Stash-N-Stitch

A Dream Come True

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Mon, 28 May 2012 15:52:00 +0000

One thing I have wanted for many years, is a little patio off the back of the house. And since my son moved in and took over my front porch (he's a smoker) I wanted it even more, to have a place to sit on a Summer morning with my coffee and a good book. Yesterday, and thanks to my son Barry, that wish became a reality. This was part of my Birthday/Mother's Day gift from him, along with the raised beds for my vegetable garden. Now both are finished, and my garden is planted, so I can now relax and enjoy my patio.

First he dumped a load of gravel so he could even the ground out. It is extremely uneven. Then he built a frame for the platform, and then finished it. I had already purchased the outdoor carpeting and the gazebo and furniture, and it was just waiting for that platform. Finally it is all come together, and I am totally loving it. To the right is a tall maple tree that offers a lot of shade and a good breeze, which adds to whole in a wonderful way.

This morning, my friend Wendy, joined me for a cuppa on the patio. It was great fun. I will be spending many hours here through the Summer, I am quite sure. I can easily see me out there knitting, reading, even doing some spinning, and even a little napping. That zero-gravity lounge chair is amazing for naps. :)

Have a great Memorial Day, and keep smiling................. :)

May Ends In Style

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Sun, 27 May 2012 12:40:00 +0000

For about 6 weeks now, I've been working, on and off, on a crocheted shell Tee top for myself, from the "Plus Size Fashions" I bought through Annie's Attic. Well, it is finally completed.

The one thing I worried about most, was would it fit me. I made a test swatch first, and everything was right on, so I went ahead and began the project. When finished I was delighted to find it is a perfect fit. The yarn is KnitPick's Cotlin, and I will say this. This top is heavy. Probably because I am a large woman, but I won't be wearing it in Summer. It should be very comfortable in late Fall or Winter though. :) I had ordered extra yarn, since I wasn't sure if the length would satisfy me, and I might want to make it longer. But it worked out perfect as written, so I have 4 skeins left to make something else with. What? I have no idea as yet, but I'll think of something. Maybe I can make a matching "fashion" scarf to wear with it. :)

I am still working on the crocheted afghan and I've started a pair of socks with the Opal yarn my Sister Ruthie gave me for my birthday. But while working on the Tee top, and the blanket, I also decided what to do with a small ball of red homespun yarn.

I decided to try an "infinity" scarf. Not the full size, but I used every bit of the yarn. This homespun was made from roving that was given to me from my friend Heather. After I spun up the yarn, I had about 100 yds, and was scratching my brain to find what I might do with it. Then a friend, Jackie, sent me the pattern for this scarf. I didn't make it full width, only 21 stitches wide, nor the full length, as I ran out of yarn at 42" long, but long enough, I think. I made a half twist, then wove the ends together, and this is what I ended up with. By the way, it is long enough to twist again, and wrap around once more, for a nice fitting and snug, Winter-warm scarf.

Now that it's warming up for good, I will be pressing on to finish the afghan, which is just a bit more than half way done. Then maybe it will be a few smaller and lighter projects, although I am also contemplating a KNIT top for myself too. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Till next time, I hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.
Keep smiling............... :)

A 70th Birthday, A Graduation, & A Mother's Day Celebration

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:31:00 +0000

This past weekend, May 11th, 12th, & 13th, was truly memorable for me in so many ways. My 70th birthday, my niece's graduation from college, and Mother's Day with my "Baby" Sister, who was home from Germany, for her daughter's graduation ceremony.

The drive to my sister's home is a rather lengthy one, 3½ hours or more, and I was very concerned how it would go. Expecting long traffic delays because of major road work being done in one area, and because of how it might bother my leg and back. Long drives have bothered me in the past, so I was expecting it bother me quite a bit. The worry about the traffic jams never happened. I arrived at a great time, and was able to drive right through without any hold-up at all. And I was comfortable enough all the way down, that my back and leg didn't bother me in the least. All my fears and concerns were for naught.

Friday, the 11th, was my 70th birthday. My niece, Jessica, baked me a Mario cake (I enjoy playing Mario games). Needless to say, it was delish! How could it be otherwise, since it was baked with so much love in it? At the end of the day, my Sister Ruth, BIL Jeff, Jessica, a friend Ed, and I all went to dinner at a local Chinese Restaurant for my birthday dinner. Fabulous meal.

I also received lots of GREAT gifts too. My BBF gave me a gift cert for Amazon.com, my friend Ollie gave me a gift cert for KnitPicks.com. My son built me 3 raised beds for my vegetable garden, to make it easier for me to do my gardening this year, and then spent a good day filling them with old composted sheep manure from behind the old barn. My friend Lori gave me a novel, "A Heartbeat Away" by Michael Palmer. Then there were the gifts from my sister, niece and a good friend.

From my Sister Ruthie

A foot cleaner to use in the shower. I've been dying to try one of these, and now I have one. They work great, by the way. And it feels super too. Also, two skeins of Opal sock yarn, from the Vincent VanGogh collection. Thanks again Seester. I totally love my gifts, every one.

From my niece, Jessica

A knitting caddy filled with goodies. A pot holder and coasters that she crocheted for me herself. A crafter's tote bag, scissors, tape measure, and every free knitting pattern flyleaf she could find in the store. And because she knows I also play Angry Birds, a book for Anger Management, where you can write out your frustrations rather than lose your temper. There was also a little bag for keeping needles and hooks, which she filled with very pretty pencils, and a box of stitch markers. LOL Thank you too Jessica. Your gifts will get plenty of use, I'm sure.

And from a dear friend, Corinne

An absolutely gorgeous quilt she made for me. It is the first quilt I've ever owned too. All in my favorite colors, and covered with flowers. I will cherish it forever. Thank you so much Corinne, and I promise it will be well used.

On Saturday, May 12th, was Jessica Lynne's graduation from Kutztown Unniversity. She earned her Bachelor of Art's Degree from the Visual and Performing Arts College, majoring in Studio Art and Photography.

This is a photo of me with my adorable niece, Jessica. We are all very proud of her. After the graduation ceremony, we all went to dinner at The Outback, and again I enjoyed another fabulous meal.

Above, my sister Ruth, Jessica, and her Dad, Jeff Hanson.

On Mother's Day, May 13th, we all went to the movies to see Johnny Depp in "Dark Shadows." I believe everyone had a great time. I know I did, and my Sister was laughing so hard, I know she did too. For Mother's Day dinner we went to Applebee's. Talk about a great weekend, who could possibly ask for more?

Not a drop of knitting or crocheting to share today, but I am still busy working on my afghan and my crocheted top. Eventually one of them will be finished, and I promise to share when they are. Until the next time, I hope you are enjoying sunny days and and great weekends too. Keep smiling...... :)

One FO, And One Half-Way

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Thu, 03 May 2012 20:22:00 +0000

It has been a bit of a dry spell around here, and I'm not just referring to the weather. I admit, it did look like we were heading for trouble, as April started out. Our dry Winter was beginning to look like a very dry Spring as well. For a while conditions were so bad, there was a total ban on burning for the entire northeast area of PA, and further. But as the month came to an end, the rains began, and so far, they have not let up too much.

Right now we are enjoying a pleasant lull because the sun is out and it's warm and wonderful outside. It won't last long. We had a nasty bit last night with a lot of high wind, hail, and heavy rain. This morning it was raining lightly, but around 11 AM it began clearing. The rain is scheduled to return again tonight and tomorrow, and according to the weather report, which is always subject to change, Sunday will be a record day. Bright, clear, sunny, dry and about 80ºF. I hope they are right, as it will be greatly appreciated. Just as we needed a break from the drought, now we need a nice break from the rain. :) I need at least one day a week to mow the lawn! If it's not one thing, it's another, right?

Anyway, with my knitting and crocheting, there has been a dry spell as well. Not sure if it was all the rain causing my "moodiness" but it made getting anything done almost impossible. I felt as though I couldn't keep my eyes open long enough to accomplish anything. I'm feeling much better right now, and I do believe the sunshine has something to do with it.

About 2 weeks ago I finally finished the knitted slippers I had started WAY BACK. The main hold up on those was getting the buttons. This was a kit that I purchased through Mary Maxim catalog, at the same time I purchased the kit to make the greenish mohair shawl. I had seen the kits for months, and not needing a pair of slippers but just wanting to make a pair for some unknown reason. The pattern was easy to follow, the knitting went rather quickly. So now that I've made a pair, and got that out of my system, I'm going to donate them to the fund raiser for the local library that is held every Summer, and hope someone will like them enough to purchase them.

I am still working on the crocheted diagonal afghan for our Afghan Bingo to benefit the Fire House in October, and I am more than half way through my crocheted top.

I absolutely love the way this is coming together. I have been able to put it on, and know for certain that it IS GOING TO FIT perfectly. I bought extra yarn so I could make it longer than the original, as I prefer my tops tunic length. Right now it is just about to my waist. The sleeves are finished and just waiting to be sewn in. It's a very basic and easy shell pattern, and what drew me most to this one in particular was the lattice design on the front. I am seriously considering making a second one, in a darker color. One for Spring and Summer, and one for Fall and Winter. Hopefully, I will be able to finish this soon.

