The Weave

It has been a busy fall and without much to report...until now. I have completed "gift" socks, finished a sweater for little Al, and walked on warm white sand to the sound of crashing waves, but today is worth reporting!

This actually wasn't today's brew, but it still made a good start for this post...and a pretty picture (unedited). I had to share.

But today, started one reed at a time. Little Al and I took a basket weaving class. I have always enjoyed making fabric from yarn, but I have never thought about weaving reeds. It does make a beautiful fabric all it's own.

After sorting and marking. The process begins.

Lots of measuring and marking. Yes, we used those math skills.

Then things started to take shape. Her little hands went to work making old world art. And to think women used to make baskets to carry water from the well! We might need a little practice before our weave is that good!

But she took very well to the tools and worked with ease.

Then a little stain to enhance the color. And...

...7 hours later a basket was born. She is a beauty! Little Al is proud of her finished product though she said she would have rather been playing basketball. Oh well, she has learned a new skill and so have I. Not to mention we now have a handmade basket to charish for many years to come!

Hope this post finds you all doing well. I will try to do better to keep up with the goings on in Blogland. If only the world would stop spinning for a moment so I can catch up! Have a great day! Liz

Mad Dash

As I was filing through all of our summer pics I was reminded of our mad dash to the Zoo. On one of our golfing adventures, Little A and I decided to visit the St. Louis Zoo. What a treat! With the Garmin (Navigation System) to guide us and only a couple hours to spare we made a mad dash. We had time to see and learn about the Pinguins, the elephants and the sting rays (her favorite)! Who would have thought you could touch a sting ray in Missouri!? I completed two "baby" gifts this summer. Only a couple months late! They are actually gifts for the big sisters of my new "baby" girlfriend. I had to wait until the U.S. Postal service delivered to share them with you. But they have landed! So here they are.

Both patterns are from the summer issue of Crochet Today. The first one is a size 4T. I loved the little flowers that line the collar of the top. I did make it in a cotton/bamboo though, which stretches some when worn. I am not sure I would chose that yarn again. A sport weight might work better.

The second top is a Ladies size small for a 13 year old. I used Red Heart Eco Cotton. A delight to work with and a perfect summer weight. I also enjoyed this design with the offset motifs. A pattern just right for a tall, slender girlie. I can't wait to see it on her.

Well, back to the purple baby alpaca. It is so soft. I just hope it is done in time for cooler days! They are coming soon...right?!

Summer Memories

What a sweet summer! I can hardly believe it is coming to an end. We had such mild temperatures in July that it felt more like Spring until August rolled around. Now we will have a few hot weeks before fall arrives. I can definitely do short summers. Is it just me, or do most knitters like brisk, cool days just right for wearing warm knitted goods? Like this sweater for Little A. She picked the Baby Alpaca yarn in a pretty plum. I hope to have it done before November, when winter blows in.

Well, this post is going to be a quick run down of the month that has passed since I last visited blogland. Then, I will move on, as life rarely slows down around here. It was a fun summer. I spent alot of time with my son, who is growing way to fast. We traveled the midwest playing golf and singing southern rock at the top of our lungs! Lynyrd Skynyrd would be proud, I'm sure! I also spent alot of time getting behind...and getting caught up. When I leave town the laundry pile mysteriously grows! But in the midst of it all I managed to get another year older. These spools were a gift for my birthday. I do not weave or spin, so I am not sure what their use might have been. Nonetheless, they will be a great display in my woman cave. Thank you, Avis!

I also started a knitting group. It has been great fun meeting the women in the area who love fiber as much as I do. I was even successful at getting Little A started on her own knitting project. She has a real heart for helping others, so I found a charity she could help. The group is called Square Circle, and they accept 8"x8" squares that the woman in their church stitch together to make blankets for children in South Africa. Their website is a treat! Such fun to see the children who benefit from their efforts and ours. Little A decided to use two shades of purple in Cascade 220. Her squares should help make a nice warm blanket.

We made our annual trip to the Tractor Pull! My husband is a farm boy at heart, and was raised on a row crop farm. Seeing these noisy creatures in action is a real thrill for him and the kids. I go just to see the pleasure it brings them. However, this year I went with ear plugs and camera in tow. The event proved a great opportunity to adjust the shutter speed and practice some action shots. I still have alot to learn, but thought this pic was worth sharing.

