) in it. I think I will be able to go from the blue, to the cache, to orange without it being totally off-the-wall. (Wish I could get into a more 'off-the-wall' frame of mind while knitting this project. I started adding the orange last night, got about half-a-row knitted before tiring out and putting it away for the evening.

Dariana was out yesterday to play with papa and me and we always play so hard that we're exhausted when she goes home. Yesterday I took her swimming and she wanted to jump, jump, jump. It's so much fun to play with her and watch her learning to make her little way into society. Papa had to play hide and seek with her and play with her 'baby'. He managed to get around changing Dariana's diapers, but she has him changing her 'baby's' diapers and clothes. At two she knows how to 'pretend' and use her vivid imagination. So much joy!

Our neighbor, Sally, brought over a loaf of her wonderful banana loaf bread last evening for us to have with our coffee this morning. I cut a nice, thick slice of it to have with my second cup and it is so delicious; I have to ask her for her recipe. It is a sweeter bread than I make, choked full of walnuts and it is a bit sticky and dark as if it could have molasses in it. Yum....

Tomorrow I want to tell about the hummingbirds.

About A Mile Of Knitting To Go

I've been playing with this thing for over a year now, just can't get into it because it isn't really something I would knit for myself. It's a queen-sized bed blanket requested by my son. He loves colors and textures even more than I do and requested a blanket with as many colors and textures as I could put into it. Notice I started off in a somewhat (to me) sensible color scheme but then switched to a wavering scheme that pleases him. He is sure that the outcome will be pleasing and perhaps it will. Anyway, I've decided I'll work on it every time I have a few minutes to knit but don't have time to really concentrate on another project and I'll try to finish it by the end of the year. At some point I have to work in some reds, greens, orange and yellows.

Look at this, isn't it the most precious thing. It is for my granddaughter and it will stay at grand- grama's house to avoid having to bring one each time they come for a visit. When I talked to Dariana by phone a few days ago and told her I had bought her a swimsuit special for my house, she turned to her mother and said excitedly "Grand-mama bought me my own bathing suit". She is such a joy and I am so thankful for her.

Mr. Ro and I are going this morning to order the kitchen range we looked at earlier this week and he made an appointment with the flooring company to come on Monday to measure and give us a price for new kitchen and bathroom floors. I'm really looking forward to getting these things done, and more. We've been in this house for two years now and I haven't gotten anything accomplished other than going to the doctor, going for test, being sick, and on and on. Now that I'm better I have a lot to work on and I'm ready to get started.

I had my yearly physical yesterday and I am basically healthy. I have to go back on Coumadin since one of the MRI's I had on Monday revealed I had undergone a stroke previously. My Cardiologist had already told me he wanted me to be put back on it after the next Oncologist check-up. I hate this particular drug but at the same time, I am thankful we have it. It can be a life saver for stroke victims or people with heart problems. I try to remember that, 'bad is sometimes good'.

Knitting for Me

With all the exchanges and swaps completed, it is now time to knit for 'me'. As much fun as I have doing these exchanges, it feels good to have them all completed for a time. I will be able to knit for myself without feeling quilty thinking I should be working on this or that other project.

Here's some photos of my last exchange. The 'mess' and the replacement for the 'mess' that I knitted mostly during our car trip south. I love the replacemnt but am still 'ticked' with the author of the pattern for 'the mess'.


Actually, the Wotton Bag (named for a wool mill town in England) is so much fun to knit (a four row repeat pattern keeps it interesting) I am ready to knit one for myself and my daughter, Melody. It's not a large bag but it does hold a lots and it's smart enough for her to use at work.

Yesterday hubby and I went shopping. We didn't buy anything, well, thats not exactly true, we didn't buy what we went shopping for, but I did buy a new bathing suit. (Needed a new one from the weight loss I took with Hodgkin's disease and the chemo treatments.) We were shopping for a new range and for kitchen and bathroom floor coverings. We were astounded at the price of the stoves - the style we have to have is double what a standard range or cooktop cost. Our current one slides into a stand alone counter and is a standard stove without back and sides and rest flat on the counter like a cooktop. We finally found an affordable one, when it goes on sale over weekend; the salesperson was nice enough to let us know if we waited, we could save about $300. We checked out floor samples from two different flooring stores and I think will be able to decide on a new floor cover using the samples.

On Monday we had a couple over to make their own batch of pickles. They brought the jars and ingredients and DH and I showed them how to whip up a batch in an afternoon. They were so proud of the colorful jars of pickles and couldn't wait to dive into them. Since they were still hot and would be for most of the night, I gave them a jar from my pantry to take home and enjoy with their dinner. Here's the recipe and don't let the word 'squash' scare you. They are wonderful, like a yellow bread and butter. I want to share the recipe with you.