I hope everyone else is enjoying their Spring so far. I had worried for a while, that my Lilac bushes would blossom too early and then get hit by a hard frost. But they have not blossomed yet, so I think now they will be safe when they do. My pear tree blossomed a few weeks back, when we were going through another lengthy spell of warm, dry weather. From what I noticed, all the blossoms had finished before we had another hard frost. I am hoping that will mean that the fruit will come along as hoped for. Last week I worried daily that my apple tree would foolishly blossom and it's blossoms get hit because we had at least 3 days in a row of hard frost. But the blossoms are just now beginning, so hopefully it too was saved.

That's it for now. Take care, keep well, and keep smiling........... :)

New Beginnings

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:48:00 +0000

For the last couple weeks, I've been between projects, in a way. I finished the projects begun last month, and I was waiting for a shipment of yarn to begin a new project. So to fill the gap, and use up some of the excess yarn stashed all over the place, I began another afghan for our Afghan Bingo come October.

At first I thought I might try a ripple afghan. I've never done one of those before, and several ladies in my craft group make them year round, and they are very pretty. But it didn't take long, and I was bored out of my mind doing a gazillion single crochet. So I frogged what I'd done, and went back to the diagonal stripe. Love this pattern design. Simple, easy, goes quickly, and it does NOT cause me to have pain in my hands. I cannot say that about the ripple afghan. This time I'm using off-white, pastel yellow, and medium blue. So far, it's looking pretty good.

Not being all that familiar with on-line purchasing, but starting to make use of it more and more since it is making my life easier. I find it much better having bulky packages delivered to my door rather than trying to wrestle with them to get them in the shopping cart, then the car, and then into the house. Things such as toilet paper and paper towels, kitty litter and such. I discovered I can buy them, in bulk, on line, ending all that hassle of handling them myself, and it's been great. So I put in an order for 20 skeins of Cotlin yarn with KnitPicks, and I am still completely baffled by how this happened, but I accidently ordered a dark green yarn when I wanted a light pink. Nothing alike, which is another reason I'm baffled. But I printed out a copy of my on-line order, and there it was, in black and white. I had truly ordered the yarn in a dark green. I discovered my error when the yarn was delivered, and dark green stared me in the face when I was waiting for and expecting to find a light pink yarn. I rushed back to the post office, and returned the yarn to KnitPicks, asking for an exchange, and this time I double checked to be certain I was ordering the RIGHT color.

I give you this, KnitPicks were right on the ball. I returned the yarn, and it was back to me in one week's time. So now I have the yarn for a top I want to make for myself, and last night I began working on that.

This is a soft shell Tee, from the book "Plus Size Fashions" by Annie's Attic crochet. I am not using the recommended yarn, but instead using Cotlin (a cotton/linen blend) dk weight yarn, from KnitPicks.com, in the Flamingo colorway, and using a US G (#6) crochet hook. I had a gift certificate for KnitPicks, so the yarn actually cost me nothing. Can't beat that.

Like I said, I started this last night, and it's moving right along quite well. I love the way it is assembled too. I have crocheted the upper back, and will soon begin on the upper part of the front. Then the two pieces join at the underarm, and the body is done in the round. Can't beat that for easy.

Since it's Spring, I thought I would share one of my little "success" stories.

Last May, my friends Matthew and Wendy Studner, gave me a beautiful hanging basket plant called Million Bells (Calibracoa hybrid). It was covered with many colored flowers all Summer, and after the frost had killed the foliage, I cut the plant back to the very base and brought it inside, to see if it might come back and grow through the Winter. Well, it did. About two weeks after butchering it, new shoots began to emerge and over the months my plant got bigger and greener. This week it said "thank you" by blooming. And I say "Thank You" to Matthew and Wendy for this gift that keeps giving.

The weather has turned just a bit colder this week, with gusting winds blowing daily, making it feel colder than it actually is. But the sun is getting stronger by the day, and I will never complain as long as the sun shines.

Have a good week, take care, and keep smiling. :)

A New FO, And More of Spring ..... Springing!

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 16:31:00 +0000

A short while back, I finished spinning and plying 4 oz Icelandic roving, that had been dyed a very pale raspberry, according to the label. I really liked the color, but I was not overly impressed with the wool. Not nearly as soft as I had thought it would be, but it knit up into a very nice little accessory scarf.

The pattern I used is "Lily of the Valley" taken from my book, "400 Knitting Stitches" by Potter Craft. I used US #9 knitting needles. I only had 133 yards, and I ended before I had used every inch of it, but it measures 6½" wide x 51½" long. As you can see, right now it is being blocked and dried. I'm sure I'll be able to find something to wear it with now and then. :)

The amazingly warm weather has continued, with today being the warmest, the soonest, so far. I understand it's going to get cooler for a few days next week, but I really will be surprised if the weather begins going backward after being so warm, for such a prolonged time, already. Looking over some old photos of last year, I have a post dated April 7th, 2011 where it is quite evident there is snow on the ground. A far cry from this year. As for flowers blooming, last year was very typical of a normal Spring for us, and there were no daffodils blooming until around the end of April, NOT the end of March, as they are doing now.

The daffodils above always
bloom earlier than the rest, because they are right up against the house's foundation. The second photo are daffodils out in the flower bed, which normally do not bloom for a good 2 to 3 weeks AFTER the ones above. And if you look closely, you will also notice leaves on the rose bush that is right beside the daffodils.

Remember the last time I posted, I said it would only take days, and the Forsythia would go from tiny sprouts to full blossom. I believe they will blossom fully before the end of today. This is the very first Forsythia blossom that has opened up. I took this photo about 9 AM this morning.

The Lilac bushes continue to leaf out. Just fattening buds earlier this week, and now opened and turning the bushes greener by the day.

These are the early beginnings of "Corinne's Perennial Gift," a packet of seed to attract Butterflies, that she sent me a few years back. They continue to surprise and excite me, every year when they return. Soon they will be covered with lovely little flowers in bright colors of dark pink, pale pink, white, and blue.

If you look hard enough, here are the first fronds of one of my Bleeding Heart shrubs. I have a photo taken in late May of 2011, showing this bush in full bloom. I bet it won't take that long this year. :)

Even the Lupine have begun sprouting already. Not just sprouting either, these were very obvious and easy to see.

My rescued Rose shrub. The other day I noticed just a few tiny green sprouts peeking out on the side of the branches. Now they are opened into leaves, and a lot more pale green shoots are peeking out.

As I've said, it's been very warm the last couple weeks, and this week was the warmest of all. It was too nice to leave the house totally closed up, but a little too early to throw open all the windows and bring the screens down. So I opened the window on the kitchen door, and the window here beside my computer desk. My cat Rosie loves sleeping in the windows during the Summer, and I never gave that a thought, until...................

What you may not realize from this photo is that there is NO SCREEN in the window. That's right. It is wide open to the all outdoors, and nothing to prevent Rose from leaping down into the yard, and finding herself in a whole new world that she has never known before. You see, Rosie is a "house" cat. When she was a baby, I had her de-clawed to prevent her from ruining the furniture, and she has never been outside of the house. I have lost too many beloved cats in the past, to cars rushing by, and we live too close to the road. It may be a country dirt road, but people still drive too quickly along it. I was not going to chance it again with Rosie. If she had leaned back just a little further, she would have suffered a very rude awakening. Thankfully, for both of us, that little lip around the bottom was enough to secure her, and she never knew what could have happened. Today there is a screen in the window. I'm not willing to risk the chance of her falling again. :)

Well, according to the weather forecast, Saturday through Tuesday will be about 15º to 20º lower than it has been the last 10 to 12 days. Still, not really Winter weather either. I know a lot of people are concerned. Many are afraid to accept that Spring is fully arrived, and some are taking full advantage of the good weather, and keeping their fingers crossed it continues. I heard that those optimistic souls have already begun seeding some crops, taking advantage of this early Spring. I sincerely hope their crops remain safe. It could mean a bumper crop for them this year. In these days where everyone's purse is thinner than usual, it could become a real boon for those daring growers. Now, I wonder when I can safely begin my tomato plants????

Take care, keep well, and remember...................... Keep smiling. :)

Spring Is Bursting Out All Over

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:45:00 +0000

My, oh my, but March has certainly been a memorable month so far, and I am certain we are in for lots more warmth in the days ahead too. So to start Spring off just right, I have finally completed the very lightweight Lace Mohair Shawl that I purchased through ~~Annie's Attic catalog~~. (Big mistake here. This kit is found in the Mary Maxim catalog.

I have drooled over seeing this shawl in the catalog for over a year, although the one shown in the catalog is of a different color. They did have the mohair yarn in a color I wanted, and I really liked the fullness and style of this shawl. In case anyone would be interested, it comes in a kit, pattern with yarn (601 yds mohair, wool, acrylic, metalic blend) included, and there are, I believe, 4 different yarn colors to choose from. Basically, it is a feather-n-fan style shawl, and I love how it fits. Even on a person of considerable girth, as myself, there is plenty to cover me.

I love how it covers past my elbows, and there is plenty of "cloth" to go around all of me. :D It weighs near to nothing, but it is surprisingly warm. I am most definitely going to be using this pattern again, using a heavier yarn. More than likely, fingering or sock yarn, to have something for everyday. Since this has glitter in it, it's really a bit too fancy for using around the house.

Now, to share some of what I am enjoying here in the mountains of northeast PA, a good month ahead of time during a normal Spring arrival.

Even in a normal year, this bunch of daffodils are the first to erupt through the soil, as they are up against the building. But never this high in March, if in March at all. Already there are fattening buds as well, and the rest of the daffodils in the flower bed are also coming up, and a few of them are showing off fattening buds as well.

