Quickly

In order to keep up with my blogging schedule, (self imposed) I am making this post without a lot of flourish, just so that I can say I posted something on Saturday.

KNITTING

Early in the evening, knitting while watching TV

End of the day after a good episode of Cedar Cove

The last post showed a golf club cover that looked a lot like this one, and that's because it practically is.  I frogged the one in the last post and re-knit this same section with only 48 stitches and smaller size 5 needles.  Much better!

PICKING

LLAMA FLEECE ONE

LLAMA FLEECE TWO

And I picked one of the two llama fleeces my husband's friend gave me.  This is the fleece on the lawn getting used to a new home.

  So far, so good.  This thing was so dusty and it took me most of a day to pull and shake and fluff the thing.  Back into a large shopping bag with very little thrown away.  I tried washing a sample and it felted immediately.  Now I know I will have to spin it with the remaining dirt, an then wash the yarn.  I think carding/combing it will greatly reduce the dusty quality.  Right now it feels like an old cowboy blanket that used to sit under a saddle.

SPINNING
And here's what I've been spinning!  JOY!  I do love spinning!

STARBUCKS GREEN

SAME GREEN NEXT MORNING

TWO PLY TURTLE FROM MY TURKISH SPINDLE! 

Mohair mixed with Angelina

White cloud of angora/wool blend

PERSONAL
I am working on some new life goals, and trying to work through the big rocks, as Stephen Covey calls them.  I'm re-reading a couple more of his books, and trying to see where everything falls.  I had to make a little boundary today, and it was uncomfortable and awkward.  I hate having to do that, because I want to please everyone.  But I'm old enough now to know when to say NO.  It always feels better when I do.

Sometimes people have legitimate needs, and sometimes its hard to say no when the request is perfectly valid.  But part of maturing and making things better for me and may family, is learning to be less grouchy.  I get grouchy when I have to do something I don't wanna do.  You too?  I feel like a kid being told to clean my room, or go apologize to my sibling.  Grumbling I go, doing the thing I don't want to do.  But now I'm grown up, and I can say no.  Its as easy as that.  Then I'm happy again, and so is everyone else in my house.  No one is wondering, "why is she ticked off?" or "did I do something to make her mad?"
Crisis averted before anyone else' mood is spoiled.  There!  Saying no is actually a very good thing indeed!

All Tied Up

You know those scenes in the movies where the good guy is tied up with rope, and they're trying to find something to cut the rope with?  Or they're tied to the railroad tracks with the villain is standing nearby twirling his mustache.

We all feel like that sometimes; we say, "my hands are tied" and we really mean it.  We wish we could do something to change the circumstances, but we just can't, because in a way, our hands are tied.  That is such a frustrating feeling! Life is so full of frustrating circumstances that I will have to agree with that little slogan,  Keep Calm and Carry Yarn.  Prayer and knitting are two of the best ways to get through a trying time.

KNITTING
As I finished these socks, and looked ahead, I knew my next project would be quick and easy.

Watermelon socks - DONE!

This is the beginning of a golf club cover, and while its pretty close to the pattern, it looks ginormous to me.  I think they could even be felted and still fit the club.  This is supposed to be for club #2.  Whatever that means.  I'd like to do an argyle pattern at the top, so hopefully the next post will have a little more interest.

LSU Team colors

starting a golf club cover

I took some time last Saturday morning to darn or rather, re-knit the toe of this pair of Shetland wool socks I made a few years ago.

Darning Socks

SPINNING
Tour de Fleece for me what a Tour de Flop.  I am not an avid spindle spinner, and the last week or two just did not afford me the opportunity to enjoy the challenge.  I won't dwell there, but will applaud all the great pictures I saw on Instagram and Ravelry.  So inspiring!!!

Tour de Fleece - dropout!

I've been spinning on my old Ashford Traditional, and my Kromski Symphony. Here is the purple yarn for the golf club covers.