SQUASH PICKLES

5 - pounds yellow squash washed thoroughly and sliced thin
3 - medium sized white onions peeled and sliced thin
1/2 - cup table salt
Ice cubes or crushed ice
1 - teaspoonfull celery seed
2 - teaspoonfull mustard seed
1 1/2 - teaspoonfull turmeric
5 - cups sugar
5 - cups cider vinegar

Wash and slice the squash. Peel and slice the onions. In a large container, layer the squash and onions sprinkling each layer with salt. Cover with a thick layer of ice cubes, mixing the ice into the squash and onions. Cover and weight down with a cutting board or other heavy object. Let stand 2 -3 hours.

While squash are resting in the brine water, wash and sterilize the jars and keep warm. (I use the dishwasher for this purpose.)

Rinse and drain the squash.
Combine remaining ingredients and heat slowly, just to a boil. Add squash mix and let the mixture return to a slow boil. Let mixture cook for just a minute, the squash should be slightly cooked, yet still crisp.

Just before adding the squash to the jars, heat t he lid flats in a shallow pan of boiling water.
When squash are ready, spoon them into hot, dry jars. Pack the squash down by running a knife around the inside edges of the jar and pushing down on the squash. Add more squash, and pack down until the jar is filled up to its shoulder. The squash should be covered with the boiling liquid. Wipe the mouth of the jars with a damp cloth and place a flat on top. Screw on a lid ring and tighten slightly. Turn the jar upside down on clean dry towel for several hours. You should hear a ping every so often, that will be a jar sealing. When cool, place in a cool dry cabinet or pantry. As long as the jars are sealed the squash will keep for a couple of years. After opening a jar be sure to refrigerate the remaining pickles.
Makes about 15 or 16 half pints, or 7 or 8 pints.

A Whizz of A Week

What a busy week we've had. While visiting my sister and her husband, picked and prepared, and canned vegetables for about 135 jars to bring home with us. We bought two bushels of already shelled butter beans since their crop didn't produce a lot this year, and we bought a twenty-five pounds of tomatoes so I could make soup. Everything else came from their garden. My brother-in-law had a dozen pints of green beans on the counter cooling form me when we arrived on Thursday night and he had a dozen pints ready for me to bring back to my daughter. DH shelled almost two bushels of crowder peas by himself (oh, what sore fingers he had), while I went to the garden and cut okra and picked butter beans and green beans to make vegetable soup. We washed and sliced okra, shelled butter beans, strung and broke green beans, took the skins off tomatoes and chopped them and I cut off about five dozen ears of corn, thought I'd never get to that last ear. We canned peas, butter beans, more green beans, made and canned the vegetable soup, made and canned bread and butter pickles from cucumbers and made and canned squash pickles from yellow crook neck squash. We froze corn, okra, and some more peas, all this to come back to Virginia with me.

If this wasn't enough work for the four of us, my brother-in-law decided that we had to take off Sunday morning for a half-day of fishing. We had an early, quick breakfast and took off to the creek. He put the boat in and we all jumped in along with enough mosquitoes to start a low-country-stew. Once out on the water the mosquitoes wasn't too bad, only when we pulled in to anchor the boat and fish for a spell. We sped down the creek to the rice canals and up the canals to their favorite fishing spots. In a couple of hours we had enough red fish and cat fish in the cooler for dinner and headed back to Yemassee. The fish were cleaned, cut into filletes, then fried outside for dinner. Another day we had wild turkey deep fried for lunch and left-overs made into a wonderful turkey salad for dinner that evening. My brother-in-law is a real outdoors person who loves to hunt and fish. If he catches fish, shrimp, crabs, whatever, or hunts and kills venison, turkey, wild boar, whatever, it is cleaned and frozen and will be a meal. They (my sister and her husband) live close to the earth and have a wonderful, simple life now that they have retired and turned the plant nursery over to their son and his family. They hold family gatherings often and there is always a big turnout when something is scheduled for their home. All the nieces and nephews love to visit them because life in the low country is always an adventure.

When we returned home on Tuesday, I had a package waiting for me from Margie, my No Sheep For You exchange partner. She sent goodies along with two skeins of beautiful yarn, one a Debbie Bliss alpaca silk blend and one a stretched hand-dyed and spun merino wool from Plum Crazy Ranch and Fiber Arts. Thank you once more Margie for such a pleasing package.

