Today was a good day

After

Today was one of those beautiful days that just sent me straight outside to the garden.  I have overgrown flowers, shrubs and grasses that desperately needed pruning.  If they could cry out loud, they would have been wailing by now, screaming for a haircut. So I gave it to 'em.  Boy did I ever.  Sorry guys, you may need a ball cap for a couple of days!

Before!

After pruning, raking and cutting all those tiny limbs and branches into pieces small enough to fit into the designated "yard waste trash can", I stood back and started dreaming of what I could plant in all those bare places.  I dug up old day lillies and swore off letting them come back ever again.  I dug up some old mums that no one sees, around the back side of the house.  Anyway, it looks better.  And I felt pretty good about myself until I walked back to the patio to go in the back door.  There was the small flower bed bordering the patio that just looked at me with mockery.  I looked back and waved my clippers at it.  "You're next," I said.  "You just wait."

The slouchy gray cable sock(s) requested by my dear daughter is coming along a little slowly, but it's fun enough to keep me interested, even though it's a little challenging.

I keep looking at the pattern book like a man in a bar, checking out the goods.  So many cable patterns to choose from, and I am gonna be a while with these socks.  What I can do, is play with some sample swatches, and try out some of the yarns in my stash.

I like this pattern, called the folded cable.  I want to get out those Knit Picks needles I ordered a while back.
Their new catalog just came out and I love, love, love the color palettes.  Every yarn comes in colors so outstanding, I can hardly wait to try my hand at dyeing some more wool.  Or maybe blending some of what I've got.  Lots of color!
Kind of reminds me of the kids who came to my door on Halloween night.  They took one look at my huge bowl of assorted candy and made wide-eyed comments about the pixie sticks.  I'm so glad I bought them.  Mostly for nostalgic reasons, but they were a hit, anyway.  And God bless those little ninjas, princesses and teddy bears!  You all looked great!

The Luxury of Fall

If every time you saw a leaf, you thought of how much Jesus  loved you, you would feel mighty rich this time of year.  Leaves are falling all around and you can hardly walk outside without stepping on some.  They are everywhere and they are beautiful!

Today we went to the local Pumpkin Festival, where all the streets of the quaint downtown district are blocked off and filled with vendors and people.  People who are walking dogs dressed like pumpkins and kids dressed like characters from Star Wars.  Literally, there was a little boy just like the one in the commercial from the Super Bowl, only when I saw him for the last time, he was crying like he'd just found out that Darth Vader was his daddy.  There was BBQ, hot dogs, fried pies and funnel cakes.  What a perfect day!

Franklin, TN

Earlier this week, I really needed a break.  Its not often that I do, and usually knitting or spinning will help, but on that  particular day, it was urgent that I get away for the day.  So I went to a local botanical garden that I'd never visited before.  It was wonderful.  My husband joined me and we meandered around plants I'd never heard of.  Plants with names like Bear's Breeches and Curry.

Bear's Breeches

I thought curry was a spice that came from a mixture of other spices.  I had no idea there was a real live curry plant.  But if you stop and rub the leaves gently between your fingers and smell them, you will absolutely smell the curry.

Thyme

I stopped and smelled the oregano, basil, rosemary and mint.  Such a treat, and exactly what I needed to feel better.  Life can be challenging, and sometimes its more than you can handle.  Those are the times to stop the clock, take a time out, and pull yourself together. For me it meant going outdoors for a few hours and smelling the roses herbs!

My dear, lovely daughter told me last week that she found a picture of some socks that she really wanted me to make for her.  Here is that picture.

Inspirational cable socks

Not being one to shy away from a challenge, I went-a-diggin through all my stitch pattern books and found a couple that would work with the yarn she had chosen.

The yarn dictates the needle.  That gives you a figure called, "stitches per inch".  If the yarn and appropriate needle give you 4 SPI or 8 SPI, then you have to multiply that number times the number of inches around the ankle or calf.  If you calf is 10 inches around and the yarn gives you 4 stitches per inch, you'll need to start with 10 times 4 or 40 stitches.

