Yarn Lust and Project Desires!

KnitPicks is making it hard for me to not want things.  Lots of things.  Their latest catalog came in the mail yesterday, but the husband was home so I had to put it aside...until today.  As a treat to myself I took it outside in the brilliant sunshine and read every single article and made mental notes of what yarns, if I could purchase any, I would choose.  *sigh*  Being poor sucks when you feel like knitting and not like absolute crap any more!

One thing that caught my attention was Biggo Yarn.  It looks intriguing and I have read you can sit down with super chunky yarn and knit an entire sweater in a weekend.  I don't know if this is true or not, but I wouldn't mind trying it out.  There is another sweater idea I have in my head this could be tried upon, as well as several patterns and books call for super bulky yarns.  Here it is, tantalizingly close and ever so far away.

And, of course, all of the lovely Palette Yarn and sock yarn throughout the book and fingering weight yarns that call for smaller needles and endless hours of joy - not just for knitting socks!  Scarves, hats, fingerless mitts, and of course socks can be knit from these wonderful shades. 

Still, I am not yarn-less just yet.  There is a sweater on my needles, and if I look really hard, or have someone get into the yarn room for me to look really hard, there is probably some lovely sock yarn just waiting to go onto needles!

Returning With A Sweater

It has been a while since I have posted anything here.  It has also been a while since I have actually just sat down and played with yarn.  Since I have begun playing with yarn again, my nerves are better, and my attitude about a lot of things has improved greatly.  A friend of mine once called my knitting "yarn therapy" and he was right!  It is the perfect therapy, especially now that I can sit and knit without being completely exhausted and fatigued or in deep internal pain.

See, I had to have an emergency appendectomy June 29-30th.  According to all of the test results that came back, my appendix was nasty for a very long time and was probably causing me to be sick in so many ways, different from the arthritis.  In the spring of this year I was so exhausted and so tired I was in misery, and by the time the pain began with the appendicitis I was in pretty bad shape.  Still, once the offending organ was removed and I healed, well, things have begun being better in ways I am finding quite surprising.

There is energy in me to DO things other than just sit and be as quiet as possible.  I am writing again.  I am knitting again.  Life is on the positive side instead of just mere status quo. 

In order to celebrate this wonderful new me, I have decided to make myself a sweater, and it is going to be my own design (probably a boat-neck sweater).  Knitting is exciting again, just as is writing, and being with friends.

The appendicitis wasn't the only thing to happen this year.  My mother-in-law, my beloved Frogmomma passed away suddenly 12/24/10.  None of us were prepared and we have had a hard time adjusting to life without her. 

But, I'm back, and I'm excited to be back.

A New Scarf Just Before Christmas

I need a new scarf.

Swatching and Wishing

http://notafraid2knit.wordpress.com/2010/11/22/swatching-and-wishing/

Thank God for Yarn

http://notafraid2knit.wordpress.com/2010/11/05/thank-god-for-yarn/

Knitting Has Begun

http://notafraid2knit.wordpress.com/2010/10/26/knitting-has-begun/

Knitting Ideas Are Now Overflowing

Yesterday I succeeded and made it to Barnes & Noble and ordered another copy of Rowan Vintage Knits so I can complete the sweaters for my husband and best friend for Christmas. I also picked p a beautiful planner for the remainder of this year and next year, mostly for the look of it: Since I am going to be selling Avon now, I wanted a nice planner that would be pretty when I pulled it out of my purse or bag and still have my Moleskin planner for all of the mundane, wild and wooly stuff that actually keeps me organized on top of everything else. In many ways I didn't need it, of course, but it looks so good! I guess it was an impulse by that I fell in love with and couldn't put down. I'll post a picture of it as soon as possible. It's adorable.


