Crochet? YES! I Did It!

I started this in January (the 12th, I believe) at my Beginner Crochet class at Wyrd Sisters Yarn Shop. Leslie was my instructor and if you remember my post from that night she was wearing this hat in the pretty lime green she'd made it in. I bought a yarn called LOL which was made from recycled plastic bottles, and started to work on the hat, known as the One Skein Slouch Hat, that Leslie designed for the shop:
and I finished mine tonight! Karen is doing the honors, modelling it so nicely.

I'm somewhat in awe:

I just love the way the ribbing shows up (that's because it's crocheted thru the back loop - see, I figured that one out myself! - and forms those ribs).

This IS a donation hat, going for the shop's Chemo Cap drive.

But you know what? I just am going to have to make myself one of these flirty little chapeaus...

Doncha know?

Busy Weekend With A Show Upcoming

So I've been working on processing fabrics and making up items for the booth. That ticker up there just keeps ticking away. Of course, I had to run by Wyrd Sisters yesterday because we had a planning meeting for WWKIP day, and then Margaret Radcliff was there signing her book and you know I had to have a copy of my own...

But otherwise, it was all sewing (and cutting) all the time:

Yes, that IS another argyle print up there on the right side of the photo. A black, red, and white argyle. I had to make up a few accessories, too. I decided to make up the original Posy in the argyle, and then the Rosy-Posy in the Knitting Sheep.

Then a few accessories in the white argyle from yesterday.

I asked the same questions on Facebook yesterday and it's interesting that folks either love that print or they think it's busy.

Dearest Friend, Lynette, said this: "Busy? But isn't EVERYTHING you make a busy print?"

:)
She's right...

Tell Me What You Think?

Nana Sadie Rose is curious to know if you like/dislike:
1) The Argyle fabric
2) The shallower drawstring bag
3) The matching pen case (or dpn, crochet hook case)

Thanks!

Crochet? Granny Squares...

I got to thinking today about the two crocheted Granny Squares blankets I started 9 years ago when my daughter was expecting her first child. I had this idea that I'd finish that first blanket long before the little one was born. DD was convinced it would be a girl, as I had been when I was expecting her - the difference was that I was right, and she wasn't. So obviously once they knew it wasn't going to be a girl, this colorway got put on hold:

Wonder why?
*wink*

So I began the first of 3 blankets using the Caron Simply Soft in the blue and white and beige colors:

And this is as far as I got on that blanket.

There's another blanket for another of her sons in the same colors. (May I just say how happy I am that apparently Caron doesn't do away with colors and has no dyelots! I'll be able to stock upon them since I'm now using the same colors in my Old Shale Ripple afghan)

Crochet isn't my first love, of course, but I do love Granny Squares. I just printed out this tutorial. And can I say that I just LOVE Attic24? Lucy has such a delightful way of putting colors together and coming up with such fun ideas.

I always leave her blog with a smile on my face and a commitment to give crochet another try.

So my next plan is to try hard to work on the blue and white granny afghan and master those aspects of crochet so I can move on to some of Lucy's other fun things to make. In brighter colors, I think.

Yes. Definitely.

Mid-Week Update

I spent a bit of pocket change last weekend to pick up a used exercise bike, and have been riding it everyday since. Tonight I've made it up to 8 miles in 25 minutes. I put on my MP3 player with some relatively fast Michael Buble and peddle away at 22-25 mph, doing short bursts of "spinning-style" peddling here and there. I cannot believe I've been able to build up to such a lengthy time so quickly, but I suppose months of using Leslie Sansone's walking videos have helped that some.

So last night I managed to get a couple more coupon wallets made (I'm building up stock for the Olde Liberty Fibre Faire on April 14). I'm trying to take it a little bit easy, too, since I'm showing signs of allergies with all the pollen from the wonderful early Spring we're having.

I'm participating in letter-writing (okay sending mass emails) to politicians at both the state and federal level in protest of what appears to be the most recent spate of anti-women, anti-gay, and anti-ability budgets, laws, and other attempts at changing society for the worst. And that's an amazingly energy-sapping job.

So I come home, spend time on the bike, then eat, and watch the news. After that, a little surfing online, Facebook, emails, and such, (tho' precious little Ravelry, these days) and then I turn to my chair:

I'm keeping your seat warm for you, Mommie.

My little girl is kinda needy these days...not sure why. Tonight she walked up to me as I was sitting down, and pushed her head against my shin, hard, while I rubbed her head...it's a very "out of the ordinary" behavior for her.

But we sit down, and she's either next to me on the arm of the chair or behind me on the back of it while I read and knit...

The blue tweed sock is progressing, and I'm alternating between my sis-in-law's Landscape Shawl and my Ripple Afghan. It seems I want to work with BLUE these days...

Of course, I love my little girl's blue eyes best of all.
(((hugs)))

Nana Sadie's Eating Meatless Again...

be sure and stop by her blog to see what she's cooked up today...