And I'm about to start this little cloud of white wool and angora.  Slowly but surely spinning down my stash. 

READING
I haven't read much in the way of fiction, but completed a couple of Stephen Covey audio books, Habit 1 and Habit 2.  They are always worth my time, and make me want to be a better person.

I do spend time every day reading my Bible and a commentary by Matthew Henry; another of my goals for the year.  He is an excellent scholar, and brings incredible insight to every passage of scripture.

GARDENING
Everything is in full bloom, and since its July, I can't complain. In fact, it makes sitting outside a real pleasure, and very, very worth the effort.  The older the gardens are, the easier they are to maintain.  (You can say that again!)

PERSONAL
I have to say that in the grand scheme of things, I still have no answers to all of life's biggest questions.  People spend lots of money trying to figure out "Why?" and sometimes there's just no easy answer.  The world is complex and only our Maker knows the complete answer to that little one word question.  But I'm thankful every day to wake up and find I'm still breathing, and in my case, able to get out bed and get a cup of coffee.  
We have had a few moments of crisis lately, but find that faith and family help, and keeping perspective, finding a sense of proportion is always helpful.  I know of people with great disabilities and disadvantages.  If they can somehow manage to get through, my little problems are miniscule.  Like the song says, The sun'll come up, tomorrow!!

Roman Holiday

For this whole entire week, we've taken a stay-cation, doing whatever we want, not making appointments outside of fun stuff, if we can help it.  It is really hard for me to "do nothing" cause that's just how I'm wired. So doing the minimal amount of laundry, kitchen cleanup and cooking, I've really enjoyed my week. 

Wave Petunias doing great!

PERSONAL
Today I did a judicious amount of pruning in the back yard, finding runaway vines, shrubs and itty-bitty plants that I have no name for.  It never fails that when I'm gardening I have these deep, philosophical thoughts about life, hardship, rewards and "pruning".  Its natural, pruning is, and it hurts, but its sooo necessary.  Sometimes things that haven't been pruned in a while look like they belong. The stems are woody and large, the leaves are abundant and healthy, and the fact that you're just used to looking at it for so long makes it feel weird to cut back so severely.  After the pruning is done, it can look really bad.  Like a little boy back from the barber, it may seem like you've over done it.  But I have faith.  I know that for years these plants have come back even stronger, and that I have nothing to worry about.  Of course, life is exactly the same.  We are destined to be pruned now and then, and like the garden, its worth it later on. 

Wave Petunias - hot pink!

POST PRUNING - YIKES

Full to overflowing

Finally some figs that the birds didn't eat

Purple Phlox?

the weeds are winning

KNITTING
The colors of the socks I'm knitting are pretty much in the watermelon family, but to stretch my point, I'm going to say that they look like the colors of the Italian flag. I've turned the heels on both socks and tried to finagle a little intentional color here and there, without disturbing too much, the random-ness of the self striping yarn.

Italian Watermelon

I signed up for the Craftsy class on Icelandic Sweater Knitting, which teaches in great detail how to steek. I got a serious discount, and decided to throw down for the class.  After I finish the Watermelon socks, I'm going to make some golf club covers for my SIL, and then start on the steeked sweater.  I don't want to hurry it.  Like a school class, its meant to teach, and I want to glean all I can from the class.  

SPINNING
My spinning has been fun, but after a week of spinning for the Tour de Fleece, I kind of fizzled out.  I was trying to document my progress, while avoiding social media.

French Angora on a mini Bosworth

Lovely purple wool on my unknown spindle

Make it snappy, will ya?

SPINNING 
In order to keep my spinning challenge for the Tour de Fleece 2013, I'm doing a little less knitting and a heck of a lot more spinning.  Woo Hoo!   It works out really, since I've completed the major job of picking and carding virtually all my wool.  What better way to kick off the second half of this wonderful year, than to spin like there's no tomorrow? 