On the knitting front there are ideas flipping and flopping over themselves in my brain for position to be put onto the needles first. I need a scarf to go with the hat my sister Becky got me for winter - it's a gray and pink hounds tooth newsboy cap that looks perfect with my purse and simply should have a scarf to go with it. The only problem is...I don't have the correct colors currently in my stash for the scarf at the moment and, quite honestly, no cash to go purchase or order the yarn for it at the moment (which has made me purposely stay away from KnitPicks so I wouldn't be tempted to order yarn I don't have money for at the moment. Next comes socks. I do have sock yarn that does need knitted up at the moment, the only problem is I haven't selected the pattern for my next socks. Since they are for me I don't have to worry about the heel because of the weird feet I possess, which suits me just fine. Another thing that could go onto the needles are the fingerless mitts out of the Wicked green and black fingering weight yarn for the next Harry Potter movie I'd like to do for myself, which would also require a nice scarf and a hat of some sort. Could I also throw in a pair of socks before November 21? That would be a lot of knitting, and it would also take away from the sweater knitting for Christmas.... As I said, there are a ton of ideas floating around in my head all of a sudden for knitting, PLUS I need to finish the pillow I want to do for my neck. I really do need that neck pillow.

Now, along with knitting, I have also begun thinking of tons of other things to sew as well as several other money making endeavors. Yarn is not cheap or free. *sigh* Everything always has a price doesn't it, and time is never as abundant as you need, whether or not your body requires an extra amount of rest or not, and yes, this does concern me, but there isn't anything I can do about that - I have to make some money and I have to make a little extra cash for books and cafe mocha's and Christmas presents for the folks who simply don't like handmade presents (they simply don't understand the time and love it requires to make those).

This means I have three businesses to run more or less and a lot of time to put into a 24 hour span and a body that simply doesn't appreciate me as it is. Hopefully there will be time to give it as much TLC as possible.

Knitting, Knitting Books, and Knitting Plans

Tomorrow I am going to Barnes & Noble for a bit of writing and, if all goes well, to pick up a replacement copy of a knitting book I cannot find at all here in my humble abode.  I just cannot find my copy of Vintage Knits: 30 Knitting Designs from Rowan for Women and Men.  I have looked everywhere and I simply cannot find it!  Yes, annoying is not the word for the feeling I have at the moment.  It is downright...flabbergasting!  This means I am going to have to use one of my Barnes & Noble gift cards to replace a book I already own in order to complete a couple of sweater projects for husband and best friend for Christmas!  I am really not liking this, but there is nothing else for me to do other than just swallow hard and go on and make the purchase and then start knitting like a mad-woman.

Since the weather has turned off cooler I am actually looking forward to knitting again.  For one thing it will help with calming the nerves and for another it will provide two of the more important Christmas presents on my Christmas list.  I am also thinking of looking into knitting a little something for another friend of mine.  It should be delicate and possibly pink.  The only problem is - I am not at all positive she likes pink at all!  It could be Christmasy colors, of course, but I'm not at all certain I have enough red and green to to what needs to be done for the project I have in mind. 

Another friend of mine has also been talking about loom knitting and how she did some loom socks.  Loom socks have me just a little intrigued.  That would indeed be faster, but I'm afraid I would make them too tight for my own feet, much less anyone else's.  How would that work?  She said she learned from watching a video on YouTube; she also said she had to watch it over-and-over again before she figured out the binding off process for the loom.  Would this make sock making easier for me?  I know just straight tube socks for me it would make a snap, but the intricate pattern socks would still need to be done with my needles because, well, that is just the way it is done and how I know I can make the pattern turn out the way it is supposed too: some things are best not fiddled with in my world.

Since the weather is cooler it would be best if a couple of pairs of socks were indeed finished in my world: a) my feet would be warmer; and b) no one else would have the socks I would have, at least more realistically.  Lately, being individual and being me has been far more important (and being warm) than almost anything else.  Perhaps it has something to do with age, perhaps it doesn't - I haven't quite made up my mind on that one yet.

Happy Labor Day Weekend Everyone

Check out The Kentucky Mountain Girl News for the post for Labor Day Weekend. Hope everyone has a fantastic Labor Day and a wonderful, safe weekend, as well as a productive knitting one!