This is the Forsythia bush, and I would not be surprised to see flowers in full bloom within the next 4-5 days, if this amazingly warm weather continues, which it is supposed to do, right up until Sunday, when we will have slight cooling down.

These are budding Lilac Bush leaves!!!!!! In my neck of the woods, Lilacs normally bloom in MAY! As long as things keep going as they are right now, these guys will be blooming in April, for sure.

On top of all this very early foliage appearing, we are not only enjoying the early birds of Spring, but their songbird cousins that normally don't show up till a few weeks later. The ground hogs are out and running all about, the frogs and the Spring Peepers are serenading me to sleep nightly. And if all of that is not proof enough that Spring is officially here, then this is:

The first Garden Snake of the year. It had been stretched out, sunning it's self on the concrete. I must say, it caught the dogs totally off guard too. They were both completely startled when they went out and found it lounging on the walk. I have never, as long as I've lived here in the mountains, which is at least 40 years or more, seen a garter snake out and about this early in the year. I refuse to hear a word from the nay-sayers who keep trying to frighten us with predictions of horrible snow storms that are going to swoop out of the north and end all of this. I am listening to Mother Nature. Not just one or two of her creatures, but the sound of their voices all together. Actions speak louder than words anyway, and so many could not possibly be so fooled, could they? No, I do not believe they could.

I hope all of you are making the most of this most unusual Spring, and enjoying every single moment of it. I certainly am.

Take care, keep well, and keep smiling................. :)

Cat's Paw Scarf

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 22:51:00 +0000

It took me a while, but my scarf was finished late last week, and I am finally able to publish the end result.

The pattern is Cat's Paw Scarf by Elizabeth Lovick. The yarn is Jagger Spun Zephyr silk/wool lace weight yarn ( a gift from a friend several years back) in Fuchsia. I used US #5 needles, and crystal beads to add just a light touch of sparkle. The scarf is 64" long and 6" wide.

Spacing the beads became my major challenge, because I didn't want them to weigh the scarf down in any way, or overwhelm the lovely pattern either. So on either end I placed one bead in the center of each paw on the first and 3rd row of paws. After that I placed the beads every other pattern segment. The first two went in the center two paws, and then two sections up, in the two outer paws, and I continued in that manner throughout, so that only 2 beads were being placed every 24 rows. It turned out to be just the right touch to give a bit of sparkle without being overdone.

I have to tell you, I am more than just a little pleased with this scarf. It really has exceeded my expectations, and I could not be happier. This is one of the loveliest pieces I have ever made, and I can't wait to show it off. :)

My shawl is progressing, but once I really got going on the scarf, the shawl was put to rest a few days. Now it will become my main focus until it too is finished.

In the meantime, I have been busy making myself a couple of little neckerchiefs, such as the one I made for my BBF for Xmas. They are so easy and quick to do, you can crank them out one a day if you want.

For the last several days, I have been pretty much laid up thanks to my sciatic nerve flaring up. It is painful enough to keep me off the computer, because sitting at my desk is simply impossible. It did give me a lot of time to knit and read though, and I never really mind doing those things. My friend Corinne suggested I try using a heating pad. Why I never think of doing that, I'll never know, but I took her sage advice and I believe that is why I am here today, posting about my new scarf. It was finished last Thursday, and it has taken me this long to be able to sit at my computer to blog about it. I am doing much better today, and hopefully, I will continue to improve as the days pass.

The weather has been amazing, considering the time of year this is. Our Winter was the mildest ever in my lifetime, with the least amount of snow ever. Today it reached 65º and we are expecting to see 70º by Thursday, if not sooner. The Red Winged Blackbird, Robins, and various other "song" birds have returned to serenade us in the mornings. I do believe that Spring is fully upon us very early this year.

I hope everyone is doing well, and enjoying great weather where you are too. Take care, keep well, and remember,................. keep smiling :)

Progress Continues - New Socks & New Yarn

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 00:01:00 +0000

This past two weeks seem to have passed in slow motion, somewhat. I was sick with a nasty cold that just didn't want to let go, so not very much got done. For three days I felt too miserable to bother picking up my knitting needles. It has finally passed now, and moved on to about everyone I know, it seems. Every day I hear of another friend or acquaintance that has been laid low. And no, it was not me spreading it about. I didn't go out when I was sick. But it seems this cold is everywhere, and if you are one of the lucky ones to miss catching it, be very thankful.

Anyway, just before I was laid low with the nastiness, I managed to finish spinning the Icelandic wool I had purchased last September, from HeartsEase Farm Once I began to feel a little better, I was finally able to ply the yarn, and finish it.

This was spun from Icelandic wool roving, and it was labeled "Raspberry". It looks more like Cotton Candy to me. When it was plied, I ended up with 160 yards of 2 ply yarn, at 12 wpi, weighing just 4 oz. Now I am looking for something to make with it. It is not the softest wool, but I think it could make a nice hat or scarf, or cowl. Not sure which it will be yet. I'm waiting for it to "speak" to me. LOL

And finally my very pretty socks are finished too. I have been calling this colorway Very Berry, but that was an error. It was purchased at KnitPicks.com, Stroll Fingering, a hand painted superwash yarn (75% merino wool, 25% nylon) and the colorway is Berry Patch. I cast on 64 stitches, using a 2.75 mm - 32" circular needle, and they are done in 4x4 cabled rib pattern. As far as I'm concerned, this was a lucky find in KnitPick's clearance bin. They are very soft and very warm, and I love the color. Until now, I've never knitted with this particular yarn, but I would definitely buy more of it. It was very nice to work with.

I also have some good news to share about the Opal socks that I had previously knit for my daughter, as a Xmas gift, but when it came to wrapping day, they had disappeared. Well, they are found again, and I immediately gave them to my daughter so they could not be lost again. It seems that my cat must have been cuddling up with them, and managed to push them behind some plants, where they eventually slipped down to the floor, behind the cabinets the plants were sitting on.

I was busy rearranging my living room, and cleaning up, and in the process, moving things here and there, I happened to come across them. It sure was a relief. I was really getting worried there for a bit, thinking my feeble mind was slipping over the edge here. But they are found and safe and I will be careful in future of what is laying about, because I do know that Rosie loves the wool garments, and she can get very aggressive in her "fondling" of them on occasion.

On the "Cat's Paw" lace scarf, I have more than 2 feet done, and it continues to progress well. The mohair lace shawl is moving a bit slower, but it too is still coming along. I have completed about half the rows, but as you know, with a shawl it continues to grow every few rows, so I would not say I am half way through the entire garment. :)

This morning I awoke to find 5" of new snow on the ground. I really was not expecting that, but I am certainly not going to complain about it. We have been so fortunate this Winter, with the mild weather we have enjoyed thus far. A little snow now and then, in the spirit of Winter, must be allowed then. If nothing else, it is still and always will be, lovely to look at.

Take care, KEEP WELL, and keep smiling....... :)

Some Progress Being Made

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:23:00 +0000

Since I am in the progress of creating a few more items, but have nothing yet finished to share, I thought I would just give you a report on how things are going. Don't want to stay away too long, or I'll forget to come back one day. LOL And don't laugh, at my age, these things do happen. :)

First, my socks....

I am doing cables every 7th row, on this pair. This is the "Very Berry" colorway from KnitPicks that I acquired through their clearance sale. It is superwash merino wool (75%) and nylon (25%). I'll have more details when they are finished.

Second, the "Cat's Paw" scarf.....

I started this scarf once before, got about 6" done, and decided it wasn't exactly as I wanted it. So I frogged what I'd done, and started over, and decided I wanted to add beads this time. I have quite a few crystal beads left over from a shawl I made early last year, and decided to see how they would look. So I cast on again, and began to add the beads. After adding a bead into the center of each paw in the first pattern section and third section, I decided that was too many beads. I don't want them weighing the scarf down, and this yarn is a silk/wool blend in lace weight, so very light, and doesn't need a lot of beads stretching it out either.

If you look closely, as you go up the scarf, in the 5th pattern section, I placed a bead in the center of each of the two central paws, and then on the 7th pattern section, I placed a bead in the center of each of the two outer paws. And I am continuing in this manner, 2 center paws, then 2 outter paws, throughout. I think this is going to be enough beads to make it interesting, without weighing down the yarn, and I will do the beading on the finished end to match the beading that was done in the first 3 pattern sections, to even it all out.

And last, but not least, the shawl......

I haven't gotten too far into it yet, but it is going very well. I love working lace work, but it does not like me, because I have a terrible problem remembering yarn over's. I have done very well with this shawl, so far. Knock on wood. It is a fairly basic feather and fan styled pattern, so maybe I'll manage quite well through this one. I sure hope so. I love the yarn, and it's working up very nicely.

On the spinning front, I have completed half of my roving, and have moved on to the second bobbin with the second half, and about half way done spinning that. So hopefully, I'll have some new homespun yarn to share too.

Our Winter has continued to please and surprise us, and it will definitely be one to go down into the record books. And even with all the great weather we've had to this point, I am still amazed at how lovely it has been, now into the month of February. Just amazing! I hope everyone is having a Winter to remember, as I am.