Cable challenge socks

I started the sock with a 1x1 rib and am using an 8 stitch cable and a honeycomb cable pattern. These may take a while, since I'm not one to shy away from a challenge!

When preparations matter

The other day when I crawled out of bed, I could hear a low rumble in the neighboring subdivision.  It was the sound of a lawn service cutting somebody's grass, probably while the lucky homeowner was drinking coffee in the kitchen.  It sounded so familiar, but not in the way that you'd think.  It sounded like the dredges in Mobile Bay clearing out the ship channel; a sound I grew up with.

The house where I grew up was so close to the waterfront that you could throw a rock from our front door to the beach.  (And if I was a boy, I could have made it all the way to the water.)   We would watch ships come in and out of the Gulf of Mexico, right in front of our house, on their way to load and unload cargo.  Mobile is a port city.  There were always sounds of tugboats pushing barges full of sand and silt, removing sandbars from the middle of the bay.  They had to make way for the ships to come through.  Preparation and planning was essential for things to go smoothly later on.

While I was spinning yesterday, I had a great revelation about this.  About the necessity for preparations.  I  was ready to embark on some military gray wool that I had blended with enough dark blue to give it a 'manly' look.

Military gray Shetland wool blend

I decided to make several adjustments to my wheel for spinning a finer strand of yarn.  While the details are exciting to me, I'll just provide a link, in case you're interested.

lace weight flyer bobbin

Anyway, the revelation hit me after I'd made all the adjustments and started spinning.  It was so much more enjoyable than any time I'd ever spun before.  It hit me that taking the time to make these preparations, specific to the task, were extremely valuable.  I couldn't blame a poor outcome on peripheral things like yukky wool or a cruddy wheel.  Number one, it was my job to make those preparations - to follow the manufacturer's directions.  Number two, it was a no-brainer to get my spinning area ready  if I wanted an enjoyable experience.  Bright light, sufficient leg room, chair height correct, etc.  I even put on some calm classical music and got my coffee close by so that I would be totally "in the moment".

Just like the way the barges clear the channel for ships to come through, my careful preparations make the process of spinning easier.  It takes time, but it's so worth it in the end!!

Hats Off!

Last night we had our very first night time spinning group meeting and all I can say is, Hats Off!  Literally!

Hat #1 with companion brownie

Hats 2 and 3, no brownie included

Hat #4  keeping it real

I am always so encouraged and inspired from these meetings, and I spent most of today in la-la land, dreaming of making hats and trying to decide what kind of yarn looks best with what kind of hat.  So many choices and so few hours in the day to knit.  I could actually sleep less to get more knitting time in, right?

Tonight I'm heading to a bon-fire and chili supper at my friends' house.  She actually came to my house last night, even though I know she had a million things to do today to get ready for her  get-together tonight.  What a gal!!   She's the one who brought all these hats and inspiration to our meeting last night.  She makes hats for all the kids and grandkids every year!  What a goal!  I'm working on Christmas stocking right now for my family, and while  I don't actually have any grandchildren of my own yet, someday soon I'm sure I'll be knitting  some fuzzy hats for little critters too!

I'm super tired today and it took all I had to get on the treadmill.  There just doesn't seem to be enough coffee to wake me up today.  I remember having a day like this a few years ago. Just could not pull it together.

  Its so hard for me to give in to being tired.  Its probably just my body fighting off some kind of bug, and I should take it easy. That would be better for me. And I did sort of  take it easy today, but not by anybody else' standards.  Anyway, I woke up both yesterday and today and went straight to the computer to read on the computer version of my Kindle.  Even though I have a night light to use with my real Kindle, I hate to use it to read in bed. I always feel guilty, like I'm keeping everybody up. (Just who are all these people?  I don't really know...) Anyway I've already had a little 10 minute cat nap today and I'm ready for another one now.   Hope I make it through the party tonight without yawning too much.  I am really getting old, dangit. Just don't call me Grandma.  Not yet.