Feeling A Little Like This Today

The Months Are Changing

As August is changing to September my mind is turning back towards knitting.  Is it unusual to put down the knitting needles for the Summer sometimes and pick them up again for the Fall and Winter?  This summer I have knit very few stitches.  I've thought about knitting a lot, but I've actually done very little of it.  Now that August is preparing to vanish it seems as if I have suddenly come out of a long knitting slumber to rediscover my knitting needles and all of my stash and my books and kits and feel like a brand new knitter!  I just hope this doesn't happen every single summer.  This would really annoy me, and my husband, since he expects sweaters in the Fall and Winter, especially this Fall and Winter and he won't get them until the Winter and probably then until deep winter, i.e. January and February.

Last night I came up with a wonderful little idea for a gift for a friend of mine.  A cute little sweater that would just make her look absolutely adorable and make her so warm in the winter!  I'm hoping I can save up the money to get the money for the yarn for the sweater.  She is so very tiny I don't believe it would take very much to do the project for her. 

The yarn for Hubby's sweater I already have, I just have to make sure and just locate the stupid book or buy another one, which I really would hate to do because I've already had it purchased for me once before.  Having two copies of the same book would really make me feel silly, but, I suppose, it could come in handy in case a friend and I were working on similar or same projects and needed to compare notes.

I am ever so glad the knitting mojo has returned in its proper proportion.  :)

Books and Knitting ..... Perfect Birthday Happiness

 Tomorrow is my birthday. 

Most of what I have asked for my birthday this year has been Barns & Noble gift cards.  Can you guess why?

Finished Magic Bites a couple of days ago and simply couldn't wait to get it from the library or to see if Sniffles had it on her shelf so I went ahead and splurged and got the second book in the Kate Daniels urban fantasy series. 

I was SO impressed with this book.  It was just what I needed.  Now we have headed on to the second novel, Magic Burns. 

Casting Forward

Believe it or not but I've cast on for a new project and actually got a couple of rows done!  I'm so excited I could spit fleece!

Found Pups and Rearranged Knitting Baskets

This morning I was awakened with news that a pup had been found when Cheyenne and Jake had been out for their morning constitutional.  He is a beauty as you can see.  He looks to be about 4-6 months old.  A pitbull terrier and as friendly a fellow as you would ever wish to meet.  He is well-fed and appears to be kept mostly outside, although, of course, he had to come inside to meet my pack who greeted him and then accepted him as easily as possible.  I was a little nervous about how he would react to the wheelchair and wheels, but once he realized that I and the wheelchair were connected, well, he decided we were all right and since there was much pettings to occur from the woman in the wheelchair there wasn't anything bad to occur.  He especially decided it was a good thing since he discovered he could jump up onto the couch and be reached much easier for petting and playing, which made his eyes glitter with absolute joy.  Because we didn't know his name - he just had a choke chain and tether when he was discovered - we called him Buford.

Sadly, Buford had to go to the Humane Society until we discover if someone is looking for him and until Hubby could meet him and decide if he is possibly welcome into our home.  Part of me is hoping and another part of me is really trying not to to get my hopes up - mostly because he is a pitbull. 

I've done a lot of research on the breed today and most of what I've discovered is that if there is a lot of exercise, love and basically "a job" for the breed to do they don't turn like I've often heard people talk of the dogs doing.  You have to be very observant and keep the dog active and loved and disciplined.  The more I learn about the breeds of dogs the more I believe Cesar Millan has it correct - exercise, discipline, affection.  Give a dog a job, let him/her work, let the dog know who is boss without cruelty, and love the dog unflinchingly just as they do you, and everything falls into proper place for them as well as for you. 

At any rate, I've put my name on the call list just in case no one claims the fella after10 days.  Hubby can go meet him and check him out and see if he agrees on him and then we'll bring him home if all works out and I can start training him.  It was nice having three dogs again in the house.  Bu actually lowered his head to Gabby and let her sniff him and check him out without fuss.  I was quite proud of him.  Like I said - trying not to get too hopeful.  We'll see.

