Thoughts on increasing stash

This is a fun little bag that I knit out of "Straw into Gold" that ended up being kind of fun. I didn't really use a pattern other than to get the general direction to knit in. It's got fringe at the top which was fun.

I have visions of this blue colorway miraculously turning itself into 3 pairs of fun slipper socks but think the project might be too much for me. We'll see...

These are some photos from a "take" at a going out of business (again) yarn sale. When I got home, all I could envision was the way our dog used to roll around in the grass just because. I had a few mental vacations of doing the exact thing in the new yarn.

This is one of the new yarns last night. It's 3 times the size now and might grow into a Christmas gift. Act surprised if you see it again... jk. Fun to knit with, it's Karabella Festival.

Finally, the gator scarf from Morehouse Merino. Fun knit.

Happy Election Day.

And another annoying political thing...

Can someone explain to me exactly the reason why my "do not call" registry does not apply to political calls?? Why are they exempt?

Trash bag starter kit

The other day, we pulled into our driveway to find a political bag taped to our garage door. It was a trash bag for the car. It was nice of this party to start filling our trash bag with some campaign flyers.

Finally, photos

These two are the whole gang mini golfing in North Myrtle.
This is what happens when you have the air conditioning set quite cold and take the camera to the beach. it really wasn't hazy! The girls always like "pre-ocean" pictures as post ocean pics tend to have salt and sand and messed up hair.

Above, sunrise from our Condo in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Hot but beautiful. Below, a half finished Gator Scarf, pattern from morehousemerino.com -- it cracks me up.
The next 2 pics are of the market bag from Knitty. There is a "prefelted" photo someplace earlier. Fun shape. It always amazes me how small felted things actually get. I think I would have made this bigger. But I really like how the colors blended.

That's it for now, happy knitting!

Not too late for some summer reading...

Had a great half a day finishing a great book called "The Shack" by William Young. Thought-provoking. Beautifully written. Tackles some very hard questions. I can't wait for my wonderful husband to finish the book so we can talk about some of the subjects raised.

We travel to Myrtle Beach in a few days. I might just read to him in the car.

Check out the prizes

Sometimes yarn contests have little to do with the yarn. Here's one that celebrates a knitters 4th anniversary. http://coffeepuppiesandknitting.blogspot.com - check it out.

I'm hoping for some photos by the end of the week. Knitting furiously (in the severe time restrictions I have) so I can finish something -- anything -- because I have a new pattern.

Time to Knit

Unfortunately no pictures, but have another FO - the felted bag. Thanks, dear friend SC for fixing my handles. Felted up beautifully, still drying, can't wait to start using it.

Nearly done the little looped ribbon purse from One Skein Wonders.

Ordered a pattern from Morehouse Merino for the Alligator Scarf that I just can't seem to be able to put out of my mind. I'm picturing one in Flyers colors around every neck in our Christmas Card photo this year...

Off to beautiful Avalon NJ later today. Can't wait.

Bumper Sticker

Saw a nice bumper sticker that was so appropriate for July 4th:

Land of the Free
Because of the Brave.

Thanks to all of our armed services and their families for their sacrifices.

contest link

http://theknittingwildflower.blogspot.com/2008/06/blogiversary-contest-begins-and-waht-i.html

Run on over and say hi! There are good sock stories posted there.

Finally some knitting photos...

Here are some photos of some knitting - wish there were more hours in a day! This is the French Market bag from Knitty.com before felting. I loved how the bottom swirled like this. It's just Patons Classic Merino from AC moore with a 40% off coupon. More pics follow.
Here is the fallout from the clearance sale at the LYS a few months back. I can hardly stand it.
Here is my 12 year old graduating from Elementary School. We had one of those "oh my goodness" moments when she put on the dress. Frightening!

This is the little face cloth that I found on a friends blog. Easy and fun. It's chenille in pale pink.
These are Maine Morning Fingerless Mitts that were really fun out of this Louisa Harding Kimono Angora. There are a few (okay, there are 11) more in my stash.
This is another view of the French Market bag before felting.
Here is why it's not felted yet. These handles are Kitchener stitched together and I don't like how they lay.
This is the other handle. It just bugs me! Any ideas much appreciated!!

Next on the needles is a little purse with looped fringe that I haven't done before. And after that is Subway Mittens because they look fun.

Why on earth?

Everyone has those moments where you realize at some point along the road, what did I get myself into? What on earth was I thinking?! What possessed me to get involved with this?!