Don't bring me down!

Mums from some plants I bought years ago

This world is full of people who know what they're doing. I am not one of them.  Frankly I think I could read, listen, study, observe and never feel like I know very much about any given subject.  Well, except for one, maybe.  And its not about anything I do, but something I know. I know God loves me.  I am absolutely sure of that.  Sometimes I have moods and opinions about lots of negative things, and just as often I have moods and opinions about very positive things.  The most important one is God's love.  It truly keeps me going, day in and day out.

Baby radishes from the patio

I read a tweet that I re-posted:
 The orphan mentality causes you to approach life victimized by what you haven't received instead of grateful for what you have received.

Today for instance has been a beautiful day.  Absolutely lovely; warm temps and a slight breeze.  I know the rain is coming, but for the great weather, I am thankful.  You might live in the desert - give thanks you've avoided the monsoons.  You might live in the coldest climate of all - give thanks you avoided the desert.  Glass half full/half empty, you know.

Give me another hand!

I have some golden yarn that's a bit sticky and I'm making these dee-lightful gloves out if it.  I could complain that they're sticky, but rather, I choose to say that they'll repel water when it snows!  See? What good fortune I have!

We ran out of cookies in the cookie jar by the sink.  Instead of complaining, I just got out the cookbook and made some peanut butter cookies.  Who can complain about fresh baked cookies?  I had to do some housekeeping today and I chose to give thanks that I have a house to clean.  Shelter is a blessing, and electricity to run the vacuum with is another blessing!  I could be sweeping a dirt floor.  I've been in houses with dirt floors, and believe me, I am BLESSED to have carpets to vacuum.

Another blessing is a messy garage full of wool that needs to be spun.  I have no problem being thankful for that!  I've been spinning this gray wool and will probably ply it soon.  I've already got a hank of 2 ply and 3 ply.

Shades of Gray

The wool roving came in a large ball and it could use a little attention, since its sticking to itself.  Maybe a few minutes unwinding the ball and making it into a fluffy pile of roving!

Spun bobbins full of gray wool

Drive

The other day I brought my spinning wheel downstairs to spin when I realized the drive band on my wheel had broken.

Sad spinning wheel

The drive bands nowadays are often made of plastic.  In order to make a plastic drive band fit your wheel and to be able to get it onto the wheel is way more tricky than you would be interested in hearing about.  I will say, though, that the last time I did it, I burnt my fingers melting hot plastic.  Hot melted plastic on human skin is less fun than you can imagine.  Oh em gee.

leftover drive bands

The winner!

Now I'm using an old fashioned string tied in a knot.  That's all.

Replacement!

Most people mistake the drive band for the yarn and the yarn for the drive band.  I  know I did.  There are lots of strings and things on a spinning wheel, with lots of funny names.

Happy Day spinning wheel!

In my old blog, I did a post about the parts of a drum carder that have downright dirty names.  The new Spin Off magazine has an article that definitely made my husband raise his eyebrows!  Ah, the good old days.  They named the parts  of these contraptions when nothing had a double meaning.  Now everything has a double meaning.

Like the (B)drive band.  Today drive means to move your car and band means a group of guitar players and singers.  (F)Mother of all  sounds like you're cussing in traffic.  (A)Fly wheel sounds like a cool car.  And of course who can forget (J)footman, (K)orifice, orifice hook, (E) maiden and (G)tension knob?  Holy Cow!

A-One and A-Two

Golden Gloves

Knitting these little golden gloves has been a breeze, and I'm learning a new way to knit gloves.  Without a long explanation, I'll let the pictures speak for me.  The fingers will be sewn up later.

Thumb is on the side so its reversible!

After recognizing that I was in over my head with any cable work that required a new skill, I succumbed to just knitting plain gloves.

Third finger

I think I will try a few flat swatches to learn the Celtic knot technique with straight needles, and then try to master it knitting in the round.  (Just so you know, flat knitting and round knitting are very different and would require lots of adjustments to the pattern.  Not going there anytime soon!!)