TGIF! It's All Socks Friday!

I finished my Brachs Candy Socks! They are yummy...and I'm really glad I have them, tho' I suspect I'll end up having to purchase a pair of brown jeans, now. Or caramel colored ones, perhaps.
As usual, The Tonk had to help show off the socks.

I immediately put another sock on the needles...

This is the Wild Hare Fiber Studios Denim Merino Marl I showed you via her etsy shop the beginning of the week. It arrived yesterday and I've been hurrying to finish the Brachs socks so I could begin these. This is the second toe, the first met a sad fate:
I was away from the chair for less than 3 minutes, turned around and saw The Tonk up there, nose in the yarn. I scolded him, and after he jumped down, I picked up the sock toe, yarn, and sat down to work again...and he'd bitten clean thru the yarn AGAIN.

That cat is a menace where sock yarn is concerned...
:(

Just Varia

I think I've got Spring Fever or something like that...

I can't seem to get a darn thing done! Of course, part of it is that I take at least 7 days or more to adjust when we lose an hour in the spring. It always slips up on me, and tho' I try to take an extra hour each night to go to bed early to recover, it just never works to my advantage and I'm usually lucky to get 30 minutes extra.

And of course the cat's are on Feline Time, so they don't bother to worry about the silly thing called Daily Saving Time. It's dinner when their tummy says so.

So I've been holed up a bit, trying to keep up my exercise, but knowing that's wearing me out, too, so I just hybernate in the chair every night with the Nook and the knitting...I've made some progress on the afghan and am closing in on the end of the Brach's Candy second sock. (Oh, and I've ordered another skein of sock yarn which should be here today or tomorrow...yes, for me!)

I did managed to finish my orders! This was the next-to-the-last one:

Melanie ordered this after I discovered the fabric and shared it with her...(I know, I'm incorrigible!)

So now, I'm trying to get my head around the fact that there's only a month till the Olde Liberty Fibre Faire in Bedford.

Must.Get.Motivated!

WOW!

I Know It's Spring When...

these colors start making their appearance in my life again...

That's the Ripple Along afghan I started 4 years ago...I've picked it back up and just might finish it one day...maybe even soon!

Ten on Tuesday

Carole and Vicki were the two I saw today who divulged the contents of their handbags in Ten on Tuesday: 10 things you have in your pocketbook. I decided this one I could easily play along with and you'll figure out why when I explain what's there:

1. From the top clockwise you'll see a large zippered baglet with Autumn-hued cats on it. That's the bag that houses my pint-sized handcream, lipstick, pens, glass nail file and nail clippers. And yes, it's a Nana Sadie Rose baglet.
2. Next to that I have a hot pink small Moleskine I keep with me to jot notes, phone numbers and such in as needed.
3. A purple hair brush.
4. My purple wallet.
5. My Nana Sadie Rose purple pawprint keyfob (with keys to way too many things, but every one of them is necessary)
6. A small Nana Sadie Rose baglet that I carry my loyalty cards in
7. My Nana Sadie Rose coupon wallet (this carries more than just grocery coupons, I have store coupons and restaurant coupons and there's a slot for every type, as well as one for those I need for THIS next shopping trip).
8. My sunglasses case.
9. My business card case, a gift from my boss at Christmas and I love it more than the plain silver one I'd carried up until then.
10. Next to that is the rolled-up reusable shopping bag I carry so I always have one when I need it.

And yes, there is a "bonus" #11: the purse hanger my Dear Big Sister gifted each of us with Christmas before last to hang our Nana Sadie Rose bags from the restaurant table rather than setting them on the floor. I love it. I especially loved it even more when, after reading Peace and Plenty by Sarah Ban Breathnach, I learned that the Queen of England has an entire handbag coding system that she uses with her ladies in waiting when she's out. Hung from one side of the table it means one thing, from the other something else again, up on the table top means she's ready to leave, or swinging from the hook, she's enjoying herself and will stay a bit longer....

I adore that! Now you can imagine me giving the Queen's graceful wave from the elbow as I quietly wish you "Good-night!"
*wink*
oh, the theme? Nana Sadie Rose, of course...and that Queen-thing. Totally the Queen thing!

Unite. April 28, 2012

Hey, Big Sis? Can I crash on your doorstep that weekend?

Where'd the Weekend Go?

Wow that was fast. I spent Friday night at a Restorative Yoga class, Saturday making up a Sadie bag (the last order from the January cat show) and then today was spent making several of Nana Sadie Rose's new coupon wallets. And getting my taxes finished and having dinner with my late mother's best friend (who is 94!).

And they're calling for snow. YES. 3 inches perhaps? Well, better late than never, I suppose...

So do you want to see a Coupon Wallet?
I just love this fabric...and the coordinates on the inside for the 4 pockets:

Once again, I'm having a blast creating these new items.

But I sure wish the weekends wouldn't fly by so.