Take care and keep well. And most of all.........keep smiling. :)

Projects Finished - On To The Next

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:04:00 +0000

It's been a very busy couple weeks, working on several projects all at once, but it sure prevented any chance of getting bored. I finished the homespun scarf, my son's hat and scarf, and the teddy bear. Today I am here to say I've now finished the 5 pc baby set, the "make-up" pair of socks for my daughter, and then a little hat I threw in there, just for the fun of it. LOL

Using Opal Grafitti yarn, and size 2.5 mm circular needles, I cast on 64 stitches, and knit up a pair of ribbed, slightly cabled socks. Basically, they are 2 x 2 ribbed socks, but every 7 rows I passed the left knit stitch over the right knit stitch, to make tiny little cables. It was more to make the knitting of them a little more interesting than anything, but I rather like the look of it too. As soon as I finished knitting the socks, I took this photo, and then handed them to my daughter. I was taking no chances on losing these babies, like I did the last pair.

Then on to the 5 pc. baby set. The last I posted, I had finished the jacket and begun work on the dress. Progress was steady and I have now completed the set.

The yarn is Bernat Baby Coordinates in the "Sweet n Sunny" colorway. Needles used, size 2.25mm circular needle and 2.75 circular needle. The pattern called for cotton yarn, but on the day I was shopping for the yarn, I couldn't find any that I liked for this outfit, so I used the Bernat instead. It finished up nicely, but I was often annoyed by the splitting of the white strand running all through it, so I would definitely go with something different if I ever knit this up again.

The pattern is by Patsy Leatherbury, and I have looked high and low to share it with you, but I simply could not find it. I acquired the pattern when I was subscribed to "Annie's Attic FREE Pattern of the Day." The site is no longer offering this service, but even when they did, you had to get the pattern that very day as it would be another pattern featured the next day. So I do apologize that I cannot share with you the details of the pattern or where to get it.

This basically concludes the projects that I started about a month back, but I guess it was not all quite enough, because in between working these and the last few projects, I suddenly threw in another one. Something quick, that caught my eye, and I just "had to make it."

I found this crocheted hat pattern on Ravelry. It's the Ridged Hat w/Brim by Kool Stitch. I did not make the flower for it, because I was so excited about finishing the hat, I totally forgot about it until now, looking at the pattern again. LOL I love the design, and the fit is good, but the yarn I used is not suitable. Too flimsy for the hat. I am definitely going to make this again, but I will use a firmer yarn the next time, and I'll try and remember to make the flower to trim it with too.

I also found a knit hat, similar to this, but it was much too floppy (again, wrong choice of yarn) and too big as well. I plan to try that one again too, using a firmer yarn and a smaller needle.

Now I have moved on to new projects, but still working on a couple of unfinished ones as well. The "Cat's Paw" scarf was frogged, and I've started over again with smaller needles, and so far I'm liking it better now, so I will continue on this and see how that goes. I've also begun the Mohair shawl from the kit I purchased early this month, and posted here at the time. And I have cast on and begun to knit a pair of socks for myself, with the "Very Berry" merino yarn I bought from KnitPicks. On the spinning front, I'm working with pink Icelandic roving right now. Mixed feelings about how it's spinning for me, but I will stick with it. Right now I'm not overly impressed by this roving, and that could be the fault of the person that made the roving, and not Icelandic wool in general. I'll have to wait and try other fleeces before I make a final judgement on that.

For now, that's it for me. Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend, and that the coming week will be a good one for you and yours.

Take care, keep well, and keep smiling ............ :)

Mid-January Update

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:49:00 +0000

There has been a little progress as I continue to press on with this and that, or whatever. First, there is some new homespun.

According to my calculations, I have 150 yards of this "Fairy Batt" wool. It weighs 2 3/4 oz. and I'm guessing it is sport weight in thickness. Forgot to measure that. I purchased this wool at the Endless Mtns. Fiber Festival last September. I loved the color of it. What you can't see is the very fine gold fibers that are woven all through it, and which catch the light as you move and turn it. It is a very soft green. I don't even know what kind of wool it is. It was pretty, so I bought it. My heart took over because my head was certainly not thinking straight. LOL Have no idea what I'll make of it, but most likely a little scarf as an accessory item. Not enough yarn for much of anything else, really.

On the knitting front, as part of a baby set which includes a dress, small jacket and booties, I have finished the jacket and have begun work on the dress.

The yarn is Bernat Baby Coordinates, the colorway is "Sweet 'N Sunny." in shades of peach, yellow and white with a strand of shimmer. Another time when I went for something that caught my eye, and really didn't think about how I was going to be using it. In my defense I will add that when I purchased the yarn I also had not picked out what baby set I was going to make. Again, not very smart I suppose. I should have settled on what to make first and then bought the yarn, but I seldom think that way, I'm afraid. Although I think it's very pretty, and I know it's very soft, the strand of shimmer is a pain if you have to frog any of it, and it splits easily. But I am making do, as I always do.

For some reason, even after working the lace work on the body and sleeves of the jacket, when I started the bottom of the dress back last night, I kept screwing up over and over. It's only 6 rows of lace work, but I've knit it 4 times now, having frogged it 3 times before finally getting it right. I was beginning to get worried, but I think I started work on it when I was over tired, and should have waited until today. After tearing out all the stitches for the third time, I picked it up this morning, and knit the lace work without a single hitch. I guess a good night's rest was all I really needed. :)

We are having some very nasty and very Wintry weather here today. Freezing rain and sleet which is supposed to turn to all rain, before turning back to snow by the end of the day. I'm glad that I have no need to be leaving the house, and I hope all those that must are kept safe from harm.

Take care, keep well, and keep smiling............ :)

FO #3 and Half of FO#4

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 20:30:00 +0000

Moving right along here, I now have another project I can put aside as finished. The scarf, to match one of the hats I knit up for my son. This was the hat he liked best, and the only one that had enough yarn left over to make a scarf with.

The last time I saw my son, he was on his way out with a friend, and wearing this hat and scarf. I guess that says "I like it Mom." :) The scarf is not quite as long as I wanted it to be, but he can fold it in half, put it around his neck, and pull the two ends through the loop and it stays put, so as far as he is concerned, it is long enough. I'm not going to argue. The yarn is Red Heart, using the Yarn Harlot's "One Row Scarf" pattern, and US #9 needles. This project is officially finished.

The next project, I can show good progress on, is one sock (of a pair) I'm now making for my daughter, to replace the pair I lost.

Thank goodness, my dear sister Ruthie, sent me 2 skeins of Opal Graffiti yarn. I still feel just horrid over losing the first pair I made for my daughter. She was waiting patiently for them, and then Xmas day arrives, and there were no socks under the tree for her. She had seen them, even tried them on to make sure they fit, but they were gone. So I really want to get these done quickly, because I promised her a pair for Xmas, and then did not honor my word of promise to her. I am still not able to find the missing pair. But these will do just fine. Opal is a very fine fingering yarn, and I used 2.50 mm (US#1) circular needles, with a cast on of 64 stitches. It felt great on my foot, so I know it will fit her too. Now on to finish this pair and put them behind me too.

I have made good progress with my spinning the last couple days, and should have a hank of homespun to share with you soon, as well.

We are enjoying a gorgeous sunny day, although bitterly cold. It was all of 7º this morning, and even now, in the late afternoon, it is only 15º. But we are not buried under a mountain of snow, nor covered in inches of ice, so I am not complaining. I hope the sun is shining upon you today as well.

Off to do a bit more knitting. Take care, keep well, and remember..............
keep smiling. :)

FO #2

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:28:00 +0000

Since I had a head start with this one, it's not something I have only been working on since the start of 2012. This one I started back around September, maybe even before that, but it kept getting pushed to the side for other things. Then I would take it out, make 1 or 2 more pieces, and then lay aside again, because something else would catch my eye. Very unlike me, most of the time. But on occasion it does happen.

My Teddy Bear ....................

Taken from Simply Baby by Debby Bliss, I found it here, a free download. The pink scarf is my own addition.

This little bear is very easy to make, and can be made any size, depending on the needle size and yarn weight you choose to use. I used the recommended baby yarn and US# 1 needles. The bear is about 10" or so standing.

The pattern uses cut pieces of felt for the eyes and nose. I didn't have any felt laying around, so I crocheted the eyes and sewed on the nose. A bit crooked, but it gives the little guy character, right?

After I posted all the new projects I have started, and showed you a glimpse of some the new ones I will be making later, I found a couple more I had ALREADY started before the new year and forgotten about.

A wool/silk lace scarf being done in the "Cat's Paw" lace pattern.

Another green lace kitchen curtain that has about 4" done on it so far, to match the first one I finished early last year.

And an "Easy Peolo Purse" bye Cari Clement. A cute little crocheted purse, about the size of a clutch bag. Nice for storing your crochet hooks in, if you wished. :)

There has been progress on the baby dress and sweater set. I have the sweater nearly finished now, just needing one sleeve. On the pair of socks for my daughter, I am now decreasing the gusset stitches, and will be on to the foot of the sock soon, and it will be smooth sailing after that, then on to the second sock. I have not yet cast on for my own socks, and there has not been a lot of progress on Barry's scarf, but there was some. But I have managed to get in a good amount of time spinning, so I might have some new yarn to share with everyone in the near future.

Guess that's it for this time. I hope to have another FO for you soon. I must press on because there is much to be done and time is always short.

Have a great weekend and keep smiling..................... :)

Multiple Projects = No Boredom Here

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:18:00 +0000

Normally, I am a one-project-at-a-time type of person, but at the start of 2012, I began several projects, going in all different directions. And I actually finished something too!