River birch outside the back door

I had a great time last weekend with my family.  My daughter's husband had passed the bar on Friday and we were ready to celebrate! We had a blast playing games (Clue and Catchphrase), shopping (my daughter nearly bought a dog!), eating lots and lots and even went to church together on Sunday morning. We watched some home movies and laughed till our sides hurt. I do not complain about dirty dishes and loads of laundry.  They are signs of life and for that I am very thankful!

Ripped Off

I looked at the weather report for today and noticed an alert for my parents' city, which I have bookmarked on my weather page.  The alert was for rip currents.  You see, they live on the coast.
I am landlocked in beautiful, hilly Tennessee.  No danger here, as the breeze is minimal and the sun is shining with a high around 80 degrees.  Funny how things like rip tides are front and center for some folks but not for others. 

Last night I had my own rip tide.  I ripped out for the second time the Butterscotch glove. Wiggly yarn piled on the floor where I pulled out all the stitches and then had to rewind the ball of yarn.  I'm a learnin'!
The Celtic knot was not going to happen for the Knotty Glove pattern no matter how hard I tried, so I gave up on it and ripped it out.

Celtic twist - RIP

Then I tried a vintage glove pattern yesterday but found that it would probably fit Tina Fey's hands on the cover of Bossypants.  Way too big!
So I ripped it out, again.  Again.  Then I started a 1x1 rib with a lot less stitches and got a much more delicate looking glove.  At least it looks that way so far. 

Vintage glove pattern

Sometimes you have to do things several times before you get it right.  Lots of books are out there on failure and its necessity before finding success.  That's okay.  I'm a learnin'!  I'll get it right eventually.

First glove with thumb stitches marked off

This weekend  was primarily a family time for me.  My son and his wife took us on a little sightseeing trip Friday and we happened upon a strange little shop of horrors after our meat & three lunch.  It was an antique shop that seemed to focus on the macabre and morbid.  Strange items that gave us all the creeps.  So we moved on to the ice cream shop down the way.  Apparently its owned by the parents of the guy who runs the Bates Motel Antique-O-Rama.  The older man and his wife who served up the hot fudge sundaes had a strange demeanor, that I could not quite put my finger on.  After we all got in the car, we got out our cell phones and started Googling the places we'd visited and the little town.  Bingo.  Confirmation that the willies we felt were probably justified.  I'll just say that the ghost tours in this little town on Halloween weekend will probably deserve a  segment on Ghost Hunters!

Antique spinning wheel and swift

Twist But No Shout

Some things are best saved for quiet moments of solitude; moments when you can concentrate and analyze your problem clearly. 
Tonight I reached that point in these Butterscotch Gloves where the ribbing turns into beautiful intertwined cables.  A Celtic knot, sort of. 

blurry cell phone photo

A normal cable is not a problem, but this cable pattern is 1)a bit of a challenge. Not too much, just a little.  But add to that 2)the fact that the cable needle I'm using is made of carved wood and 3)it is too large in diameter for the project I'm working on.  The difficulty level is now upped by a notch!

pattern on my laptop; clearly not helping

 4)Because I'm unfamiliar with the pattern, and I don't knit from charts, but rather from line by line instructions, I've got the pattern zoomed in on my laptop. I'm trying to figure out how to knit this dad-gum thing using hieroglyphic symbols. (FYI, football coaches just use X's and O's.)   Oh, and by the way 5)the TV is on and its kinda loud. 
I don't know what I was thinking.  This is like trying to do your taxes on your cell phone with a text message.  Not gonna work. 
"Give it up!" I can hear someone saying in a faraway voice. 
Put the needles down and  slowly walk away with your hands in the air. 
Okay I give.  I will try again tomorrow. I'll find a quiet space where I can think clearly. Someplace quiet.
But I just remembered, we're going sightseeing tomorrow.  Maybe I'll have to work on it while I'm texting and driving.  What was that, officer?

