Pictures...mistakes....

Ok, so I was trying to resize some pictures to share.



I couldn't find some... Realized that while I was clearing some shots from our camera, I deleted a bunch that I hadn't downloaded yet... *DOH*



SO - I don't have all the cute pics of the kitties on their blankies... :(

I still haven't resized all of them, either. Had some program issues. Seems my virus protector thing is interfering with some of the programs I use.... Shuts them down all the time....

Anyway... what I do have is Ashleigh, aka the blanket hog, on Mica's blankie. Mica "claimed" this blankie while I was knitting on it - I made Bear's blanket first, and he seems to really like it. He actually uses it. When I first put it down, Ash immediately spread herself out across the middle of it, so he couldn't use it. As soon as she got off, though, he claimed it. Next time I looked, Mica was on one side of it, curled up. But at least SHE left room for Bear!! I did once have a picture of them sharing the blanket... :(

So, anyway - I made two smaller blankets for the kitties, knitting both at once on a circular (that way, I couldn't be accused of picking favourites by making one blanket before the other). While I was knitting, Mica favoured one colour of yarn over the other - she would nuzzle it, purr at it, rub it....So, it was "claimed". Of course, though, Ash had to test it out... so, here is a pic of Ash on Mica's blanket. (Ash did settle onto her own blanket, too - another pic that I lost....)

Other things... well, I forgot to mention, that among the crafty things I've done over the summer was make three cloths... two dish type, trying out (finally) the "new" Bernat Handicrafter Cotton Twists, and one face cloth with regular Handicrafter. The only difference between a face cloth and a dish cloth, in my opinion, is what room I use them in. Oh, and colour, maybe pattern....

I also made some wrist warmers.

And I'm working on a baby gift... A very close friend of mine is going to be a grandma soon. First time... so I'm working on some special gifties.... Hard to choose what to make, lol... I think I'm a little late at being ready to make baby stuff... Oh, well - I'm sure there will be more babies to knit for. No more of my own grandkids, I hope - four is enough!!! But there will be other babies, other gifts, maybe even some great-grandkids one day. Working in a yarn store, I'm exposed to a lot of cute patterns, and luscious baby yarns....

So - I'll try to get some pics resized, and post them later this week. And I'll likely take another walk down blog-memory lane :)

Memory Lane....

So, November of 2005.... Where are they now?

First post made reference to Frost Flowers and Leaves. A shawl... I started it, I restarted it, I started it again.... Never got much past the 21st round.... I was going to use Durasport from Briggs & Little, buying one skein at a time - well, I know that I'll never get remotely close to a dyelot three years later!! But I also know that I love using Durasport for shawls. I've completed a couple using it since then... Wish it came in more colours, though. Oh, well - not like I don't know how to dye it myself! I also talked about Nikoal - how easy to baby sit she was... still is ;) And I committed to cleaning my house. Oh, well - I guess I should have been committed, instead. Might have made a bigger difference somewhere. I know I've decluttered a lot over the three years. I've hauled a lot of stuff to the local thrift store. Ok, so I've brought a few things back as well, but I've been taking more than bringing home.

Next post defined some goals - cleaning goals. Again, wrong time of year to clean windows, but this year, we're getting some nice days. I did do some windows a week or so ago - upstairs bedroom, downstairs entry way. Hopefully, I'll get them done this round, if not this year. I'll do as many as I can before the weather turns truly nasty. Biggest danger, of course, is hot water on cold glass - can't afford to replace the windows right now. (though, new windows *would* be clean....)