Midi spindle laying out by the plants,  trying to get a tan!

I finished a spindle full and wound it off so that I could start this stuff.  LOVE IT.   So darn pretty with the vivid blue and yellow.  Downright adorable if I do say so myself!
I've been posting on Instagram, and tagging my pics with at least #tdf13 and #tourdefleece so that I feel like I'm playing with the big dogs.  If you didn't know, Instagram has the same principle as Twitter regarding hashtags, and you can search for almost anything.  (Beware, though!)

First spindle full, after day 2

My Instagram name is brendamyfrienda, and I guess that's no surprise.  On Twitter I'm @brendamyfrienda although I'm not really posting to Twitter for the Tour de Fleece.

Beauty contest winner  "STORMY" on a lace flyer!

And this is the dirty looking lint-like roving  that I dyed over the weekend.  It is stunning in this deep stormy blue.  Guess what I'm calling it?  Gosh you're right!   "STORMY"
I got out my lace flyer for the Ashford Traveler and set the bobbin whorl on about medium for lace.  Its as fine as sewing thread, and the 3 ply skein of yarn that I worked on today, is about a sport weight.  It should make some lucky relative a nice Christmas present!  Maybe a necktie for my dad.......just kidding!


KNITTING
 I'm taking Watermelon socks to the 4th of July picnic!

Watermelon ribbed socks, just in time for the 4th of July

I had to try my self striping Watermelon yarn from a few months ago.  It feels almost like cotton, but its wool.  The stripes are a bit random, but I wound off enough of one of the balls so that at least they both started with a variegated green-white border at the top.   The heels and toes will probably also match each other if I can remember to do that. 

I'm taking the knitting to my brother in law's house for the 4th of July picnic at his house.  They have a pool, a movie theater in the basement, and best of all, no chores for me to do!  I love going anywhere that doesn't remind me that I need to dust my baseboards or do the dishes in the sink. 
So....I'm taking my little socks and my Tour de Fleece project,  and maybe a little audio book or some podcasts to listen to while I'm laying out by the pool!

We Interrupt This Program

Do you remember in the early days of television, when breaking news was signaled by an anchorman (never a woman) who said, "We interrupt this program to bring you a special news report" ?

Please Stand By

Well, I'm about to interrupt the program, and I'm talking about some habits that have formed like dust-bunnies.  Habits that just happen, without realizing that they're a part of your life. You know what I'm talking about!
At the first of the year, I posted about my resolutions for the year and my desire to do more "off the grid" stuff.  So far I feel pretty successful, but I'm ready to take it up a notch.  It is normal for folks here in North America to take a summer vacation or holiday, usually in the months of June, July or August.  And I'm thinking of taking a semi-off-the-grid vacation for the next several weeks.  I'm talking about being glued to the internet and my cell phone; the constant need to glance at my phone and check my email or social networking accounts.  I'm talking about the opportunity I have to make a real effort at reading an actual paper, or magazine.  Like, reading the words, not looking at the captions under the pictures. 

My husband and I have an opportunity in the next week to have several days of uninterrupted time without certain obligations.  Being caregivers is a 24/7/365 sort of thing.  Kind of like being a parent to a child, you are never fully disengaged from your responsibility.  I can tell we are ready for this vacation, and my husband in particular, who had a tiny little meltdown last week over peanut butter.  Actually, he was just venting, but it was unusual for him.

SPINNING
So, since the Tour de France has started, and Ravelry has invited everyone who spins to be a part of the Tour de Fleece, I am joining in.  I have lots of wool to spin, and the Tour de Fleece starts Saturday June 29 and runs until Sunday July 21nd, 2013. The perfect opportunity for me to spend about 3 weeks doing what I love to do.  Spin, and of course, knit!

Light purple and my mini Bosworth

Light and dark purple with both Bosworth spindles

Here's my start for the challenge.  I spun and plied a skein first thing this morning, and this afternoon, joined Team Spindlers, and will be spindle spinning with my mini and midi Bosworths.