As for the knitting, well, I've gone through the knitting basket and moved a few things around and rolled up a couple of balls of yarn.  I should be spinning up the blue roving instead of blogging and preparing for knitting Christmas presents, but I am actually more interested in knitting up the neck pillow I've got in my head.

The first one is just going to be a simple straight felted tube.  It's going to be done out of wool, of course, felting requires wool, and it's going to be done out of purple yarn.  See it there?  It is very prominently seen in the basket.  It isn't balled yet because I haven't set myself down to doing that yet, mostly because I wanted to wait until Hubby got home and we kind of settled in for the evening and just hand a quiet few moments together before I dived into yarn and such.  The thought of knitting and making something for myself has made me smile some today, as well as a sweater for Hubby. 

I've decided on my own stitch pattern and a construction pattern out of a book I have.  Hopefully the two will mesh well.  Keeping track of stitch numbers, increases and decreases is going to be the hardest part for me.  I guess I could just go for a sweater pattern I have, but the sweater he wants I have misplaced the book, and I simply do not have the funds to replace the silly thing.  So, this means I do what I have decided and just go for broke with the yarn I have and let everything be as it should. 

If all goes well and this sweater turns out as it should - Cheyenne will end up with a sweater, too.  That will stop his bitching!  LOL!

Hope Awakens

There have been a few books between the last Patricia Briggs novel and this one.  There have been posts over at The News but no knitting.  Why?  Depression.  Serious depression and a loss of hope and the return of a fighting spirit and then...well, then came a different type of hope and finally the pain got better then worse then back and forth.  It's been an odd summer folks.

The long and the short of it is, over.  Yesterday my buddy moved my knitting basket, one of my knitting baskets I should correctly say, close to where I could get it and I picked up my drop spindle and spun a few inches and then I looked at the yarn that hadn't been touched in ages and my hands tingled.

They tingled and they twitched in that knitterly way, not in the pain way they've been doing for most of the summer.

There are tons of presents to knit for Christmas and promised thises and thats and I decided there are things I could actually make for myself that might actually benefit my neck and maybe help me sleep of a night much better than what I am doing now.  I could actually knit a nice felted pillow, fill it and make a couple of back-ups if needed and then make pillow slips for them and maybe that would help me support this neck of mine and then I could rest more peacefully and not have some of the pain and migraines I am currently undergoing.  PLUS I could also undergo some of the presents I need to make for Christmas before Christmas could even get close!

I kept looking at the basket and my heartbeat just eased up a little as if everything was slowly beginning to ease back into its place. 

Since I've never felted anything before but have always wanted to do so, and since I need to pick up the needles and start do my knitting again, everything is right about perfect to begin again.  It's wonderful, and I don't feel so lost any more somewhere inside.

Taking Up the Hubby's Challenge

Finished the previous book and have begun this one you see here.  I have completely fallen in love with the Mercy Thompson books!  I am caught up in the series and am seriously going to hate to see it end if it ever does.  Not thinking about this.  Not thinking about this.  NOT thinking about this.  LOL!

The pain is better in the left leg.  I believe it is due a lot of prayers by myself, friends, and family, qi gong, and the water exercises that were begun.  The water exercises seems to have helped my arthritic body more than they have helped the nerve pain, but I am taking the good in any form I can receive it these days.  The beautiful summer days are not hurting in the least of course.  Today it is just 84*F and not so humid with beautiful fluffy clouds floating blissfully in the most beautiful of blue skies.

A while ago the Hubby challenged me to knit a book in a year and make every single item in the book fit either me or him out of the yarn of choice of him or me.  Yeah, do you who knit see a problem there?  Well, in an argument that happened this weekend he called me a coward and said I didn't have the tits for the challenge and that I wasn't a true knitter.  So, now I ask you - How do you take a pattern that calls for two strands of fingering weight yarn and use worsted weight yarn because that's what the husband wants and make a sweater that fits?  He says its just numbers.  I'm not at all sure.  Anyone have any advice?