Another multi topic post followed... let's see if I can update that one! I mentioned a contest entry item... can't for the life of me recall what it might have been!! Hopefully, I mention it again in a later post, and I can figure it out!! Anyway - I talked about my eye-brain functions. I think that learning to knit from charts made me realize that I might be slightly dyslexic. I mean, I know that when I started to wear glasses, the eye doctor said that my eyes needed help to focus, so that the images didn't split. Briefly, your eye muscles need to do two things - focus and adjust to keep you from seeing double. According to that doc, my muscles couldn't do both at once, so the glasses do half the job. Well, maybe I was always dyslexic... or, maybe the doc was right, but even now I still have a little trouble with keeping letters and words and stuff in the right place... So, that would explain a lot of things, like why some of my typos don't always get corrected (I don't always see them) and why I have trouble with patterns that are wordy. Ah, Spud... I do still miss her. We buried her last weekend - thought we'd do it this coming (Cdn) Thanksgiving. But, the weather was right, and we didn't know what it might be now (this weekend is supposed to be rainy - not a good time to be digging holes! so I guess it turned out for the best). Anyway - pics of Mica when she was a kitten, with the dogs. Mica is still kittenish in her behaviour - still plays quite a bit. Still takes an interest in everything going on... still tries to walk on the ceiling. She does walk on the floor a bit more often than she used to, though. And I mentioned something about before and after pics of the house...still don't have the guts to do that. Maybe I never will.... I'll just post after pics ;) Part of the reason I don't want to do pics - well, I like my privacy... Yeah, I know, bare all blog postings... but I'm still a bit shy about the old identity theft stuff. The more I reveal, the more risk. Well, actually - I suppose that if someone really wanted to, they could go through the archives and really glean a lot - I've identified my kitties, my doggies, I've shown a couple pics of myself. I've named most of the grandkids - I have indirectly identified where I live... I can't recall if I blotted out the license plate on my truck when I showed pics of it after the accident.... My yard is shown in a few angles... Interior shots of my house might reveal more... At least, in my head. Oh, gee - guess I just gave a ton of information here, too!!! DANG.

The next post seems a bit boring... told about progress or lack thereof on the housework and the crafting... I did get my countertop back. Then lost it, then back, then gone... that is the trouble with only having a tiny little counter to work with. Only place to put some things. I still have a tiny kitchen. Though, I've added some storage to it. Acquired one of those plastic drawer units, and a shelving set. Also, got rid of a small round kitchen table, and bought a larger rectangle one. Now, that sounds silly, I know - but it really did make a positive difference. First of all, the old table was too small. Being round, once you put the supper dishes for two people on it, and the usual condiments (salt/pepper/bread/butter) there was no room left. Any other serving dishes, food, etc. etc. had to stay on the stove or counter. The new table, though, has a lot of surface space, so a good worktop; also, it is a cool table - it has a drawer in it!!! Nice, fabric lined (fake velvet of some sort) so I keep my fancy serving utensils in there, some hotmats, a few other odds and ends. Gave me more room in my drawers. Oh, and the plastic drawer unit holds my most often used cooking utensils, and I finally have a drawer to keep my dishcloths and towels in. Gave me even more storage room in the linen/utility closet and in the other drawer. My kitchen cabinets (built in) only has two drawers - one for cutlery, the other for everything else. Well, of course that wasn't enough space for all that I needed... Anyway - now they are cleaned out, so no more digging when I need something!! The living room is still a disaster, though - I still haven't fully recovered (aka unpacked) from when we tore out the carpet back last Christmastime. In some cases, if I haven't missed some of the stuff in boxes since then, I can declutter. Other stuff, though, I know I'm missing.... I need to get it back out of the boxes and on the shelves!! And I have less time to do it than I did three years ago... I mentioned back then, one day for errands, two days for housework, one day for laundry, and one day for extra errands or travel related stuff... well, now I work part time. I still try to do laundry on Wednesdays - not so hard, because I try to do it first thing in the morning (6 am). The rest - well, I shop when I need to, and squeeze in cleaning when I can.