The colors of the Tour de France 2013 (yellow and gray)

KNITTING
Here are the TWO cable ribbed socks that have taken a whole month to knit.  Well, hey, at least I knit them.  And doing two at a time, even on DPNs is the way to go.  Not kidding.  It IS the best way to knit socks, and don't kid yourself that you don't get second-sock-syndrome. 

Closing the toe and closing the book on these socks!

Its a well know fact that everyone gets it, and you and I both know you have to admit you have a problem, before you can get help.  So, bite the bullet, and from now on, knit two at a time, okay?

Done!  Ready for a cold, wintry night.

They are reversible, by the way.

PERSONAL
So, back to the personal off-the-grid challenge for the next 25 or so days.  I read this article that really got me thinking.  It is just so darn easy to let life take control of you, when it is well within your power to take control of your life, your circumstances, and your attitude.  So, here I go.  Not a complete break from the digital world, but a concerted effort to curb my enthusiasm for it! 

Specious or Pernicious - Pick One

SPINNING
People who climb Mt. Everest or Mt. Kilimanjaro are mere novices when you compare the mountain I've just climbed.  Its taken me months to pick and card everything in my stash, and I can say without equivocation that I AM DONE!  The wool is ready for dyeing and spinning. (Which is my new goal for the next 6 months, by the way.)

These pictures can't begin to convey the hours and hours I spent picking and carding these bags of wool.  I have a new found respect for shepherds long ago who spent their whole lives sheering, picking, and spinning wool.

Stash Sampler

Pantry of wool -  carded

Action Center- note the bags of white wool above the lamp

What great patience they had.  Of course, being permanently 'off the grid', they had no internet, or very little, to distract them from their course of action. I had to make a deadline or I knew I'd never get all this done.

It is so fun now, to go to the stash without any guilt, grab a bag of wool, and start spinning. I felt like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, when he saw all the candy and goodies, waiting to be eaten.  Having a large stash of carded wool for a spinner is probably the exact same thing.  Nothing pernicious or specious.  Just good clean fun!

Grape Pop

Here is a sample of some really purple-y wool that gets better once its spun.  Darker and more like a pack of grape Kool-aid.

MORE SPINNING
I also carded some wool with silk noil and spun very fine, then plied.  I really, really like the effect the silk has on the wool.  I will definitely do more of this!

spinning wool and silk

singles

plying

Hank of silk noil and wool

KNITTING
I took these socks with me Sunday night to my husband's concert.  He played and sang with his partner in a nearby town, very close to where the Bonnaroo Festival takes place.
The church that hosted the event also provided homemade pies, homemade ice cream and all kinds of refreshments for the outdoor event.  It was a lovely night and we really enjoyed the All-American feel of the town.  Kids running around playing, grown-ups in folding chairs, singing along.  I sat at a picnic table and knitted during the rehearsal.  I made a lot more progress than you can see in this picture!

Finally knitting the foot of the socks.  Two at a time socks rock!

I also tried my hand at some beaded knitting.  I'd really like to incorporate more beads in my knitting and this time I used a tiny antique crochet hook from my grandmother.  I think it was a size 14 or 16.  It was so small it had a cover for the tip, like a cartridge pen.  Super tiny beads!

Knitting with beads!

PERSONAL
Our kids all came over this weekend, so the house exploded with all kinds of family oriented collateral damage. Its always worth it to me.  These are days that I cherish, and know that they'll be over before you know it. 
My little granddaughter doesn't walk quite yet, but makes great strides crawling across the carpet when there's something she wants.  On the way she takes what we call "thumb-breaks", which are quick moments to rest her head and suck her thumb.  Literally seconds later she's up and at 'em again. Somehow I think its as much a soothing technique as it is rest.  A lot times, I wish I could just stop and take a thumb break, too!