And finally, I took a trip to Kansas City with my mom and sister to participate in the Breast Cancer Awareness walk. I was one of 25,000! What an event. I rarely see that many bodies in one place...and all wearing pink! Wow! While there, I was also able to visit a store I had looked up online, Ten Thousand Villages. It is a not-for-profit organization that sells fair trade products. The items in the store support artists and artisans around the world by providing them with an opportunity to sell their goods at a fair market price. The stores are run by an army of volunteers, their prices are very resonable, and their chocolate is truly divine! You can also buy online.

So, it was a full summer! School starts next week and then we will be back to our regular routine, early to rise and early to bed. I must say I am tired and ready for crisp fall days, but what fun to scan through summer memories, how sweet they are!

Golf...socks!?

Socks for my girlie several months overdue! If you are a knitter you will probably understand my yarn obsession. I often buy, with good intentions, then hurry home to discover that I have a limited amount of time to complete the project. These socks were going to be knit on two circular needles, until I visited with the ladies at our new NEMO Knitwits group. A couple of them were working socks on double points. I decided this would be a good opportunity to learn something new. A mentor is a great thing! So, I finally cast on these cute, self stripping socks.

I worked the first one inside out. It still looks fine, it was just hard to see how the project was going until I was done. My group helped me get this all straightened out and they fit! I much prefer the DPNs. I barely passed high school geometry, so that tells you a bit about my visual skills, but I do love a challenge.

This is where I have been spending many summer hours. Mr. G has been playing some midwest tournaments in the sweltering heat. I do not like hot weather. If you read my blog often, you may have noticed I prefer 60-80 degree temps. This past week was well over 90 for several days and I spent those long days on a golf cart! I must be crazy! However, I did enjoy the time with Mr. G and the other spectators. I am sure I will do it again and again.

We have had more than our share of rain this last month. If you came for a visit you might think we lived in the Amazon rain forest. I awoke to the rumbling of thunder and snapped this picture before the drops began to fall. Just me playing photographer!

The clouds sure make for beautiful art and cool days! I am hoping for more clouds this week. Otherwise I may have to crawl into my woman cave for a cool summer sewing project. Fabric stock piles await!

Time to Celebrate Life!

The last few weeks haven't been so good for the wasteline, but they have been good for the soul. We have done alot of cake baking and eating around here. First, for our local Lifeline Pregnancy Resource Center, then for a couple Birthdays. I can't take credit for these sweet cupcakes, but they sure set the scene at our shower.

These wonderful friends came together to provide lunch and treats for the shower. I venture to say they enjoyed the girl time.

Nice gifts were donated for the center. Lifeline is an outreach ministry to help women (and men) in our community facing unexpected pregnancy. These gifts will touch many lives, big and small. What a blessing!

Our Birthday cake post is in the making!

See you all soon!

Liz

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—and how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.

Psalm 139: 13-15

Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 . Tyndale House: Wheaton, Ill.

Done, done, done, frogged

Well, a great deal of time has passed since my last post. But not without accomplishments and a failure. I suppose we all need a certain amount of both to keep us in balance. This little komono from Lion Brand patterns was completed for a knittting class I took to learn seaming. Though I have done a great deal of knitting, I have always avoided patterns that require seaming. I now feel much more confident. And, I am pleased with the final product. I also decided to learn how to embellish and picked up a couple books at the library on embroidery. The flowers added a very cute element to this oherwise dull sweater.

This, another Lion Brand pattern is knit in Natural Cotton. What a sweet little cardi. As you can tell I am preparing, in my own way, for the babies my girlfriends are having. What fun to knit these little garments.

But between the end of school events, sports obligations (selling hotdogs...don't ask,) kids and church I also managed to complete my first adult sweater. I used the February Ladies Sweater pattern from Ravelry. Many have made this classic and I do recommend trying it. It was quite easy and I am very happy with the results. A bit warm for summer, but I know I will get alot of use out of it this fall.

Those of you who have knit lace will notice my mistakes. However, for a first I am still very happy with this finished project.