All things considered

Yesterday could not have been a more beautiful day.  Okay, maybe the day before was nice, and today might be just as nice as well.  But yesterday sure was terrific.  The skies were clear, the humidity low, temps in a perfect range, and just enough breeze to make you want to find reasons to stay outside.  By late afternoon, I had to take my lawn chair, knitting and a bottle of water outside for a taste of the perfect day.

Lovely day

It's a shame that vacations get all the credit when sometimes the most glorious times can be had in our own back yard.  Lord help me not take for granted the very things I've prayed so hard for in previous days and years!

Bath mats lounging in the breeze

The Knotty Gloves are just being birthed by these little Inox needles (size 3, since you asked).  The 2x2 ribbing should last for 6 cm or just under 2 1/2 inches.

The wool is a blend of two tones I dyed and carded and spun.  I have to remember to pat myself on the back when I knit with my very own homespun yarn.  I think I'll call the color Butterscotch.

Today is the 2nd Tuesday of the month and time for my virtual ladies meeting.  We get together and talk.  We don't worry if our shoes look good with the rest of our outfit.  We don't worry if the car needed to be washed or if our teeth got brushed since the last cup of coffee.  This idea deserves a Nobel Prize.
I read a blog post the other day by a lady  who said some controversial but timely things about women getting together.  Women already feel inferior when we enter a building to meet with another woman.
We worry about our weight, our hair, and our latest tweet.  Too much of our lives are spent focusing on what we should or should not have been doing.  Sometimes women just like to talk, period.  We like to connect and feel accepted.  Maybe men don't, but we sure do.  At least I do.  I don't necessarily like the telephone, but I do like face to face conversations, 'cause this helps me to interpret your reactions toward me.

  I really  don't like when the person I'm talking to glances around or moves their body to let me know they have to keep moving and talk to some more people. Please don't stop to talk to me if you don't intend to listen after you ask me how I'm doing. Thanks but no thanks.

 
Today our ladies meeting focuses on just us and nothing else.  There's no preparing a lesson.  There's no covered dish to bring.  There's no fee to be paid or spiel to listen to.  It's just about us being us.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Warped Minds

The whole world of weaving has always intimidated me.  Just the idea of warping the loom; all those pegs on the warping board, keeping everything from getting tangled, I just can't feel relaxed when I think about it.  And this is supposed to be a hobby, something I do for fun.  The last thing I need is more stress!

Direct warp video and unsuspecting loom

Ah...but then I heard about direct warping and thought, "That's got my name written all over it!" Not the warped part, but the ability to skip the huge task of looping yards of thread onto the warping board only to take it off and try to put it all on the loom without getting tangled up.

I read about the idea of direct warping a while ago and found this video which makes it look a heck of a lot easier than it actually is.  But its still better than the old way of using a warping board.
So today, I got some brown cotton thread, pulled up a chair and went to town warping my loom.

Peg with loops - ready for battle

winding on the beater bar

Un-tangled

Rigid heddle loom action figure, otherwise known as a shuttle

There were some near catastrophic moments today, I won't lie!  But I am old enough to stay calm and not panic, no matter how bad it looks. Tangled threads, loops that went nowhere.
Surely there had to be a way to fix it! And there was. :-)

Stabilizing threads holding down the fort

So, drama over, I've got some stay-put threads in place waiting for the rest of the gang to show up.

Tonight we have a guest staying in the house, all the way from my hometown.  It's my niece! Her college group will be playing at a nearby church tomorrow morning, so she stopped by for the night while they're in town.  She's catching us up on all the news from "back home"'; conversations about kids whose parents I knew and grew up with.  Parents that I have stories about, and parents whose kids think their parents never, ever got in trouble. Funny how the years do nothing to stop you from remembering bullies, snobs and cliques.  I am plenty old enough to forget the past, but I still have vivid memories of being taunted, teased and humiliated by kids who thought they were just being funny.  And they probably were funny.  For a minute.  But in my warped mind, those awful little rhymes and remarks are still as fresh as a fifth graders number two pencil.