Hubby, Books, Knitting, and Friends Makes Me Happy

I am in a very strange place at the moment emotionally and physically: the pain is different and quite bad in the left leg these days.  Thankfully the A/C is fixed, thanks Rae, and the pain is better in spots.  So, I am knitting as it hits and I am reading.  Currently I am reading the book you see here and working on dishcloths because I need some in order to get the work around the house out of the way when I feel like doing any work at all that is - I am just taking one day at a time and being as positive as I can.

Sunday was mine and Hubby's 12 year wedding anniversary.  It was a sad one in some ways because I had  a migraine and so we celebrated it more on Memorial Day, which was yesterday, Monday, than on Sunday.  We went to dinner with some friends and a movie.  We saw Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and, to be honest, we really should have waited until it was out on Netflix or something.  It needed something, like real Persians/Arab actors for instance, and real stunts, not CG.  I won't get into too much detail for those of you who haven't seen it - let it suffice to say I was disappointed.

Still, Hubby and I were together, and that's all that mattered.  We have been together through the good and the bad, and that, I know, is all that really matters.

I love you my darling.

Currently No A/C but Knitting is on the Brain

Hubby is trying to fix the A/C.  He is a bit on the frustrated side at the moment, which I can totally understand at the moment.  For myself I am trying very hard to stay out of his way and just letting the world and my body relax as much as is possible because my body, especially the left leg, just doesn't like me at the moment.  Hopefully the physical therapy that is slated to commence this next week will help me begin to correct that problem, although it is going to be painful, or so I've heard.

Since there is even more pain on the horizon, I am planning even more knitting.  Currently I am working on a dishcloth that was already supposed to have been mailed off.  Unfortunately, when migraines are really bad you can't knit.  I know because I have discovered the varying degrees of migraines and exactly what you can and cannot do when you are having one of those suckers!  However, with pain and its varying degrees, there appears to be much you can do to distract yourself and make the days better.  So, I am planning more knitting projects as well as some much needed sewing projects, and am really going to just listen to my body and sleep when the body decides it is time to do so, because otherwise I am just going to remain exhausted on a semi-continuous basis.

Sometimes it feels as if I am not taking full steps forward, just tiny little jerky ones, but forward is still the direction I reckon I'm still moving, so this is good.

Test

Test

The Fingerless Mitts for Mary Beth...

The fingerless mitts for Mary Beth are finished! These are the mitts that actually got me motivated for doing something once I was out of the hospital.

She is a weaver and owner of The Weft Handed Weaver site and blog where she is on the adventure of weaving and making the an authentic 18th Century cloak! I personally am finding this very interesting and exciting.

She asked me to make her the fingerless mitts because in the winter she cannot work well because her hands get cold. Since she does not knit, she asked me to knit her some fingerless mitts.

I was, first of all, hugely flattered, and second of all, I was thrilled to have something to knit in general. It was just the perfect project.

The yarn wasn't even a problem because Mary Beth had even spun some home spun in sock weight and had said she would provide me with equal amount of the yarn she had given me to knit the mitts in, which was a nice big ball of at least 50 grams at the very least! There is enough left over of the ball to do another set of mitts, which I am sincerely thinking of doing or adding it to the beautiful white she has given me for my own set of mitts for this winter.

Since Mary Beth is a "living museum" person, I did some research and came as close to an authentic 18th-19th Century set of working fingerless mitts as possible. Several articles I read debated on whether or not the fingers were "separate" or not, so I decided to just leave them free; if she decides she would like to have the fingers separate I can do this in less than 10 minutes time.

Because of this request, however, I have come up with some questions on my own:

• 
  What did women use to keep their heads warm, especially their ears, in winter for the inside of the drafty houses?
• How many knitted items were used during the 18th and 19th Centuries for warmth for the lower, middle, and upper classes?
• How affordable was yarn and fleece during these time periods and did everyone knit? Were there thriving yarn stores or did everyone just have a sheep or two in the back yard (which I simply can't see since even then sheep were expensive to keep I would imagine)?

Of course, I am going to have to do a little more research into these questions and see what answers I can come up with because there should be answers for these questions you know.