And finally, the failure, because even I need balance. I loved the bamboo and the look of this little cardi, but the pattern was a disaster. I noticed the problem while knitting the back and was able to rewrite it, however when I got to the front and encounted more issues I decided I had better things to do. So many great patterns, so little time! This one got frogged! For you non-knitters, that would be unraveled! Just like life, sometimes it is best to recognize your faults, make corrections, find a new way, and start again. And, as you know, I always prefer the road less traveled! Have a wonderful day! Liz

Travel On

I am not much of a reader these days. Not that I am proud of that fact, but I have a bad habit of wanting to read the entire book in a very short span of time. That requires much sitting and reading, which doesn't seem to fit into my schedule. However, I had a friend recommend a couple new books to me, so I made a trip to the local library to check them out.

The first one, "Eat This, Not That" by David Zinczenko is a great little book on the No-Diet Weight Loss Solution! Very visual, it is packed with pictures of "Eat This...Not That" foods. The sections of the book include suggestions for eating at Restaurants, on Holidays, and at home. It goes so far as to recommend foods to eat when you're stressed, when you're sad, when you're feeling fat, when you're low on energy, when you need a brain boost, when you want to get "in the mood," and the list goes on. I won't ruin the fun and tell you all the foods to eat, but I do suggest you pick this one up next time you visit the library. It's a great, easy little read.

The second book she recommended was "Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?" by Peter Walsh. Another good read, but very in your face, so be prepared. He addresses the clutter in our lives (but I am SURE he is not talking about craft supplies!?) and how it affects our weight. He doesn't talk about being overweight or obese, he talks about being FAT! Now that is not politically correct, I do know, but I still recommend the book. It is about the underlying reasons why we pack clutter into our houses and food into our bodies. I wouldn't be reading it if I had nothing to gain from his insights. If you get my drift! On a lighter note, because no one really enjoys talking about weight, I have also been planting flowers. Yes, the soil is warm and it is time. I always like to decorate the porch with a couple ferns. They love the cool, dark space, as do I on a 90 degree day.
Then I bought three rose bushes. Not the high maintenance kind my grandmother loved, but the new easy varieties that survive on -20 degee winter nights and are drought tolerant in the summer when I would rather knit than water and weed. Oh, and they smell heavenly.

And finally, hostas. They are my all time garden favorites, but love a shady garden on the north side of the house, which I don't have at our new home. On the north is the garage and no place to plant these wonderful hostas. So I tried anyway last year, in a place where they will get some sun and some shade. So far they have survived and look very healthy. Maybe I will try other varieties next year.

My sweater is nearly done. One more sleeve to go. I knitted the first one in the round with DPNs, a new technique for me and a bit of a struggle. But I am happy with the result and will start sleeve number two when the planting is all done! As always the duties of life call and the world continues to dance, so I must travel on.

Thanks for stopping by! Hope to see you again soon. Liz

Busy-ness

I have not been on vacation in reality, but have been on a blogland vacation the last few days. Though I love to blog, life doesn't always give me the time, and often I feel like I have little to report. But today I have a few short notes.

Living in a small town causes much business. That part of rural living I could do without. I can remember, growing up in the city, long relaxing weekends with my parents riding bikes, exploring in the national forest, and watching boxing matches. I loved to bet my dad a quarter on a good match. He often won, but what fun to see a knock out. (These memories explain alot!) And there were rarely times when weekends required "going" anywhere, unless we wanted to. Maybe it had little to do with city living and my father just planned it that way. Whatever the case, I wish I knew his trick. Time moves so quickly, and kids grow so fast.

Today I am having a small break from life to return to blogland for a post. I have been working feverishly on a sweater for myself. This is a first. I have crocheted a sweater for myself, but made it out of Lionbrand Woolease and used a single crochet. It is too hot for wearing inside. I believe I will have to make a jacket out of it next fall.

For this sweater I am following a knit pattern from Ravelry. I just joined and am having great fun seeing what everyone else is working on. However, I haven't yet figured out how to post my projects. I am sure that will come with time. The pattern is "February Lady Sweater," and I am using Hobby Lobby's "I love this cotton." I saw mixed reports on the yarn, but it is very cost effective for a first garment that might not even fit!? And I like the color.

The birds have returned to NE Missouri, or at least they are out and about. A fat Robin is always a good sign that spring has come. Oh, am I ready for that! Today started off foggy(so I took a picture and exercised my digital editing skills), but is going to reach 70 degrees. My favorite!

I hope the sun is shining where you are today! It sure seems it is always sunny in blogland and it is great to be back. I missed you friends.

Have a great day! Liz

Let's pretend...