So I will begin with the finished project - a scarf I knitted from the homespun yarn I created with the "art batts" given to me by Heather Woolove back in September of last year, at our little Fiber Festival.

This is the "One Row Homepsun Scarf" designed by The Yarn Harlot. I also want to add, this pattern works great with any yarn, not just homespun. It's quick, easy, and makse a very attractive scarf, in my opinion anyway. :) Thank you Heather, for the gift of your batts. This is my first completed spinning AND knitted project for 2012.

Other projects I have begun are a pair of socks for my daughter, to replace the ones I made for her as a Xmas gift, and then lost somewhere. Yes, they have to be here somewhere, but I still have not found them, so I am going to replace them for now. If and when I do find them, that will be wonderful, as then she will have 2 pair of new handmade socks to keep her feet warm. I know that with her, they won't be worn out any too quickly. She runs barefoot 90% of the time, but she probably will wear them to bed. :)

I have begun a little knit set for my BFF Kate's new granddaughter, due in April. The set includes a dress with a little sweater, and booties, which I will most likely change the pattern to make socks instead. The socks stay on the feet better, especially if you make the cuff long enough.

I'm still working on the Teddy Bear for the same upcoming birth. I have but one limb to finish now, and then that can be stitched together and stuffed. So maybe by my next posting, I'll have that finished to share with you.

I'm making another "One Row Scarf" for my son, to match one of the new hats I just gave him. There were 3 hats from left-over yarns I found laying around, and the one he liked best had enough yarn, I hope, to make him a scarf. I doubt it's going to be a very long one, but it should be long enough.

Then there are the projects I am definitely going to make sometime in the near future, and have begun preparing for them even now.

A pair of socks for myself, a new shawl, and a pair of boot style slippers.

I have been looking at these patterns in the Mary Maxim catalog, for well over a year, and especially the shawl, I've actually drooled over all these many months. I finally took the plunge and purchased both, which came in kits. I love the boot-style slippers with their big buttons on the cuff. And the shawl, a feather and fan type of pattern, appealed to me in it's simplicity, plus the choice of gorgeous yarns. I can see myself getting more of this yarn, in other colorways, and making more than one of these shawls.

So for now, as you can see, I have no excuse to cry "I'm bored." I have more than enough to keep my hands busy and my mind active. I've also been spinning more as well. And I hope to have some new yarn to show off at some time in the near future as well. When I'll get to knit with it, and what I decide to make, will be a mystery for a while yet. But that's OK. It does have to be spun first before I can begin thinking about those things. At least, for me that's how it works.

I hope everyone has been enjoying the wonderful unseasonably warm Winter as I have. Half way through the season now, and still no real bad snowfalls to complain about, and so far only two that were measurable. Knock on wood, I don't want to jinx us now. This has just been too much fun so far. But even if it all came to an end tomorrow, I have enjoyed it while it lasted, and that can not be taken from me now.

Have a wonderful week, and keep smiling :)

2011 Coming To A Close

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 22:46:00 +0000

Now that Xmas has come and gone, I am finally able to share with you the entrelac style hat and scarf that I knit for my sister, Ruth (Jessica's Mother).

There is also a pair of "peek-a-boo" mittens to match, and a knit hat for my Brother-in-law, Jeff. Jessica knit her Dad a dark blue scarf, using Lion Brand yarn, so I did my best to match it with this hat. I believe she used "Homespun" yarn, and I used a heavy worsted, so they are not identical, but close enough, I hope.

Santa was very good to me this year. My son purchased a gift certificate for me, from KnitPicks. I could not have been more pleased. I love their yarns, needles, notions, so I will definitely put it to good use. He wants me to buy yarn to knit myself something, because I had made a comment earlier about a person my size needing a LOT of yarn to make even a simple top with. My son told me now I should have no excuse paying for it. LOL We'll see. I might do just that. :)

My sister Ruth sent me some Opal "Graffiti" sock yarn in the partie color, along with a lovely gold hummingbird tree ornament, some German coffee (it was very tasty too) and this adorable little pig, made from a single strand of cleverly coiled silver wire. I now have 3 of these figurines. A very large spider, a gorgeous dragon, and now this little pig. I like rather strange creatures. Pigs, dragons, spiders, bats, to name a few. They are placed close by so I can see them on a regular basis.

And my niece Jessica sent along a few more soft squishy friends to keep me company. Remember the large red Angry Bird Cardinal she sent me earlier? Well, as you can see, I now have a piglet and an Angry Canary. The Canary, when you squeeze his head just under the comb on top, it giggles, just like they do in the game when you finally destroy all the pigs. There are 3 giggles. The first is very short, the second a little longer, and the third one is very long, and very sinister sounding toward the end, and it cracks me up every time I hear it. I think I've squeezed poor Canary about 20 times, so far, today alone. LOL Just for the fun of it. There in front is a lovely little TY Tarantula, with a soft furry back, and bright red eyes. I think they call them "beanie babies." I love them, every one.

All this time I have been busy knitting too. This time on a baby blanket for my BFF's new granddaughter coming in April. I have been working on a little teddy bear too, but got so caught up with the blanket, the teddy was put aside for a bit, but since it's nearly finished, I should have that done very soon too. But for now, the Mitered Square Baby Blanket.

Still using up my stash of baby yarn, it came in handy when looking for yarns for this little blanket. It's about 3' x 3', roughly speaking. I knit each square separately, and then stitched them together, and then added a row of single crochet along the outer edge and finished it with a row of scallops, all done on Size US#10 needles. I used double strands of baby yarn throughout, to give it body. Using single strand it would have simply been much too flimsy.

Next, I am still working on a scarf using the green homespun yarn I made from my friend Heather's "art batts." That too is close to being finished. And while sorting through some of my stash, I also found some camouflage colored yarn, and I'm going to use that to make a hat and scarf for my son.

Oh yes, I nearly forgot. Remember the blue/greenish/purplish hat that I spun and knit as a gift for my son? Well, it seems he never gave a second thought as to whether it looked "feminine" or not. He was overjoyed with it, and with his blond hair, it looks very good on him too. He also loved the socks I knit for him, and had them on his feet right away. :)

I have yet to find the socks that I knit for my daughter, but she was tickled to have the entrelac hat, scarf and mittens I had knit for her too. Xmas morning, the 3 of us went out to breakfast at a local Inn. The food was excellent, and it was a very pleasant way to begin the day.

I guess, depending on where you live, you are having whatever type of Winter is coming your way. Winter seems to have forgotten how to get here this year. It is still somewhat delayed, it seems. It was all of 41º today, very unusual for this time of year. Yes, we've had a tiny bit of snow, and yes, we've had some cooler weather. But nothing like what we normally have for November or December. So our Winter is already only half in size, even if January and February become much more normal weather-wise. The days are already beginning to lengthen, and if I think about it hard enough, I will soon begin to smell Spring in the air. It all depends on how you look at it. :)

Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR and best wishes for a wonderful 2012!

Keep smiling.................... :) :) :)

A Few Things To Share

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 19:13:00 +0000

Although I don't "celebrate" Xmas as many do, I love the sights, sounds, music, and the spirit of the Holiday Season..........the spirit of giving.

At one time, when my children were young, we did have a big tree. Now it's just a little 2 ft. tall, fiber optic tree, but I love how the colors fade in and out and change all the time. It's small and I put no ornaments on it, but I think it's pretty just the same.

Last week, I put in an order with KnitPicks for a few small things I needed, stitch markers, extra cables for my Harmony wood needle set, and since I was on the website, I thought "why not check out whatever might be on clearance?" So that's what I did. And what I found was gorgeous, IMO at least.

This is KnitPicks stroll fingering sock yarn, Hand Painted, 75% Superwash Merino Wool, 25% Nylon. 462 yards/100 grams. The colorway is Berry Patch. The color is so deep and rich, and the yarn is so soft. I can't wait to have it on my feet! I have a feeling it won't be too long in the future either. A gift to myself I guess. :)

A few weeks back I showed you how the local deer were enjoying our apple tree. Well, right before deer season opened, we has one very special visitor, and I have to tell you, when I took this photo, he was no more than 30 feet away from me. If this had been during deer season, and someone with a gun rather than a camera, he would be on the dinner table right now.

An 8 point buck in rut, standing broadside and making a perfect target of himself, as he tries sniffing out does in heat. And there he stood, right in front of me, just a little left of the apple tree. I just had to take the photo, if for no other reason but to prove he was actually there. LOL Gorgeous, isn't he? And no, to my knowledge he was not caught during deer season. So hopefully, he will be out there to breed again next year.

And on the gardening front.............last Summer, friends (Matthew & Wendy) gave me a Mandevilla vine (Alice DuPont). It grew beautifully and bloomed all Summer, and actually reached it's peak in blossoms just as temperatures were getting cool enough to worry about a hard frost killing it off. But before that happened I cut it back a little and brought it inside, and it continued blooming for several weeks. But after a while, the leaves started dying off, because the days were just too short, and it wasn't getting enough light. At that time I cut it all the way back, and then crossed my fingers. Well, here it is, and since I took this photo, it has grown even more. It's looking great, and I'm hoping I can contain it without doing too much damage, until I can once again place it outside, in the full light of day, and then it can grow all it wants again. I am hoping to do just that, but not sure if I can. The last time I tried that with another Mandevilla, several years ago, it didn't work. Maybe I'll have better luck this time.

