Catching Up

I don't know how to start - I feel all awkward and self-conscious like when you run into someone you haven't seen in a while and have nothing to say - so you end up taking out pictures of your kids and giving them the rundown of your life since High School and then they look all awkward and self-conscious and say you should get together sometime...

So - long time - how about some pictures?

Here is the finished body of Ariann (up to the point where I'm supposed to join sleeves) that has been waiting patiently for something to happen to it.



And an Ariann sleeve start - maybe its those menacing looking dpns that have kept me from making more progress.
And there behind the sleeve, the beginning of a log cabin blanket that I started in August(?)-


And I decided to start Starsky - It's such a small piece that I can't quite tell yet if I'm doing the cable pattern correctly - and I'm so crazy that even when I know what the chart is telling me I have to go back and read the written instructions just to make sure - and then read them once more just for good measure - no surprise that it takes me so long to finish things.


But these - well these little cuties I can finish - and I love that. I found a basic pattern for these teeny minisweaters here - and I have visions of making a whole army of these adorable little things to pass around for Christmas - so my parents can cluck their tongues and shake their heads and say, "What has happened to her? She has gone the way of the cutesy and crafty and we had such high hopes for her". Oh but these things make me sooo happy - so happy and done in about 1 1/2 hours.


And lastly, a picture of the kids, trying to sled down a small, very sparsely sprinkled with snow hill - in a makeshift sled made from one of Daddy's many power tool boxes - snow is infrequent and exciting stuff around here - Stop laughing you people from Minnesota -

When You are 4 and 1/2....

...You are happily oblivious to the fact that it is windy and 47 degrees outside as you sweep wet leaves off the deck while sporting capris and flip-flops.


...You look like this when 7 year old brother tries to teach you something new.


...Your hands sometimes lose control.


...This is the picture you take when a distracted mom says, "yes, honey that's fine".


I just love her.

I Felt It

I haven't been really into the felting thing but I bought some wool I thought could work for hats, and it ended up being too scratchy to be worn against skin so I decided to give this popular little bag a try. I must say it was highly enjoyable to watch the knit fabric morph into something else - I used most of a 165 yd. hank of Elizabeth Austen wool to knit the pattern as written plus a little flap closure - I still need to sew on a button.

So here's Sophie!

Before:


After:


Though I think it is a very cute little thing, and quite sturdy actually, I doubt I will use it very often - I mean what do you wear with a felted bag?

HUH?

Has anyone ever had a post just dissapear into thin air? A post that has been here for a few days just vanished when I published a new post - where did it go?

Big Yarn

I have a picture - a not so great picture - but a picture nonetheless!



This is a big fat scarf in Lion Brand Thick and Quick yarn on size 15 and 17 needles - please don't stone me - it was actually quite fun to see something emerge so quickly -

Anyway, I went to Michael's with the girls who were wanting to learn to knit, and told them about the yarn options and all and they chose bulky or super bulky yarn with big needles for some quick progress and I don't blame them and anyway you can see your stitches really well even though those big needles are quite unwieldy. We had lots of fun and the basics of knitting were learned - more on their own and from watching me than from my rambling and sometimes confusing verbal explanations.
So I joined in on the Thick and Quick fun and finished this up today - THis was so quick that I'm planning to do a few more to take up to Seattle's Union Gospel Mission.

Did a few rows on Ariann and those size 7 needles felt like toothpicks after working with the big sticks and yarn. She is going to be beautiful - and now I have plans to knit Starsky from the Fall or Winter '05 Knitty with the Chocolate brown Berkshire yarn I got on WEBS - It would be so nice to wrap up in something like that right now - oh well - maybe I'll settle for a big fatty scarf for myself.

Not Knitting

That's all.