I can remember, as a child, spending long winter days with girlfriends playing pretend. "Let's pretend I am the mommy and you are the baby. Let's pretend I am the doctor and you are the patient. Let's pretend I am farmer and you are the chicken. Let's pretend..." Fill in the blanks, and you get the picture. What fun it was to pretend. So this week, while watching the rain turn to snow for yet another dreary day, I decided it was time to pretend. A dear friend of mine owns a flower shop so I took a drive to the shop for a little spring encouragement.
I found birdies and dogwood. So inside we will pretend it is spring!Then I decided to work on a new project. And no, I am not taking up scrapbooking. There is no more room for mom's crafts to hide in this home. But I did buy some very pretty paper. You will have to check back to see what I have planned. I had to mail order some of the supplies for this project and they have not yet arrived. But I did get my Sweater Wizard v3 in the mail and am going to give it a try now. So, just in case my computer crashes during the installation process, I thought I should say it has been nice knowing you all. But hopefully it will not, and I will be back soon with new projects to share. And maybe, by then, I won't have to pretend it is spring anymore. I am confident it is coming soon!

Eat Cake

Today seems a good day to eat cake. For some reason, on my short drive home today, I felt inclined to bake a cake. I am a chocoholic, so it was strange that I was craving lemon, but I was and it brought to mind a favorite book of mine, "Eat Cake" by Jeanne Ray. I read it several years ago, but it is one of those favorites that comes to mind often, especially on a day like today. For some reason, I just felt like I couldn't quite get it together. Could it be because my flat iron broke this morning? Or because March is over, and I am not ready for April? Or because I have only completed one and a half items on my long list of things-to-do? Whatever the reason, a comforting cake, in Lemon, seemed the cure. My mother made Lemon cake often, so it takes me back to simpler days. The name of this cake is Lemon Supreme Pound Cake and is quite easy, not from scratch, just yummy!

Lemon Supreme Pound Cake

1 pkg. Lemon Supreme Deluxe Cake Mix (Duncan Hines)

1 pkg. Lemon Instant pudding mix (4 serving size)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup water

4 eggs

1 tsp. lemon extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend all ingredients ina large bowl; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Bake in a greased and floured bundt pan for 45 to 55 minutes until center springs back when touched lightly. Cool right side up for about 25 minutes, then remove from pan.

I also add a drizzle of powdered sugar icing: Butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract.

And a taste of "Eat Cake" by Jeanne Ray:

"I got up and took the cake out from under its cake-shaped cover. I had made it at three o'clock in the morning in a desperate attempt to comfort myself. And it was an enormous comfort, standing alone in the kitchen in my nightgown, sifting fresh ground nutmeg with allspice and cloves by the little light over the sink. I peeled the apples with ridiculous care, taking the skins off in long, even ribbons that spiraled down to the floor without breaking. I didn't think of any of them while I peeled those apples. I didn't work anything out in my mind. I just relaxed into the creaming of butter and sugar, the sweet expansion of every egg. I had hoped the mixer wouldn't wake anyone up. The last thing I had wanted was company.
I cut off big, hulking slices and slid them onto dessert plates. The apples were soft and golden, the cake was a rust color. I hadn't even cleared the table. I just pushed one course aside and made room for another, then dropped into my chair and started to eat. I did nothing to help my father and Camille got up to feed him his cake. For a few peaceful minutes we said nothing to one another. We simply ate."


So now an update on the list at hand.

1) I finished the Chicken Lessons and deicided I will have to wait on that project. It will require golfer-guy building me a coop, and he may not love me that much!?

2) I did complete two pairs of baby booties and they are soooo cute. They almost make me wish I had little feet to put in them...almost.



For these I used RY Cashcotton DK in Quartz. Machine wash and dry flat.


For this pair I used Sublime baby Cashmere Merino Silk DK in (48) cheeky. Machine wash and dry flat. This is wonderful yarn, and Sublime has some great patterns, too. Check them out at http://www.sublimeyarns.com/

The pattern for these booties is from "Simple Knits" for Cherished Babies by Erika Knight. It is full of great patterns and this one was very easy to complete. I also tried the slippers on the cover but wasn't as impressed with the outcome. Could have been user error though.


3) And finally, more progress on the Hexie. Claire and I are getting a little bored with the process, but we are very happy with the finished product. We hook on...







Hope you are having a great day, but when all else fails...eat cake!