As for myself, I seem to be falling apart. The socks that I knit for my daughter, to give her for a Xmas gift, have disappeared. While wrapping her gifts yesterday I discovered them missing, and I have looked everywhere I can possibly think of that they might be, and they are just not. I had set up a box in my bedroom, and as each knitted gift was finished, I took a photo of it, and then placed it in that box. All of the gifts were there..............but her socks. I am hoping, at this point, that I just might have mistakenly mailed them off to my sister, living in Germany, with her gifts. And so I have spoken to her via Skype, and explained the situation. She will be on the lookout and will let me know Xmas day. If she does not have them, then I am truly befuddled. And I will then have to knit my daughter another pair, as she was really looking forward to receiving them.

Also, last evening I awoke around 1 AM, needing a bathroom break, and rather than slip into my bedroom slippers AS I ALWAYS DO, I grabbed my cane, and rushed to the bathroom, being very groggy and off balance, and smashed my foot right into my METAL cane! OMG did that hurt. When I climbed back into bed I realized that it still hurt quite a bit, but I was just so tired, I ignored it, lay back and was out like a light in no time. Then this morning, as I was getting up for the day, I slipped into my slippers, and it was quickly evident it was not just a minor bumping. My toe was still extremely sore. As I pulled my foot out of the slipper to look, I found my poor toe (the one next to the pinky toe) was purple, blue and black. OUCH! Guess I won't be running into the bathroom WITHOUT slippers again! :)

Have a wonderful weekend, and I hope everyone gets all he wished for.

Happy Holidays to one and all......................... :)

Last of the Xmas FO's & Other Things

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 22:45:00 +0000

I finally managed to finish the last of my Xmas gifts. One a planned gift, the other, just something that I felt the urge to do at the last minute, just for the fun of it.

I finally finished my son, Barry's, socks. As he wears a size 12 shoe, they are not that tiny, and compared to the other pair I just finished, you will definitely see what I am talking about. I didn't weave in the end of the yarn on the toes, because I want to see them on his feet before I do that. Just in case they need a little more toe, or even if they might need a bit less. It will be easy to frog out the end stitches and make whatever adjustments I might need to make, but I am hoping they will fit just fine, as they are, and then I can just finish them up. I know he is going to be thrilled with them. He has the one pair I made for him last year, and he wears them all the time.

These were made with Patons Kroy Socks yarn, a fingering yarn, 75% superwash wool, 25% nylon, using US #2 needles. The color is #55012, and it's been a long time since the last time I knit with Kroy Socks yarn, and I was really pleased by how soft it was in the hand. It was a joy to work with because it seemed to be massaging my hand as I knit them up. Can't complain about that. :)

The other pair of socks that I just finished were a last minute idea, but I think they will be enjoyed and appreciated. These are a pair of Granddaughter socks, for my BFF Kate, who is expecting a new granddaughter in April of 2012.

As you recall, about a week ago, maybe a bit longer, I finished a pair of socks for my BFF Kate. There was a nice sized ball of yarn left over, so after I finished my son's socks, with plenty of time left, I just thought, wouldn't that be cute if Kate and her new Granddaughter had a pair of matching socks. So I sat down and got to work on them. I finished them up last night, and I am going to wrap them with the socks I made for her, so she can put them on her new granddaughter herself. I think she will get a chuckle out of it. I know I do, just thinking about it. Guess it doesn't take much to make me smile, eh?

Over the last couple of years, since my husband passed away, I have occasionally mentioned a group of ladies that I have "fallen in" with. They make up the "Little Ladies Sewing Club" here in Lakewood, PA. It may have begun as a sewing only group, but today it is a hodge-podge of needlecrafting. Knitting, crocheting, embroidery, quilting, counted cross stitch, needlepoint, whatever. If you use needles to do it, we have members to represent the craft. The large majority of our members are now widows, (and several members over 80 years of age) but we do have several long-married members that still enjoy the company of their spouses, but also enjoy the company of our fellow members twice a month. We meet on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month, and this past Wednesday we held a covered dish luncheon. At this luncheon any husbands that wish to come were invited to join us, and we also invited a few of the elderly widowers in the community too. Each of the ladies brought a covered dish to pass around, and it's amazing how we manage to pull this off without duplicate dishes, but we do, and we did. There was more than enough food to feed everyone, with plenty to spare.

As you can see, there are plenty of smiles to go around, so I think everyone there had a fun time, not just myself. Our meeting place is the Northern Wayne Library in Lakewood, PA, Wayne County. A few faces were accidentally cut off, or covered by another head, and I do apologize for that. I tried my best to get everyone into the photos, but I guess I am thinking now I should have stood on a chair, above them, to get a better view. Alas, I didn't think of that until after I got home, and uploaded these photos into my computer, and saw that some of the faces were missing or covered. Oh well, I tried. :)

So, now I am all ready for Xmas. I even set up my little 2 foot pre-lit tree today, so that this evening I can enjoy the pretty lights as they fade in and out and change colors. I'm not one for a lot of decorations, but I do enjoy my little tree.

The weather has continued to be exceptional for this time of year, in our area at least. Unseasonably warm for the most part, and totally open, with barely a speck of snow to be found, except on the ski slopes where they are pumping it out continuously with their snow making machines. And so far, from what I've been hearing, if we do have snow for Xmas, it won't be anything to brag about. For me, we have already made it through nearly half of Winter without Winter really showing it's face. That's fine with me. When it does come, it will definitely be over with sooner than usual, and there will be far less of it than in other years. It is saving me money with my fuel oil bill, and I am thankful for that.

I hope the Holiday season is a joyful time for all of you. May all your wishes come true. Have a joyous and loving Holiday Season, and remember, keep smiling........... :)

Moving Right Along- A Few More FO's To Share

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:01:00 +0000

Before I get to the knitted items, I wanted to show you how well my Million Blossoms plant is coming along. Back in the October 30th post, I showed you that I brought the plant inside, cut it back to nothing, and it was just beginning to send out new shoots all over the plants. Well, today it is looking really great. Whether it will bloom before Spring, is another matter. But the foliage, at the moment, is very healthy looking.

I apologize for Lizette. She is much in need of a clipping, but I've been much too busy. Soon I'll have more time for that too. :)

It's been really busy, getting gifts finished, one by one. I have been making progress, thank goodness. Working on a pair of socks for my son right now, and about half way done the first one. Still plenty of time, so I should be safe if all goes according to plan. After the socks, I really have nothing else that MUST be done for Xmas.

But for right now, a few things that I've finished this week and want to share. I doubt the recipient will ever see them on my blog, but just to be safe, I am not mentioning their name. LOL

A pair of socks, just basic in style, but in fun playful colors. The yarn is Filzfrei Max "StrickSpaB", made in Germany, 75% superwash wool, 25% Nylon. No name is given for the colorway. I used US#2 - 32" circular needles, and it took me just about a week to make them. When I really put my mind to it, I can do a pair fairly quickly. Most of the time I am busy with other things as well, and it can then take months to do a single pair of socks. But this time I had to get busy, so I did.

The other item is a "Treasured Neckerchief" from Kerin Dimeler-Laurence, a free pattern on KnitPicks.com.

The yarn is Patons Angora Bamboo, color way is Everglade, and I used US#8 needles. This pattern is worked from the point to the center of the little scarf, and then woven together in the center back. I want to mention just one thing. After completing the pattern as directed, the scarf was much too tight to my way of thinking, and it would not lay right on the neck. So I took it apart, frogged back one row for the decreases to make it consistent with the previous section, and then knit one more pattern repeat for that section, on both halves, and then wove them together again, using the Kitchener for the center part to keep the stockinette stitch seamless. Just those few more extra rows made all the difference, and it then lay very nicely around the neck and felt comfortable too.

This pattern might seem just a little confusing at first, but it really was easy to do, and once you get into it, almost mindless in it's simplicity. It would be a small challenge for a beginning knitter, but something anyone with some experience could manage quite easily.

So that's it for now. I have a few other things "in the works" but nothing near to being finished quite yet. A baby blanket for a friend who is due in April, and a little Teddy Bear I started a while back, so I am now working to complete it. I've promised to knit a poncho for my sister Ruth, and since it's not for a child, as I thought it was going to be, that will keep me busy for some time, I'm sure. It's loaded with cables, but very pretty. And once Xmas is done I will get back to my spinning too. There has not been much of that going on over the last 2 months. Once I finished my son's homespun hat, and the red roving, everything else was put on hold for the time being. But I am itching to get back to it, and soon.

We are enjoying more wonderful sunny weather here. November ended up being the nicest month in all of 2011, for this area. It was the driest and the sunniest month of the year, and it is continuing into December, at least for now it is. Gorgeous bright sunshine today, a little on the cool side, but I'm not complaining. They are predicting 58º again for Saturday, and this time of year, you just can't beat that if you live in Northeast PA. I am loving it.

So, now that Turkey Day is over, and everyone is rushing headlong into Xmas, I hope you keep safe on the roads, and in the stores. LOL And remember, always to keep smiling................ :)

November - ANOTHER Month of Surprises

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 17:41:00 +0000

November has been a month of surprises. Unusually and very unseasonably warm. More sunny days than cloudy ones. Little to no snow, or frigid cold temperatures either. Now, don't get me wrong. I am NOT complaining. November has been our best month yet, this year! Better weather now than we had all through Spring, Summer, AND early Fall. So I have been delighted with the sunshine and mild temperatures, and come what may over the next couple months, having this month has guaranteed that our Winter will be one month shorter this season, weather wise.