{slapping self on head} OH!!! Three years ago was the "Shetland Lace Workshop". Ok, now I see what the contest entry was all about!!! I made a scarf and a mini hap shawl, and the contest was to show pics of what we did for the workshop.... So, this would be the fourth winter for that scarf... I was thinking how I was getting a bit tired of the scarf... I mean, yes, I did a good job making it; I like the patterns; I like Shetland lace; etc., but I do get tired of wearing/looking at the same thing alllllll the time. I also own another scarf - store bought; about eight feet long or so...has a fringe (I'm not fond of fringes, especially acrylic in winter - talk about nasty static get it in your mouth). Anyway - I like the fact that in the deepest coldest part of winter it is a nice long wraparoundable scarf (I know, there probably isn't such a word, but it conveys the idea). However, I realized, that I've had that scarf since my mid-teens. I'm nearly fifty.... I work in a yarn store. I know how to knit. I'm going to be replacing the 8 foot scarf this winter. I"m likely replacing the Shetland Lace scarf, too.... I know I posted a picture somewhere with the hap shawl - since it became Ashleigh's blankie. Ashleigh - the blanket hog. Any blankie - whether it be for a person or a pet, she has to test it. Or claim it.... More workshops have followed the Shetland Lace. We also did a Gansey Workshop - I started a sweater - need to finishe that one. Currently, there is a Fair Isle workshop... Liz Lovick leads them. She is a wonderful teacher. :)

Not much in the next post.... Talked about a potluck dinner - shared a recipe. I like making Chicken Wings now a different way. I make my own hotwings. Used to like some served at a "wing night" in a particular bar. But it closed - so I had to find a substitute. Tripped over a TV show that told how the "professionals" make hotwings... I adapted, and... Everyone loves my wings. Hm... I have some wings in the freezer, should thaw them and make a batch of hotwings....

Another short post... didn't say a lot.... The next post after was for/about November 11th. I'm not going to add to that any today - but stay tuned next month for some comments....

More short posts... one about a Harry Potter sorting hat link... I got put into Hufflepuff back then. Wonder what I'd be now?

Woah!! Long post coming...Ok, let's see:
Bear Afghan - Nikolis has it, and still loves it...
Gift aghan was appreciated... Don't bother to watch the TV show "Lost" anymore, if it still is even on... got worse instead of better, I lost all interest...
Finished the second mystery shawl that I was doing then...gave it away...
Haven't finished the sampler squares - don't like that slip stitch for colourwork at all at all at all!!!!! I like to use fair isle or intarsia techniques... and I'm still learning many more techniques. I now think of myself as "advanced" in knitting skills. Still lots to learn - My philosophy is you can never stop learning *something*. I mentioned the other day about learning more cast-on techniques. But I think I've advanced in my skill set now. I regularly rotate between a few techniques for different things, without having to look them up. And I've moved into things such as teaching and designing...
Cleaning... always on about the lack of cleaning.... I'm doing the "spring clean" version now. Have one room completed, but am not finding a good block of time to start another room. So, I'm chipping away - not doing the whole room, but still doing what I can. Wiping things down, tackling mini areas - then when I do have a block of time, I can whip through the room in no time!! {crossing fingers} (oh, and at least I have much less carpet to have to clean now!!)
Ah, the trip... We still talk about that... even came up again just last night!

Next post had pictures. Taken with a mini digital camera. Still have that camera, but DH uses it at work. We have the nice one now. I like it - except for the part where I have to resize the pics for sharing. I still keep the original size pics, too - burn them on a cd. That way, if I need the better quality pic, I still have it.

Another brief post, about a pet... and a longish post about a plan to design a knitted afghan. I did start it, but never got very far. Ran into some rough spots, then it became a UFO. Think a lot had to do with that trip interrupting the process.

More about the afghan...and the cool tools. I still have them. The sparkly acrylic needles and hooks. I even use them on occasion. I've also since learned that "H.A.Kidd" are the importers for DMC products...so, a "good" name... (if you do like I do, and open the archived posts in a new window, then starting at the bottom, read through them, you can follow along to refresh your memory if you want to about the original posts)

Next I tried to do a time estimate on that cat afghan... Obviously, since it is still in UFO status, I didn't get it done. :( Interestingly, though - I've gotten a bit faster at crochet with more practice. And, even though I mentioned how much I disliked weaving in ends (still do dislike it) it is interesting that the projects which most appeal to me, and that I do most often, are ones that need lots and lots of ends woven in...yes, I do a lot of colourwork in both knit and crochet!!

