i feel like my blog

what's OLD is NEW again!!!! it's been several weeks now since i started on Crystal's shawl and i'm making slow progress ... two stitches forward, 10 rows ripped back! i initially started out with a softer, DK weight yarn and discovered i don't like garter stitch at that weight, with those needles. Although i had invested a good amount of time into trying to convince myself otherwise, i simply had to say it out loud ... I DON'T LIKE GARTER STITCH! (so, i scrapped that creative option and ALL those cute medallions i had crocheted for inserts and edging) ... ripped it all out and rolled it back into a cute little ball, waiting for the next inspiration to hit! ... i trudged onward to the next pattern and found some warm, soft Homespun that was GOING TO BE IT!!! i could feel it my bones AND my needles, found an awesome pattern and hit the road! About 18 rows into it i made a mistake in reading the pattern, but surely noone but ME would notice, so i just kept knitting .... and trying NOT to look back at row 18 ...... i'm now on row 100, so close to the end ... but i'm still looking down at row 18 and that spot is just GLARING ..... ,,,,really, it's okay, i can just bind off and it will be okay ... or NOT!!!! so, while on the way to taking our daughter back to college for another semester i ripped out 100+ rows all because i refused to make the necessary adjustments BACK ON ROW 18!!!!!!!!

yea well ..... nothing lost .... just LOTS LEARNED ..... if you can't rip, don't EVEN start a project! i started, yet again, on a really simple project and believe it or not ... it is GARTER STITCH and i'm loving it! (what a woman ....fickle? or perhaps, just always open for change and new ideas and approaches!) .... a simple triangle, started from the bottom, knit in garter stitch and feeling ever so soft .... i'll finish it off with a simple lace crochet edge and Crystal's hug should be complete .....

so see ... i'm learning - - sometimes I can dictate the pattern, but often times the YARN dictates the pattern and the wisdom comes in learning to listen ... to hear the melody that needles and yarn are ever so softly trying to sing ....

in the rhythm of the needles there is music for the soul ...

and hopefully a hug for Crystal in the not so distant future!

change in perspective

i have a friend who recently learned that she has breast cancer .... i also have a blanket that i've been working on all summer that i had designated as my 'defining project' of all that i was going to accomplish this summer .... however, upon learning of crystal's circumstances somehow all my 'projects' seem to pale in significance! my blanket can wait ... so can those washcloths that match my new kitchen .... and that sweater i had hoped to wear for the 1st day of school ..... yea well ...... now i'm thinking (knowing) that my attention and prayers should be turned to crystal ... and to finding some way to express to her that i am praying for her .. and wanting to 'fix it' if only i could ..... my yarn and needles have found their way around a shawl pattern that is soft and simple and hopefully will insulate her against some of the cold and discouragement that so often creeps in during these times. seems rather appropriate that a skein of Homespun will now hold all my prayers that she'll find the comforts of her own Home when she wraps this rose colored Hug of Yarn around her shoulders to block the chill... to remind her that she is surrounded by family and friends who are in her balcony ... cheering for her .. praying for her ....

never minimize the significance of something that you make .... handmade is NOT a trait for the fainthearted but rather a characteristic of someone who is generous and thoughtful, creative and willing to share their own heart with someone who has made an impact on theirs!

looking at things in a different way

We've spent the past month learning about crochet as the
compliment to our knitting. We learned all about the granny square .... and the many uses that are out there for this meager little creation. BUT, did you know that Granny's also got Flowers?

Truth be told, Granny's got triangles and squares and flowers and just about any other shape you can imagine and/or crochet! I found these little flowers on the bottom of a Caron pattern and decided to give them a chance to see how well they would blossom! They are very portable and work up rather quickly so my collection is growing and i think i've found an interesting place to plant them!

I recently learned about a dear friend's diagnosis with breast cancer and immediately my needles started looking for yarn and ways to minister to this sweet sister. I found the yarn that my flowers are made from to be quite soft and gentle and before i knew it a shawl was being knit to wrap around her shoulders in the days ahead. What would it look like to sprinkle some of these flowers in the midst of the shawl and then to border them all along the edge? http://www.naturallycaron.com/projects/turnberry/turnberry_1.html

Using a very simple shawl formula I cast on 3 stitches and knit them. I wanted a simple edge for the neck so i'll maintain a 2 stitch border and use the Yarn Over to help distinguish. I also want a central spine so my YOs will help me there as well. With that in mind I started knitting the following:
Row 2: k1, yo, k1, yo, k1. Row 3: k2, yo, k1, yo, knit to end. Row 4: k2, yo, knit to yo, yo, k1, yo, k to end. Row 5 to end: Continue the Row 4 formula until you reach the desired length/width. I'm going to have this one finish out at approximately 65 inches wide, being mindful that my medallions are approximately 4" wide (so that will equate to a knitted shawl of 56 inches wide). I'm also thinking about using the center of each medallion in the middle of my shawl pattern just to break up the garter stitch and create a bit of interest.

There are so many uses for the gifts and talents and yarn we all have in our closet, or under our bed or wherever we may have it stashed. And in those moments when my heart longs to 'fix it' for someone who is hurting, my instincts are to share my heart through my knitting. Though i may not have walked in the steps of my friend, i know that i would want to share a hug and a prayer and a constant reminder that she is surrounded by friends who sincerely want to share in her journey. Simple? Sure. But sometimes the most precious gifts are those with no price tag but carry a treasure chest FULL of encouragement and memories and inspiration!