I also got my downstream partners package mailed and she should be receiving it tomorrow, or at the latest, Monday. I hope she will be please with the yarn I sent her, also two skeins, and a pattern to knit one of the yarns with. Hope the other gifts will make her happy also.

I think it is nap time. I've not been sleeping well with my arms and legs going numb on me. The Dr. ordered another MRI but thinks it possibly may be coming from the chemo medicines I had to take.

Going South Today

On Tuesday. while talking to my sister in SC it was decided we should come for a visit while the garden was full of fresh vegetable to can and freeze for the winter pantry. DH is not a par-taker of vegetables but I love them, much prefer them over meat or pasta. (He, being from an Italian family, would eat pasta of any kind three times a day and love every minute of it.) So, we are leaving shortly after my hairdresser's appointment going south for a few days.

I spent a great deal of time yesterday, preparing, gathering all my empty canning jars and putting them in the dishwasher for a good wash, checking on lids for the jars and finding I didn't have enough (DH went to the local feed and seed and bought them for me), catching up on the laundry, keeping my appointment with the cardiologist, and best of all, preparing dinner for Dariana and her mom and dad. I had to see Dariana before we left; of course I wanted to see my daughter and son-in-law too, but I couldn't bear to leave without seeing little Dari. It was such a treat watching as they turned into the drive and to watch her being helped out of the car, all the time watching for her grand mama through the kitchen window. Then, as she comes up the walk and up the steps, she is calling grand mama, grand mama. Grand mama opens the door and Dari jumps into her arms with a big hug and kisses. What more could one ask for? After dinner Dari and grand mama sat in the floor and played make-up. This time we had lip glosses, rings, and paste-ons that shine and glitter. The lip gloss was a Vaseline base and Dari was very generous in making up herself and her grand mama. I still have glowing, sparkling stickers on my arms and hands this morning and I still have a star and sparkles on my nails from my Fourth of July manicure by Dariana. Dariana is two.

Maestro is whining to go. We made the mistake of saying we were going to see my brother-in-law and Maestro recognized the name. Now he will beg for us to 'hurry up' until we are in the car and on our way. He loves 'going on vacation', a phrase we use to let him know the ride in the car is going to be a long one.

I have started another tote bag for my ITE-IV partner and it is packed and ready to go on the trip with me, along with material for the lining, a couple of pairs of handles and some rings in case I decide to use them, and everything I need for finishing the bag. I will work on it in the evenings after we have done our day's work in the garden and the kitchen. I don't think I mentioned the bag I originally made for my partner met with a felting disaster, totally my fault from following the pattern. "Sorry, my brain, for not listening to you." The bag is supposed to be in the mail by the 18th and I think it will be. I've let my partner (and posted on the ITE-IV blog) know what happened and that another, and different bag is in the making.

So now I'm off to can butter beans, peas, green beans (snaps to some people), and vegetable soup. I will freeze okra and corn and if there is time and squash available, will make squash pickles. We make squash pickles almost every year. They are so good on a cold chicken, turkey or roast beef sandwich and we give lots of them to friends when they drop by for a visit. We plan to make our friend Ray and his wife a 'personal batch' because they enjoy them so, and because they are such good friends and we love them.

No Sheep In This Basket

Look at all this beautiful yarn and not one skein of it has any wool or acrylic in it. How wonderful that we now have a choice beside wool, acrylic, or cotton. Oh, I know there is rayon, nylon, and such to be had and many beautiful yarns made from them, but there are so many NEW Fibers out there now. For instance, the Tofutsies you see here is made from chitin, a fiber made from crab and shrimp shells. The Bamboo, the green striped yarn is made from 100% bamboo, and the Bamboozel, the blue striped is made from a combination of bamboo,cotton, and elastic nylon. It feels like heaven it is so soft. There is Banana Silk that my Knitter's Treat partner sent me a couple of months ago made from banana fibers. This yarn is luscious to look at and to feel. There is some 100 mercerized cotton in the basket also, but the most unusual is a skein of Tibet, 100% aloo (nettle) made in Tibet. It is beautiful to see, but not soft, in fact it is stiff and scratchy but is suppose to make a fabulous skin scrub. I bought it and a pattern for a washcloth or bath mitt to knit from the yarn at my LYS on Saturday.

One of these yarns and patterns is going to my No Sheep For You partner and one may find its way into the ITE-IV box, but most of it is for me, me, me.

2008 Vacation Plans Are About To Begin

I still have stars and sparkles on my nails. I thought they would be gone by now, after all this was nail polish for a child.

