2.28.11

What if I take time off from knitting? Where is the bead class going to lead? This image comes from Calitrendz. While I may not use my new skill to make adornments for hair thingees, the shape and the colors are interesting to me.

I keep thinking my creative interests, while on different paths, run parallel sometimes. Does peyote stitch have anything to do with my interest in knitting? My re-kindled basketry avocation?

2.27.11

Oh. No. I signed up for a peyote stitch jewelry class. I wonder if we will make anything like these beads that I saw at Embroidered Soul made by someone named Helen. Where am I headed with this?

One time, not too long ago, I had the idea of planning out my days and weeks, lining up successive projects. Maybe spend an hour or two a day on one thing, then move to another, then another.

Now it seems I let caprice take me where it will.  I thought about that for awhile. What if I stayed with one thing at a time or what if when I woke up in the morning, I consulted my planner and then set off to work on whatever was on the schedule? I think it would turn into WORK on what was on the schedule, instead of enjoy. Besides, I think I work more efficiently when I am driven by that almost uncontrollable urge to make. Whatever the project will be.

3.2.11

2.26.11

No, not this week. This snowman is from the New Year's leftover snow but we HAVE had some weather. The sun is well and truly up and the world is a lovely place even at 28 degrees. It COULD snow, I suppose, but I don't think it is wet enough. Wet weather the day before our windstorms made some frost.

Still, yesterday I bought new cushions for our porch furniture with an eye toward outdoor basketry. I have a few odds and ends to tuck in before I finish my three current baskets, about an hour to go on a hat, a baby blanket I put on needles, the never-ending brown vest is making slow but steady progress, and I picked up my tiny bearmaking habit again. This afternoon I plan to catch up on photography so I can begin posting with some kind of daily sort of ritual again. If only there were more hours in the day...

2.25.11

We had quite a windy night last night. Winds at 35 mph woke us up. I don't see any trees down on our property this morning, but when we go out this afternoon I will bring my camera.

In the time I have been away, I have not finished any knitting but I have done a lot of reading and some basketry. I expect to organize all my posts and photos this afternoon, so check back.

2.11.11

Knit from my stash.
Knit for Christmas 2011.
Knit for a Knit-along.

2.5.11

We have had a visitor for a couple of weeks--FLAT STANLEY. We have enjoyed his stay and taken his photograph all over town. See? He went to get donuts with us one day. If you click on the link, you can find out about this literacy project inspired by the story by Dale Hubert.

You will notice that Stanley is dressed to fit in around town. He has mossy oak cargo pants and a matching mossy oak t-shirt with the University of Georgia logo on it. His hat is also mossy oak and has a picture of Uga (THE University of Georgia Bulldog, click the link and see the real thing) on it. Unfortunately, when Stanley arrived he was wearing orange and blue. There is not a lot of tolerance for that color combination around here. In fact, orange is an extremely controversial color.

2.3.11

My birthday present. What fun! We had a great time at the Blue Ridge Brewery. I would be happy to eat there every week but I would have to go back to work full-time to be able to afford it.

2.2.11

Cast on for a new cowl. This one is Cream and Sugar pattern, by Alana Dakos. I am doing mine in stash yarn. It is Araucania Ranco Multy. I have completed the search for the correct needles (half an hour), the cast-on of 250+ stitches (15 minutes), photography and photo editing (15 minutes). The color looks quite Valentine-y and seems appropriate for a February knit. Meanwhile, I continue to enjoy my Lava Flow even though I never found the red alpaca blend I had hoped to find. I will be casting on another Windschief hat in the next few days.

2.1.11

Basket classes are going well. All I have left on the Nantucket is the handle and flattening the rim brads. The Thursday class moves right along and I have about another hour of work to finish a market basket.

I finished my Boneyard Shawl. See? I like the color balance and the great design.  Next time I need a satisfying, semi-long-term knit, I will use the pattern. The pattern calls for all one piece of yarn--that is, not switching for color. I have seen it in multi-colored yarns as well as solids and semi-solids. I think I would enjoy making it in a heathered natural or some other subtly colored yarn. There was one finished on Ravelry that was of a LONG color repeat and even though the purl ridges did not occur at the color changes, I liked it quite well. This shawl works up in all gauges of yarn, just adjust for yarn thickness regarding needle size and amount of yarn needed.