Today may not have turned out exactly as you would have hoped or planned but maybe that is God's way of asking us to see things in a 'different' way .... using His eyes to help us focus and
adjust our perspective so we can better handle it all.


Some people just see a ball of yarn .... you see a cotton washcloth!

Some people just see a scarf .... you close your eyes and remember the cashmere as it was coming out of the skein, the pleasure of watching the 'perfect pattern' unfold beneath your needles and the contentment in knowing that the 'scarf' was created as a one of a kind gift!


Some see sticks and hooks and string ... you have learned that it in keeping knit simple you have found a catalyst for your passion and an avenue for sharing your heart ... for all to see... one stitch at a time.

simple saturdays

sometimes i think i get so busy looking for the 'ultimate' thing to knit or crochet and i forget that life really is only as complicated as we make it! simple things - simple gifts - are often much more effective and speak volumes in their simplicity... and it is ME that fumbles the ball of yarn and makes a mess out of my intentions!

Such frantic searching can lead one to overlook the obvious .. i.e., the granny square. Do i HAVE to make a HUGE afghan in order to pay proper homage to the granny square and make it the 'end-all-be-all' gift? i recently found another option for granny's square .. modified for the children and/or the young at heart .... and while i'm not really sure how the trademark issues would be to sell such gifts, i know that anything i share from my heart to yours has no financial measure to it ... it's Priceless!

Granny Squares can be filled with kitty cats, hearts, flowers, simple squares .... limited only by your imagination and/or ability to find the pattern if you're not feeling so brave! I found the cat square at http://craftser.org/forum/index.php?topic=89644.30. How cute would a sweet little washcloth made with these sweet little kitties be (lots of good bubble bath time!) .... what about a little purse with cats and flowers and lots of pink or red? http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/ is LOADED with options ....

Go fix a glass of iced tea .... start doing some surfing and before long the sweet and simple summer days will return with plenty of options for making memories that last a lifetime.

enjoying the summer breezes

yes, i know it's July and technically it's supposed to already by 100 degrees outside but God has been so gracious this week to share some cooler weather with us ... lows in the mid 50s and highs only around 80ish ..... it was perfect for some time at the lake with friends ... and even better time to sit outside on the porch swing and work on my dishcloth to send to my swap buddy.

this is a pattern called Heart Lace Cloth, designed by S.M. Kahn and is available from her site at http://smariek.blogspot.com/. It's is a great way to work on some lace and learn some new techniques. I used a long tail cast on and then finished off with the casting-on cast off found in Elizabeth Zimmerman's book, Knitter's Almanac, page 143 . So although i took some time out to knit i couldn't help but wonder if there was some way to work this block into the Babette Blanket as well .... and special little heart block tucked in among all the granny squares. Yea well, just a point to ponder .....

i have completed sections one through four so far .... and can already see it all taking shape .. i've tried it out on the back of one of our sofas and must admit ... it's going to look good!

another fun thing i've discovered this week, as much out of

necessity as anything else, is that i can strap all my yarns together in a fun little bundle with one large piece of 1" elastic pinned around all 9 skeins of yarn ... as i crochet, they dwindle in size but the elastic shrinks with them and continues to keep them all together ... it makes choosing colors so much fun to just reach down and pull from the middle of whatever color makes me happy at the moment .... and when it's time to stop and cook dinner or fold some clothes i can just pick the entire bundle up and set it aside rather than fumbling with trying to corral 9 skeins at once.

Time to tackle section 5 ..... two 8-round squares mixed with a few smaller ones ..... hope there's something good on TV tonight! you know these squares would make good Christmas gifts for teachers if done in cotton and wrapped around a pretty little bar of soap .... and just think how nice it would be to be AHEAD if you start stockpiling them now!

just another point to ponder ......

putting the pieces together

did you get much accomplished this weekend?

time with family and friends .... but more importantly,

time with your granny?

i managed to make a small dent in the blanket and have included some pictures for sewing the squares together so that the stitching is NOT the focal point. i used the mattress stitch to join them by section and it went relatively smooth. i found that i benefitted from using some knitting clips/safety pins that would help to stabilize the squares until i got to them and thus maintained even spacing.

Beginning at the top right corner of the orange square, insert the needle from right to left, going under the chain and back out through the middle of the next stitch and then pull the yarn through.

Now repeat that same stitching technique in the brown square, stitching in the same approximate stitch as above but don't pull too tight. Think of it as lacing your tennis shoes.

Once you've stitched 4-5 stitches back and forth, pull gently and watch the yarn disappear as your two sqaures snuggle up ... not too tight, not too loose ... and your squares aren't distorted, but rather peacefully playing side by side, just like your granny would want!

guess it's time to stop crocheting for a moment .. i've got a special friend waiting on a swap .... her knitted dishcloth and homemade bar of soap are calling.

Have you checked out www.Ravelry.com yet? so many options, free patterns and new friends just waiting to hear from you.

So, have you tried it yet?

it's friday ... it's still hot outside but i've actually taken the crochet plunge. I've downloaded the Babette Blanket from Interweave's Knitting Daily and have decided to make July the Month of the Granny Square! Not ready to make an entire blanket yet? Well, why not perfect your technique on some washcloths that will inspire you when you do the dishes ... or help you relax when you're taking your bubble baths, surrounded by all those rose petals and candles, yes???

the squares really seem to go pretty fast... need some help? need some encouragement? let me know what i can do .... my granny's calling me!