I've completed knitting for my ITE-IV exchange except for adding the bottom (here's a peek of it as it is tonight) I plan to do this tomorrow and to also get it felted. After I share it with my Monday night knitting group I will post it for it's journey north. I plan to visit my LYS tomorrow and pick up the yarn for the last package going to my No Sheep For You partner and I will have completed all the exchanges and swaps I'm currently involved in. Next week is 'me' knitting time and planning for our 2008 vacation.

We plan to return to Great Britain and now that we are both retired, plan to stay for a couple of months and visit some of the neighboring countries while we are there. I'm reading up and DH has begun surfing the net for reduced air fares. Today I began surfing to find a short-term lease on a cottage or apartment that would give us a central location to rest in, as well as vacation from.
This trip we plan to see more of the northern part of England and probably work in a quick trip to Scotland, perhaps Ireland, but definitely plan to do a barge trip up and down one of the rivers in either France or Germany. We've just started the planning stage so things haven't come into clear focus yet but we have an idea of what we would like to do.

Today, not much was accomplished by me. I slept later than usual and was lazy getting a start this morning. My neighbor and I had planned to loaf a bit today, and we did. We drove west today, stopping at a few antique shops but mostly just going for a drive. We had a lunch of handmade burgers in a tiny little town on our way back home. Handmade burgers are not easy to come by anymore with all the Sam's Clubs and Costco's around and their frozen burgers. These were b-i-g burgers with all the trimmings and they were 'messy'; juicy and good. After that kind of lunch all I wanted was a nap and once we got home that's just what I had, a catnap. Once I was back up there was still time to vacuum the pool and take Maestro for a swim and do my water exercises. Tomorrow I have lots of things to get done. A play day is good but it sure puts me behind with other things. I won't see Dariana this weekend, they have gone to visit Uncle Chris in Northern VA. so I'll take the time that I usually spend with her and play catch-up.

4th of July - "Family Day"

My 4th of July has been a wonderful day of enjoying family. Today is our family's 2nd anniversary with Dariana and it has been a wonderful two years of loving her and watching her grow from a baby that wasn't even sitting alone at the time, to a beautiful toddler full of energy and sheer joy. What a happy family we are.

Today my daughter and her husband had both sides of their family for 'Family Day'. We decided when we were on our trip to Guatemala that we would celebrate every year on the day we were given Dariana and call it 'Family Day'. Both sides of their family would be invited to come and be together and share our love with Dariana and each other. What a wonderful way it is to celebrate the Fourth-of-July, the day our beloved Dariana was given her freedom from poverty in a country where there are too many children born of un-wed mothers and into families so poor they are unable to feed or cloth their own children. And still, they have more and more babies.

People say to us what a lucky little girl Dariana is and yes, I guess she may be in some ways, but it is us, her parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins that are the lucky ones. She brings us such joy I can't imagine life without her. Watching her and her little cousins play today was such a thrill for me. To see how they interact with one another and to see how they take care of Dariana (she is the youngest) is so sweet. On the swing set it is "watch me Dariana, see how high I can go", and Dariana's reply "push me higher". In the pool it is "look Dari, I can swim underwater" and Dari giggles and kicks her feet and flaps her arms learning to swim with her water wings on. Both families sit on the deck or in the yard watching these beautiful children play and knowing how very lucky we are to have them. Beautiful, healthy, full of love, and having a good time.

I took 'little girl dress-up' nail polish for Dariana today. She has a vivid imagination, much like a child of 5 or 6, and it was only a few minutes after she woke from her nap that she called "Grandmama, lets go put sparkles on our nails", and so we did. She polished over my manicured nails first with pink polish, then red polish, and then topped it with sparkles and stars. I still have a star on my thumb nail, perhaps it will still be there when I go in for my next manicure. I don't mind, it makes me smile and think of Dariana. After she finished my nails she wanted to polish papa's and of course papa complied. The afternoon flew by.

Once back home, DH and I played a game of scrabble and had a glass of wine. As always after a game of scrabble Mr. Maestro ask for his walk, and again papa complied. Maestro knows when the last round of scrabble is being played; I don't know how. We try different tactics to see if we can finish a game without him knowing; so far we've not been able to. Maestro is eleven years old now and I think he knows all the tricks. He lays nearby on the floor and sleeps while the game is in progress and seldom interrupts, but when the last tile comes out of the bag, he is up and whining for his walk. Dogs are amazing too.

I settled on the porch while they were on their walk, then DH joined me once they were back. I knitted and we talked for awhile and listened to some jazz while sipping a glass of wine. A wonderful day. I am so lucky and so thankful for it all.