Finally - A short but full post.... Ashleigh on her hap shawl. Still have the shawl, but the cat tower she was sleeping in the top of is gone. Replaced it - of course she got too big to fit so well into the nest on top of it. My dear friend from Kansas and I still keep in touch - I would love to go visit her and her farm one day. And funerals... There is one tomorrow, for another person who DH knows. I really don't know her at all - have only talked to her husband a few times; but DH knows her husband better. He is likely going to the funeral. The thing that gets to us - the woman was close to our age. And, just a couple of weeks ago, another person we know/knew died suddenly - again, someone our age. Unfortunately, though, we didn't hear until it was too late to attend the funeral... Both of these ladies died as a result of complications relating to diabetes.

So. That was November of '05. Some things, I thought happened longer ago (the Shetland Lace Workshop for example) and others I remember as though they were yesterday... I've learned many things since then, too... People have come and gone from my life... new friends fill the gaps left by old friends gone... priorities change constantly, value placed on people and things change with each experience....

Next up: I'll post some current stuff, maybe some pictures, then move on to December of '05. See what I was up to leading up to our trip....

Education

I was thinking about my posts the other day.... I know I had a thought while I was writing one of the paragraphs, but it left my brain before I could get it down...

It came to me later. It was about one of the things I'd said some years back - about the differences in the way my sister and I do our cast on. Even though we were both taught to knit by our mother, she uses a long tail cast on, and I use a knitted on cast on.

Well, I've had to learn other cast on methods... In order to accomplish some of the great lace shawls that I've fallen in love with, I've had to learn to do a provisional cast on. Not so hard, once you know what the purpose is, and why you have to - seems to make the understanding of the construct of the thing easier. In other words, I had some problems the first time I did it, but with practice and repeated use, I've gotten rather good at recovering the live stitches from a provisional cast on. The same principle works for sock toe grafting - now that I've done it, and paid attention to what I'm doing, I am having a much easier time of it.

For some shawls, the directions are for a center start. This can be awkward to do the "conventional" way (four or five dpns) and might leave a small hole in the center (may not really look good for the overall design, might be incorporated in the overall design). However, there is a center start that is suggested, often called "Ocker" or some such (Emily Ocker?) Anyway - I "got it" right away, because it uses the same principal as some crocheted doily starts. I'd had practice and experience with those, and understood the principle.

I've also found that I need to learn more cast on methods, especially since getting a job at a yarn store. My knitted on cast on, which has served me well for 45 some years, isn't always the best method. And, customers come in asking for assistance with projects which specify other cast on methods for various reasons. At one time, if I would have come upon these sorts of patterns, I would read to see if I could get away with substituting another cast on, or I would just not do that project. Now, though - I found myself learning new techniques.

I can now do a cable cast on (not much different than the knitted on cast on) as well as the long tail cast on. I will often use one of these other methods just to keep them in practice.

I also didn't bother to go into long lists of WIP's and UFO's... Suffice it to say, that I still haven't gotten a cure for my problem - I still have a short attention span, I still get all excited about new projects and patterns and books and yarn. I'm still able to resist buying yarn until I have a project in mind for it. With few exceptions - sock yarn, after all, can always be knit into a sock... whether a "plain vanilla" basic sock, or one of the many free sock patterns I've been amassing, or one of the sock designs that are roaming around in my head waiting to be put on needles and/or paper... There are a few yarns that I walk by at work, that call out to me, but never say what they want to be. So they just sit and wait.... Some of them finally go home with someone else. The odd one does manage to convince me - but very few. VERY VERY few.

I have made a couple of dishcloths lately. And I made some wrist warmers. I must say, I used to think these were silly - pointless. But I've been converted - yes, this still relates to education, lol.... I've learned that they really do make a difference to stiff hands. They really will work to keep the backs of my hands warm while typing. And they are comfortable. And warm. And they look nice, too :) I've only just finished my first pair the other day, and wore them to work yesterday. I wore them on Sunday, too... My hands did feel better all day. I think I'll make another pair or two... (plus a couple as gifts)

Well, my next post will cover my next month of historic posts... :)

Keeping the promise

Well, I promised to pop in and write again today, so here I am :)

I don't have a lot of time, but wanted to make sure I posted today, since my blog officially was launched on Oct. 3, 2005. So, today is the Official Birthday.