Something I've never done before would be to assist the hospital at which I work to completely convert from their old data entry system/assessment/patient care access ("computer system") into a completely new one. All departments from nursing to pharmacy, admissions to morgue, inpatient, outpatient, everything. What was I thinking?

Go live for this project is scheduled for May 1. It was brought to our attention last week that this coincides with "Mayday!!" All I can picture is Leslie Nielsen and Robert Hayes in the movie Airplane.

The biggest drag is that I visited the closeout sale at my LYS and all that luscious yarn (that was a steal!!) is calling me. Knitting? Needles? Right now it's all collecting dust. And making me irritable.

So no pictures, this post is probably something I don't have time to do right now, and I'm sure no knitting until at least May 15, when our mandatory 24/7 support for this conversion ends.

Ahh, cashmere!

Here is the first attempt (of 3) to knit and finish a project with some luscious cashmere and silk yarn.






The cashmere finally grew into this:

And for some reason, I felt compelled to take a pic of some ball band dishcloths, which were a lot of fun to knit. Pattern from Mason Dixon Knitting.

Current projects include: the same sock (singular) from... well, I think it's been on the needles since November 06 ??? It may never get finished. It certainly will never have a mate. There has been significant thought to the flammability of sock yarn on or off bamboo knitting needles.

I didn't really need to do that

Ever do something, and then go, now what on earth did I do that for?! I don't have time for this! Or even better, "I could be knitting!"

Got my invitation from Ravelry in October and thought at the time I didn't really need to photo my stash or update projects. I mean, I have a blog I ignore enough and don't add as many pics as I want to. But the other day, I was informed that you don't have to do all that, you can just look around and see what other people are knitting. Well, that's where I've been the last hour or so while the dust settles and my laundry screams... you know the drill.

There are yarn reviews, patterns, many of them free, photos. From tried and true actual knitters, many of whom it seems don't want you to buy the book/yarn/kit/needles/pattern etc. They are motivated by the love of the craft.

Gonna cut this short, headed back to Ravelry! User name: nightshiftknits.

Knitting is actually a Love Language

One of the best books ever written as far as being practical (aside from Knitting technique books, of course!) is The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. It discusses how we all have five love languages but are most blessed, or touched, by one (or sometimes two) of the five. The five love languages are: Quality Time, Acts of Service, Words of Affirmation, Physical Touch, and Gifts.

Knitting encompasses all of these love languages; let me explain. Knitting is definitely physical touch -- who can resist the feel of a soft yarn and the differing textures of fiber? And when we admire knitting, does anyone NOT run their hands over the weave? Or is this why yarn shop owners follow me around as I feel my way around the store?

Knitting is gifts, too -- even when we make something for ourselves or our home. It is generosity, a labor of love, lots of hours combined with stitches and colors. And if you haven't been gifted by a fellow knitter an extra ball of yarn, it's a great feeling! More on this in another post!

Knitting is quality time -- a cherished and precious commodity, to be sure, is our time. In these busy days of _____________(you name it, or substitute "life"), to be able to create something in a few minutes here and there is an expression of love.

Knitting is also an act of service. Go visit a LYS knitting class if you're skeptical. Knitters help other knitters. Knitters offer instruction. Knitters stop what they are doing to admire something, to lend a hand. Go to a knitting group and look around. And when we knit something for someone, it is more than yarn and stitches, it is an investment. It represents hours that actually could have been spent doing something else.

Knitting is, lastly, words of affirmation. We encourage, we love it when there is a compliment. We offer support, direction, praise for quality and effort. Yarn store owners know this : "that would be a great color on you", or "imagine this yarn as a hat/sweater/wrap/sock", or even the inevitable "feel this" as they put it in your hand! We all remember the nervousness as we show off a project and the warm fuzzy (sometimes literally -- you know, that might just have originated with knitting?!) we get when our work is affirmed.

Sorry for the long post, but knitting for me is definitely a love language! And if you haven't read the book, I strongly recommend it!!

A Mistake I won't make Again!

I did something really stupid. I knitted a ... well, what I thought was a very nice Fair Isle wine bottle cozy. It kind of got renamed to a Stoli cozy because I stashed a bottle of Stolichnaya vodka inside for my mother in law for Christmas.

The mistake, you ask? Because it sounds like a "win" all around so far. Simple - I forgot to take a picture of it!!! It was light blue with rose and green and gold. And some burgundy. But it is only a memory right now. It was ribbed at the top, with eyelet for the burgundy cord.

I realized it right after I gave it to her and have been considering stealthy ways to perhaps capture the item on digital camera. I'm still working on it and welcome any suggestions!!