There have been other surprises too. Such as another early Xmas gift from my loving niece, Jessica. She knows that I enjoy playing "Angry Birds," so with that in mind, she created one of them for me, as a keepsake.

She did a really good job, don't you think? The ball is a very large red Xmas ball, which she painted the cardinal's face upon. Then she added a little tag that reads, "Made for You, by Me, Enjoy!" I love it! :) He is hanging beside me as I write this. A little something to make me smile every day.

Over the weekend, as I put the dogs out to go potty before heading to bed, they surprised two little kittens that had sought shelter on my porch. The one kitten was chased by the dogs, the other was smarter, and after it's mate and the dogs took off, it sneaked off the porch too, but ran in the other direction. We saw no more of them until Tuesday afternoon, when suddenly there began this yowling in my basement that just would not end. I was watching a movie on the TV, and when I first heard it, I wondered aloud "what is that?" My daughter declared it was on the TV, nothing to worry about. It was too loud, and too close, so I muted the volume on the TV, and listened. It didn't take long, and the yowling began again. It was in the basement, and not on the TV.

We both went downstairs, there in the back of the crawl space, was this little yellow kitten, crying it's head off. My daughter coaxed it to come to her, and I put down water and food. The poor starving oaf dived into the bowl of food so hard, I thought he was going to smash his little face in. Since there was little else I could do, he was not going away and he would never survive on his own, I brought him upstairs and hoped that before the next day, we might be able to find it's little brother or sister that was on the porch the other day.

When we first saw them, I believed it was possible they were feral kittens. We do have a feral female in the area, and she did have kittens a while back. But this kitten was just way too friendly, and nothing feral about it. We set a "have a heart" trap to try and catch the second kitten, but it never showed up. So on Wednesday I drove the little kitty down to the Dessin Animal Shelter in Honesdale. It was such a sweet and loving kitten, I do hope it finds a good and loving home. If I were younger and still working, I would not have hesitated to keep it for myself. But one thing I worry about is passing on and leaving a pet behind, so I won't take in any new ones from now on. Plus, I really can't manage the added expense either, as I already have 1 cat and 2 dogs already.

Today, there were more surprises. One caused by Mother Nature, the other delivered by the US Mail carrier.

A little booklet, "Celia's Blankie" by Cottage Creations, sent to me, from my friend Corinne Schillinger. Thank you so very much Corinne. I have changed my plans on the blanket I started, and I am going to make it from one of these patterns instead. I love the little book, and it will get plenty of use, I'm sure. The book is several baby blanket designs using mitered squares. A lot of fun to be had, I'm sure. :)

The next surprise came from my friend Wendy Studner, also delivered by the US Mail carrier. This is "The Little Box of Sweaters" by Melissa Matthay and Sherl Thies. The little box contains 20 cards, each with the pattern of a sweater on it. There are several choices of pullovers, tunics, shells, tees, and cardigans to choose from. What a nice little idea, putting them on cards, for easy traveling. Thank you Wendy, I already found one I want to make. :)

And the last surprises, this time from Mother Nature. The continued blossoms of the Johnny Jump-Up plants, that have popped up hither and yon, in the lawn, in the flower beds, wherever.

This one is growing beneath one of my rose bushes.

This one is growing beneath the fence, in the middle of nothing but grass.
I also found some wild Geranium plants blooming as well, but the flowers were so small, and the sun so bright, they didn't show up in the photo. But to have anything blooming, outside, on the 25th of November, is amazing in these parts. So I just had to share it as further proof of what an exceptional month this has been.

I hope everyone enjoyed a happy and joyous Thanksgiving.
Maybe next time I will finally have some knitting to share, that I am not hiding from anyone. But until then, take care, keep well,................keep smiling. :)

Xmas Gifts and Special Olympics 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:56:00 +0000

I apologize for being so lax in my posting, but I have been so busy trying to get some things done, there was nothing to show off to begin with. But I've finally finished some projects, and have something to share.

First, I now have all of my daughter's gifts finished. I have made for her a hat, scarf and mittens set like the one I made for my niece, but this time in greens, which is what she wanted. And I also made her a pair of nice wool socks.

The entrelac scarf and hat is made using Lion Brand Woolease, color- Cilantro, and Amazing yarn, color- rainforest. I used the same two yarns for the mittens as well. The socks were made using Opal yarn. My sister sent me 2 skeins last year, of the same colorway, thinking I would need one for each sock. But Opal skeins are large enough to get one pair from one skein. My daughter is thankful for them, and loves the colors as much as I do. And I now know she favors green, as I do as well. Gee, I wonder if it's in the genes? LOL

Several weeks ago, I learned about the Special Olympics 2012 scarf project, and I brought it up to the ladies in my crafting group. I printed out the requirements and even patterns for the ladies that needed them, and several of them have joined me to make scarves for this project. You can read all about it, and get all of the information you need here: http://scarvesforspecialolympics.org/

As Red Heart yarns is sponsoring the scarf project, the yarns required are Soft Navy and Cherry Red. There was enough yarn for me to make two scarves. I knit the one on the right, called "Heroic Stripes" scarf. And I crocheted the scarf on the left, called "Be Proud" scarf. It worked out because the knit scarf used a lot more blue than red yarn, and the crocheted scarf was just the opposite. I did run out of blue a bit early, but the scarf was already wide enough by then, so I just finished it off with the row of single crochet on that edge, and that was it.

I was very happy too, to accept a scarf similar to my crocheted one, from my friend Corinne Schillinger, who lives up near Rochester, NY. When she learned of what I was doing with my ladies crafting group, she chose to contribute too, and I thank you so much Corinne, for your generosity of time, skill and spirit. The children that receive all of these scarves are going to be very happy with them, I am sure.

Right before Halloween I showed everyone that my Xmas cactus was starting to bloom again, and it has not stopped since then. Right now they are a riot of color, and still going strong. I have a few other Xmas cactus plants, but in different colors. They are budding out right now, but none of them are sporting such a mass of blossoms as the pink and whites ones do.

This was originally one plant, but overcrowding in the pot made it necessary to divide it. As you can see, the division did not slow it down in the least. And to think I have months more of these gorgeous blossoms to look at, Winter will mean little to nothing in comparison.

Our weather was amazing, for about 2 weeks. Then we did get a bit of rain, but I am still not going to complain. This is a very rare November, where we enjoy temperatures so mild, and for so long. Those 2 weeks of sunshine and mild weather were the best 2 weeks we had all Summer long. And I have been led to believe that once this rain is out of the way, with maybe 2 days of rather cold weather in it's wake, it is going to be sunny and mild again, at least through the first half of next week. I could not wish for more.

Have a great day, and remember, keep smiling. :)

We Have Yarn, Flowers, And SNOW!

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 14:47:00 +0000

Over the last couple weeks, I've been spinning some red Merino that my friend Heather gave me. I didn't have anything in particular I wanted to make, but I did want to learn Navajo ply, and since all of the roving I purchased is intended for something specific, I needed some fiber that I could practice with and not feel I had totally ruined and would not be able to use. As it turned out, I didn't do half bad, so now I just need to find the right project to make with my 3 ply yarn.

For the most part, it is of worsted weight, but there are thinner and thicker bits to this yarn, where I was not totally even in my spinning, and so the plying shows it well. Still, it's a gorgeous red, and there is 100 yards of it. I'm sure it will make at the least, a scarf or neck warmer. Or maybe I will spin up a complimentary colored fiber, and combine them to make a better scarf. It will not go to waste. Of that I'm certain.

I know it's not Xmas yet, and we do still have 2 months to go, but my Xmas Cacti have a mind of their own, and maybe it was that they sensed the cold weather and snowfall in the air, because they have begun blooming earlier than ever this year. They usually don't bloom until Halloween, but this year they started just about a week earlier. That's fine with me. I love their cheerful blossoms inside when outside is looking so cold, dreary and bleak.

I have about 8 or 9 Xmas Cacti, and every one of them are growing fat little buds that will be blossoming soon. Then they will rest a few weeks, and should bloom again in time for Thanksgiving, or about once every 6 weeks until May or later. Of course, their habit of blooming for such a long time is why I have so many of them too. :)

If you went back to my early Spring posts, you would see a gorgeous hanging plant that was given to me by my friend Wendy's husband. The plant is commonly known as the "Million Blossoms" plant. I read that the best way to propagate the plant is to take cuttings, as it is in the potato family, and it roots quickly that way. So when Fall was cooling things down, and the tender plants outdoors were beginning to dye off, I took several cuttings of that plant, thinking it might be possible for me to keep it alive. Good news, the cuttings did root and they are now planted in soil, and I'll see if it works, as I read.

But just in case the cuttings didn't work, I knew I already had a very healthy plant, and even though it was looking very poorly due to the colder weather, it had not yet been killed by frost. So I cut it all the way back to the base, and discovered there were three individual plants in my hanging basket. I suspected as much, as there were yellow blossoms, pink blossoms and red/purple blossoms when it was lush with leaves and blooming profusely. After I cut it all the way back, I brought it inside and then sat it in the South-West window and waited. How well it will grow through the Winter months, is yet to be discovered. But now I do know that it will grow.

As you can see, it is covered with new growth, and all three of the plants are progressing in the same way. I am so excited, and looking forward to seeing how it continues to thrive, or if it will.