I've sure come a long way since then... I mean, I decided to start a blog, because of all the cute pets I'd seen on other blogs. I really needed another kitty for my collection, and figured I needed a blog to keep it on. Yes, "it", since I really haven't decided if Fuschia Kitty is male or female... Just 'cause I chose pink, doesn't automatically mean "her". Anyway - I found lots of pets to collect. Which you all know by now - so many cute critters!!! I apologize to those of you with speakers, who've mentioned to me the startling and often humourous incidents caused by the little chick. You can turn off the chirping; and it stays turned off (unless you are one of those who regularly toss your cookies {grin}) so you won't have to explain to your kitties that there isn't a bird hiding in your computer!! I've also found that the sheep's constant chewing can get annoying after awhile, too... But again, you can turn off the sound for her. Yes, the sheep is a her. I don't know why - I guess "just 'cause".

Anyway - My first few posts were kind of dull, lol. I mostly whined about not knowing how to add things to the side of my blog. You can tell, though, that I figured most of it out. Blogger has become more and more user-friendly over the years, too. I have been able to add a lot of cool stuff - clocks, weather reports, more pets. I still, on occassion, have to ask for a bit of help from people more computer savvy than me, but I'm learning :)

My next posting way back then was about the knitting group that I joined. The informal get together with other knitters in my city. I'm still meeting up with them - made some great friends. We still enjoy knitting and laughing together. I see also, re-reading my post of Oct. 6/05, that I mentioned something about being told once that I wasnt' a "real knitter" because I use acrylic yarn. Well, amazing how some things change.... Since working in a yarn store, I'm becoming a bit of a "yarn snob". I still will knit with acrylic, and would never ever presume to tell anyone they shouldn't - but I'm finding that I prefer to knit with wool, wool blends, higher quality acrylics (my stash of cheap acrylic might just find its way to a charity bin one day) and other luxury fibres... not to mention, I'm spinning my own yarn now... (Ok, I'm still making beginner yarn, but I *am* spinning)

Thanksgiving was a week earlier that year - and I posted pics of the four legged family. Boy, was Ashleigh tiny back then!! She's much sturdier now, though still pretty dainty. Ok, that seems to be an oxymoron, but - She and Mica are now the same size, but Mica is a hefty kitty. She's solid, not "fat", but muscular. Stocky? Yeah, I think that is the word. Ashleigh, on the other hand, is sleek. Slim and trim. Still a little on the shy reserved side about getting into trouble, but sometimes, she can start mischief just as well as her big sister. Bear is slowing down a bit now, at 10 years old (nearly 11 - his birthday is in January). Still loves to play frisbee, but takes a break much sooner. Also, seems to enjoy staying in the house more, especially in the cooler weather... Glad I made him a nice cushy blankie. :)

Of course, Roxy and Spud are now hanging out at the Rainbow Bridge. I do miss Rox, but somehow, not as much as I miss Spud. I'm not a dog person, really. But she just wormed her way into my heart.... We'll be burying her ashes this coming Thanksgiving (next weekend) out at our cabin. Roxy is already there...

Next blog post was about starting the Frost Flowers and Leaves shawl from the Gathering of Lace book. Wow. Didn't realize that FF&L was now a 3 yr old UFO. Yeah, UFO. I've made many more lace shawls since then, even designed one this year. BUT - I had some problems following the pattern at around round 19 or so - hm, now that I'm more experienced, maybe I should dig that out and finish it. I also talked about the sewing machine I bought - a "new to me" Singer. Still don't have it set up proper, either... Hm. Guess I should get busy... Cleaning my house --- seems to be a recurring theme on this blog. I'm taking another crack at it now even. OK, so back about nine years ago (Jan. 2000) I felt inspired to do a thorough proper cleaning of my house. Once I got it clean, I actually KEPT it clean. Every morning, I had a ritual, that started upstairs in the bedroom with making the bed... I came downstairs, cleaning on my way...tidying up, etc. Once a week, (or more often if it needed it) I did the "major" cleaning - washing floors, dragging the heavy vacuum upstairs to do the carpets, etc. Even the "major" cleaning was usually done by 10 am. Day to day stuff by 7 am. I had the whole day guilt free to craft or whatever I wanted.... Lasted a year. Then, something distracted me for a couple weeks, and I got behind.... Suffered an unrelated depression for a year...got further behind.... I am trying to get back to the life I had in 2000 ever since. Maybe this year....