My Post-lady Came Bearing Gifts

Yesterday my post-lady delivered a package for me from my No Sheep For You exchange.

Look what was in it.
I love the Bamboo yarn; it is so soft. The color looks like a cup of hot coco, so pretty. Other goodies are a bag of rose tea, a nice bar of soap and a book of inspirational versus for women. Thank you for everything, I know I will enjoy it.

Later in the afternoon the post-lady returned with another package for me. She failed to leave it on her regular route and brought it back on her way home from work. I already had my knitting basket and purse on my arm ready to go meet with Pat's group for a few hours of knitting and fun. There was two things I could do, open the box and stay home and post a thank you like a polite person would do, or take the package with me to knitting and show-off. You know what I chose to do, I chose to show-off and how thrilled the ladies were to see what was in my package. Here's a photo of the bag sent to me from Jennifer in KC . http://www.whatididatschooltoday.com/archives/2007/07/by_george_i_thi.html

Look at the size of this bag, it is huge. Jennifer filled the bag with all kinds of goodies, two skeins of one of my favorite yarns to use for felting items (that enough to make another bag, but not one this size), there was some of the largest paper clips I have ever seen and a green stickem note pad, a memo pad, lots of yum-yums and a big box of of crayons for my precious Dariana. Look at this:

Now, let me tell you something special.

Jennifer dreamed this bag up and as she knitted, she made notes for the pattern. Isn't she smart! She plans to tweak it a bit then offer it for publication. I can tell you a bit about it. It took seven (7) skeins of cascade yarn. That's 220 yards x 7 skeins = one thousand five hundred and forty yards of yarn.

This bag will also make a beautiful basket beside my fireplace holding whatever project I'm working on at the time. The color grape is used in the window treatment in the great room and I have a green upholstered chair in that room....it will go. When I ready to go, all I'll have to do is run the long loop through the short loop and I'm ready, see:

Can't wait to start using it.

Knitting Friends Are Special

On Saturday afternoon a couple of my knitting friends came for a visit. It was so good to see them again and the time just flew by. We didn't get a lot of knitting done but we did share what we were, and have been working, on and we shared lots of laughs (good for the soul). DH grilled us a burger to go along with fresh fruit, pasta salad, and dessert (some of the cheese cake I made and put away for their coming); we drank Sangria.

I'm worked on a bag, while Pat worked on a prayer shawl and here I am modeling the afghan Donna is knitting for her sister.

And here is the three of us being ourselves for a memory picture.

This became my knitting corner during the time I was taking chemo treatments and so has remained. I keep an array of yarn, needles, book and magazine, and knitting accessories beside my chair always. Life throws us many curves that we learn from and I've learned a knitting basket full of yarn is not something that has to be hidden to neaten- up a room for visitors, not for true friends.

Pat has a small knitting group that meets at her home each Monday night which I've never been to. Not that I haven't been ask to come over and over again, but because my LYS met on Monday nights and during the winter months I don't like the drive from Richmond to Powhatan on the dark, curvey roads. Anyway, now that my health is much better and the dark doesn't fall until near nine o'clock I've decided I will go tonight. Can't wait to meet the other ladies in her group, some I know, some I know of but haven't met, but I know its a good group of ladies that enjoy knitting together and having a good time.

I've had a terribly sad thing happen this weekend, my niece with leukemia passed away early Sunday morning. She was diagnosed a year before my Hodgkin's was diagnosed. We grew up together, in the same house and did all the things that children and teen-agers do when growing up, having lots of fun, and a some quarrels too . Vickie, was a year older than I; me being the youngest of 10 siblings, and her mother next-to-the-oldest of my sisters. It's very heart-breaking to me; in some ways she was more of a sister to me than some of my older sisters. It was hard for me too, with us both having cancer at the same time and knowing she wasn't going to make it through hers. I saw her in March when I went to Georgia and we said our good-bye then, knowing it would be our last time together. That was a heart-wrenching experience but I'm so glad to have been able to be with her for that little while and to be able to tell her how much I loved her and that I would miss her. I do more than ever it seems.

DH has been building another raised bed for plants. The last couple of days has been terrific weather to be outside and we both took advantage of it. I pulled a few weeds yesterday and watered the new beds we'd put in earlier this year. Today I want to add some of the dwarf and medium iris to the new bed. There is so much work to be done.

My first retirement check has arrived in my checking account. Now I can truly say, I'm retired and get on with a retiree's life so gotta go - the garden is calling.