In my neck of the woods, we generally see a little snow right before or around Halloween. And that happened this year too. On Thursday, the 27th, we had about an inch or so. Enough to cover the ground. I took this shot late in the day, as our local deer came to grab a snack of fresh apples from my tree, which is still hanging heavy with them. That big guy on the right is definitely a buck too.

It seems that Thursdays snowfall was just a "teaser" because yesterday the real deal arrived, and this time it was not just a light dusting.

The snow was very wet, very heavy, and crushing to any trees that still retained their leaves. But it is also very lovely in the bright morning sunlight.

These are columnar apple trees, still very heavy with leaves. I'm rather glad they are of this variety, because the weight of the snow on them is not so damaging as they don't really spread out as regular trees do.

We received 5½" of snow during yesterday and last night's storm, (my son informs me, that out behind the house, in the pasture lands, the snow measures 9" deep) and we never lost power during it. We were very lucky, as there are many thousands in north and eastern PA right now that are without power and will be for a while. I heard the Governor has requested help from other states in getting the lines back up and working again. It really is pretty though, isn't it?

Not very much in knitting news. There is progress being made, but I just can't share it right now. That time of year, you know?

Have a good day, enjoy the week ahead, and remember, keep smiling. :)

And The Surprises Continued - #3

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:55:00 +0000

Can you believe this??? When I went to the mailbox today, to pick up my mail, THIS was waiting for me. Of course it was properly packaged, but is it amazing, is it not?

My dear friend, Heather Woolove sent this delicious goodness to me. If you follow the link by clicking on her name, you will see that she is a "felter." She used some of this roving to make a purse, and found it difficult to felt with. She is actually an amazing woman with a wonderful imagination. You should see how she turned this fiber into a very fashionable handbag. It was no small feat, believe me. I would never have been nearly as successful, having little to no imagination myself. If it were not for the skills and talents of all the wonderful designers and writers that provide me with patterns to follow, I would not achieve anything on my own.

So rather than tossing it out, or spinning it herself, what does she do but send it to me...........am I not one of the luckiest people ever?? I have no idea what this roving was called, but I am calling it "Jolé." All of those colors remind me of a party down in Mexico! LOL

Since I'm already here, and I have the photos to share, I thought I would share with all of you one of my more recent "guests" to my apple tree, looking for dropped goodies.

He is a yearling button buck. He was about 15 yards away when my son, the HUNTER, shot this photo. Barry says he may be "next year's" dinner entree if he's still hanging around then. So I do hope he moves on by then. It is very common to have deer visit us under the apple tree. I've had up to 8 at a time stop by for stolen treats. They don't seem to fear us. They just stand there and stare back as we take their photos. Sure are pretty little things. I prefer shooting with a camera any day.

Have a good day, and keep smiling :)

Fall Surprises #2

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:01:00 +0000

Yesterday afternoon, the U.S. Mailman brought me new surprises to enjoy, and I just have to share them with everyone.

Quite a while ago, I mentioned in passing, to my BFF, that I wanted to get a soup mug, because I eat a LOT of soup during the Winter months, and mostly home-made soups. She surprised me with a huge soup mug a week or so later, and I have enjoyed using it for a long time. After my daughter came to live with me, she more or less "confiscated" my mug for herself. I mentioned this to my niece one day, so yesterday, guess what I found in a big box she had mailed to me?

You got it! A nice big soup mug, but this one is a gorgeous GREEN one. Yesterday I used it to enjoy a small salad. This morning I made a "pot" of tea in it, and drank every drop!

There was another surprise that came with my soup/whatever mug. A hand-knitted moebius. Knitted, no less, by none other than my beloved niece, Jessica Lynne.

The yarn is LionBrand Homepsun, and I believe the colorway is "Fiesta." She used a double strand of yarn, and I think US#13 needles. She wanted to make sure it would be plenty warm enough for me. What amazes me is how perfectly it fits!! The Winter's can get very cold here in the mountains, so I will have plenty of chances to wear this gift. As a matter of fact, I'm wearing it right now. And yes, it is toasty warm too.

THANK YOU JESSICA LYNNE! I love my gifts so very much, and I love you even more!!! :)

Have a great day everyone. I sure am! And remember................

Keep Smiling

Fall's Surprises

noreply@blogger.com (Sandie Knapp) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 16:11:00 +0000

Fall usually arrives adorned in beauty, but on occasion the beauty is only where you can find it if you seek it out. It's not always right there in front of your face. This Fall has been like that. Right now it is our "normal" peak of the season for Fall foliage, and the tourist's arrive in droves to see all the beauty of Fall in the foliage of the trees. In some areas, south of here, I guess some people are enjoying some of that beauty. But here, where I live, it never arrived.

This is what our trees look like. Not very pretty, are they? This picture is of the trees directly across the road from my home. They are totally naked, and they never did really show off any brightly colored foliage. All the rain and wind we've had over the last 2 months totally robbed us of that possibility. I can't think of any other reason for such a bleak landscape at this time of year. And yet my apple tree is still looking great!

I have been picking apples, and cooking with them, because they are not yet ripe. Another surprise this Fall has brought. Last year, at this time, the apples were not nearly as red, from this very tree, but they were fully ripe by now and we were pigging out on fresh apples for snacking with. This year they are near to ripe, but still a bit bitter. Great for cooking and baking with, but just not quite right for snacking of fresh fruit with. I am waiting patiently for that day to come. One thing is certain. We will not lack for a shortage at all. But what an odd contrast to the trees behind this apple tree. It stands in full foliage, bright and green, while all the trees in the background are bare.

As I was taking the picture of the apple tree, I suddenly noticed the pine tree at the end of the driveway. I was stunned to see the top of the tree totally covered like this with pine cones. They seem to have appeared over night, they have come on so quickly. Obviously the wet weather has been good for the pine tree in it's seed production. :)

My pear tree still has most of it's leaves, but I went looking on-line for information on when to pick my pears, as I've never had them before this year. So what you are seeing here is my very first crop of pears, from our young pear tree. My one regret is that my late husband never lived to see the tree he planted bear fruit this first time. As you can see, our tree produces Bosc pears. And according to the information I read, if I waited for them to ripen before picking them, here in northeast PA, I would never get to enjoy a pear. They would have rotted from the cold weather before ripening, if left on the tree. So here, we have to pick them early, and store them in a cool, dry place, until they ripen. So right now they are sitting on the stairs in my basement, ripening up, and I can't wait to sink my teeth into them. Most of them were on the smaller size, but as you can see, a few are quite impressive, and will make for a very hearty but healthy snack.

A few more delightful surprises, considering the time of year, and the fact that we have seen a good heavy frost twice now, are these blossoms of Dwarf Gaillardia (top) and the Apple Blossom spreading Rose (bottom). Among all the dullness of the naked trees, having these beautiful flowers still blooming is truly delightful.

And inside the house, are surprises come early too. My Xmas cactus plants have begun showing flower buds of varying size, and will be in blossom soon. Normally I do not see this until Halloween at the earliest. This year they are in a bit of a hurry, it seems. Right now I have 3 different Cacti that are beginning to bloom, but I'm sure the rest of them will follow very soon. I have several Xmas Cacti plants. When I thin one out or they drop a branch, I can't stand to throw them out, so I root and plant them. It makes for a wonderful display during the Winter months, as these plants, for one reason or another, continue to bloom through May and sometimes June. Why, I have no idea, they just do. And I am not going to complain. They make getting through the cold of Winter so much easier to do, just seeing their lovely blossoms.

On the knitting side, there is some progress too. I have been knitting Xmas gifts, and because they might be seen here, I can't show some of them to you right now, but I am nearly finished with two of them. The following gift I can show because my son never uses the computer, so he will never see this post.

I have been working on making a hat for my son, Barry. Easy to do as I did the knitting while he was at work. The yarn is 100% wool from Steam Valley Fiber Farms. I purchased the wool in roving form at our little fiber festival last month. Since then I've spun the wool, and then knit this ribbed knit hat for my son. At first I was a bit concerned because a few people who saw the roving, before it was even spun, noticing the purple in it, told me no man would ever wear this color, it was "too feminine." I was a little worried at first, but I know that spinning always deepens the colors and knitting the hat would only deepen them even more. Now the hat is finished, and to be honest with you, it is even deeper in color than what you are seeing here. Personally, I can see no reason why a man could not or would not wear this hat. I see nothing feminine in it at all. I hope my son will not be concerned with fashion anyway, but more concerned with keeping his head warm. If nothing else, it should definitely do that much for him. :)

A short time ago, through a newsletter from Red Heart Yarns, I learned about the 2012 Special Olympics Scarf Project. This project is being sponsored by Red Heart Yarns, and Walmart, making it very easy for anyone to find the yarns needed to participate in the project if they wished. I printed out the information and presented it to my "Little Ladies Sewing Circle," which is my local small crafting group that I attend. It was originally a "sewing circle," but little sewing is done these days, but for a few quilters in the group. Most of us either knit or crochet or both. Several of the ladies have agreed to make scarves with me, and then we are going to send them out in one big box in time for the event. All of the specifics about what yarns, measurements, free patterns, and where to send them and how, can be found on their web site (see link), should anyone be interested.

I guess that is all for today. We are enjoying some mild weather so far today, and some bright sunshine. I never get too much of that. Remember..........Smile at someone today. You never know, but your smile just might be that one bright spot in their entire day. :)