My next post listed projects that were WIP`s.... I see that some of them became FO`s, others UFO`s. I`ve also started (and finished) a lot since then!!! I`m going to have to make a new list.... Picture album has changed. I used to use Yahoo photo album online - which no longer exists. They changed everyone to Flickr. Well, I do use Flickr, to host my blog buttons. And Ravelry is Flickr compatible. But I prefer Picasa web album for my pictures. Mind you, I see that I havn`t updated that in a long time... I need to find time to edit size on my pictures that I`ve taken lately, and get them uploaded. And saved to CD, so I don`t lose anything if something happens to the `puter...

Well, I see that I am improving on some house and packrattiness... I don`t save so many plastic tubs... (Ok, if you haven`t figured out by now, I have another browser open to my archive, and I`m commenting on each past post ;) ) And boy, has Nikoal grown!!! I would hope so, after three years, lol... One of my current WIP`s-cum-UFO`s is a crochet blanket for her third birthday, which was back in July. I`m nearly done...really I am.... Anyway - the cats and the kids still get along. Strange... for kitties who hardly are exposed to kids, they seem to not mind when the kids come over - the cats will allow themselves to be cuddled or played with. No running away and hiding for my girls....

And we are now at the final post for Oct of 2005... The Cat Holiday. I mentioned my witch costume... still working on finding a decent cauldron. I have the hat still, a new broom, and last year I added the cape.... previously, I used a long black coat; but since I don`t have the coat anymore, I had to get a cape.
I still like to look after Nikoal - she`s still my little sweetheart...
I`m still spinning - but should be getting busy on wheel practice. I`m getting fairly consist with the drop spindle, and making yarn that looks decent plied (instead of singles that are fat enough to be bulky yarn on their own, I can get some thin enough to ply together for about a 2-ply worsted weight)
I enjoy knitting with my sister still - and she is enjoying her newfound `yarn snobbery` too... :)
And, I do have all I need to make the sewing machine work, except time and space, lol....

Ok - so that is an update!!! I`ve come a long way, baby ;) in those three years... and I`ve done some back-sliding, too.

Well, I best get going here - we are going to the cabin this weekend, so I need to pack. And get ready to go to work today!!! I`ll post more next week! Promise.

My Blog Birthday :)

Wow. My blog is three years old. And I've soooo neglected it this summer!!!

Ravelry has eaten some of my time - though I've been neglecting that, too...

Being away whenever we could through the summer, and working, took more computer time away....

And Casablanca was the biggest drain on my time. Knitting, testing, ripping.... graphing, typing, retyping....

And now I need to buy a program to create slightly more professional looking graphs/pattern so I can offer it for sale.

I did some other knitting - don't have pictures ready to share yet, and one I forgot to take a picture of at all :(

Over the summer, I made a doggy blanket, two kitty blankets, a pair of socks for a friend, two pair of baby booties that I sort of adapted some designing (and those I forgot to do the photo of!) and started a few more socks and sweaters. I'm almost finished a baby blanket in crochet that needed to be done for July of '08. Yeah, I know - late late late.....

I also did some projects for work - no photos of them, either. Since they are work related....

I got to teach a beginning sock workshop, and will be teaching an advanced sock workshop next month...

I get the grandkids every morning before school now, too.... they should be here by now, but seem to be running late....

Tomorrow there is no school, so hopefully, I'll have a bit more time to share :)

I'll try to do better at keeping up with the blog from now on!