We Have A Graduate And A Mouse!!!

Thanks to everyone for the gifts, cards, and phone calls when Mike graduated from hair school this week. Mike was really touched and pleased that you guys thought of him. Also, thank you to everyone who let Mike do their hair while he was in school, and especially the Great Enabler who went above and beyond and allowed herself to be a model at his new shop, as well as one of his school clients.

Here is the proud graduate with diploma and congratulatory balloon.

This was one tough year, and Mike and both appreciate everything you guys did. Once again, thank you from us both.

On the knitting front, I have finished the Scotch Thistle Lace Stole, and it will be blocking today, and photos will follow. In a break from lace, I knit a toy from one Debi Birkin's patterns, and it is Margot the Mouse Ballerina. I made her from stash yarns, and they were likely Encore or Vanna's Choice, but unsure.

Margot is very cute, and I will bring her to knitting on Wednesday evening.

TTFN!

Meet Willa and Floyd

Here are Willa and Floyd. As you might have guessed, Willa is a country witch, so she prefers to be on a first name basis only. She is currently looking for a good used broom with not too many miles on it, but realizes she may have to wait until fall to find a good deal.



Willa has curly hair that was baked on dowel rods. I realized after I started sewing on and trimming her curls that I must be a bit of a masochist in that I took an Alan Dart pattern and voluntarily made it HARDER!!!



I am still contemplating whether to knit her a very loose knit shawl, maybe like on size #17 needles so it looks kind old and tattered. or maybe a neck scarf as I am not crazy about the place where the neck joins the top of her blouse.












This was knit entirely from Plymouth Encore. Her bloomers are a deep red instead of white, and the rest is pretty much in traditional Halloween colorway. If I made another one, which I doubt, I would make her in rusts and mossy greens with some brown so that she could be a kitchen witch.

Unfortunately, pictures do not do her justice. She refused to sit still and behave.

Also, I gave her some bangs with the curls I trimmed off to soften her face a little bit. Floyd is a typical cat, and will look anywhere but at the camera when it is time for a picture.

Knitting from the Heart...

Short post, one pic, lots of caring from two needles and some yarn. Five years ago this October, my dad passed away, and someone gave me a very nice bookmark at the funeral in a card. At the time, it seemed like a nice gift, but nothing really more than a kind thought.

Since my dad died, I have used that bookmark many times, and I have found particular comfort when I use it because for some strange reason it reminds me of the way I want to remember my dad. I can't explain it, and it is probably just the wierdness of me, but now everytime I have a friend who experiences the loss of a loved one, I give them a bookmark inside of a card.

There are two projects in this photo. The tiny project on the left is a pair of hearts knit for someone I do not know well, but her mother just passed away, and a group of knitters are sending a box of knitted hearts in different colors to let her know that her friends are thinking of her.

The long red strip is one of my infamous book marks. My friend should probably take up reading reference volumes as this one came out a little on the large side with blocking. Woops...

From hands to yarn, from finish to start, a gift from the hands is a gift from the heart.

Loopy Loot!!!

We came, we saw, we kicked some... Who am I kidding? We hid in our room a lot because the loud girls scared us. Also, there were not enough tables and chairs, and I was silly enough to bring a complex pattern that needed a table and concentration.

However, the Loopy giftbag was very nice. We also got to go to Loopy Central, and I was so overwhelmed that I could not shop. I wish now that I had bought several things that I looked at, but I was just too unnerved to push through to the other side. I brought $200 for yarn purchases, and only spent $20.08 because of the mass hysteria. I could not even think about what I wanted because I felt too crowded, pushed, and shoved. The only thing I bought was something that could not be shipped, and it is a sock peacock. There are six wooden holders for mini socks on the handmade wooden peacock. It is pretty cool when you see it all socked up!

I did not take any pictures at the fling as I was too agitated because of the constant hysteria and not enough chairs and tables. Mom has read the TLE blog and there apparently will be a quiet room for knitting/spinning next year, and that is VERY appealing to me. I will have to take time to read it myself.

Mom and I did have a nice time together, and even with all of the craziness I would still go back with her if she wanted to go next year.

Now, for the loot:



At the top, the oblong gray tube is a Namaste bag that opens from both ends with an exterior zippered pouch with an adjustable strap. From left to right, just below the bag there are two Loopy Ewe temporary tattoos, my Loopy Ewe ID tag/zippered bag, TLE pin, TLE Spring Fling mug in a color that matches the bag, the wooden sock peacock.

On the next row, the Schaefer (Nichole) yarn that came in the bag, Highland Fling Socks pattern, and the Nicholetta sock pattern by Laura Nelkin. Also, I also got a sort of short-lived or possibly disposable red Loopy shopping bag that is somewhere between a dental bib and go green sort of material.

I met someone whose Ravelry name is "PlazaJen", and she is a sweetheart! She also teaches classes at The Studio. I met probably a dozen other nice girls, but unfortunately I do not remember their names or where they live.

In my next post, I will show pics of the Boudelaire socks. I did not get a chance to meet Cookie in person, but I saw her several times. I did not realize until I got there that she was the author of that pattern.

Anne Hanson is a lovely person, and a very kind teacher. I would gladly take a class with her again if it were offered, but next time I would take a much more advanced class.

Oh yea, Mom also bough me a red Loopy Ewe hooded sweatshirt.

Willa and Floyd are nearing the finish line as well. Their pics will come later.

TTFN!

The Victims of Knitting...

I have often photographed and posted pictures of my finished knitted items, although a few do sneak under the wire, but not often do I post my intended targets of said knits.

The Irish Hiking Scarf. This was made for a friend of mine (Mike) who lives in Columbia. I also made a scarf for his girlfriend (Kathy), but she prefers not be photographed. He really isn't a sour puss, but I will admit he looks like he has a date with the hangman in this pic...

The Lucy Bag. This was made for a friend's granddaughter who is 12-years-old. She sent me the kindest thank you note telling me that she loved the bag, and that her friends would like one "two". I don't know if the friends were requesting two each, or if they liked the purse also. Either way, I am not asking any questions, and intend to play dumb. I am generous not stupid.

The Bajeejee. Since working at a hospital, I have found that many people have fond little nicknames for anatomical bits and pieces. My friend (her granddaughter is the one with the Lucy bag) is having a complete hysterectomy and SPARC sling procedure, and she is no exception to the nicknaming convention. She has the same off-beat sense of humor that I do, and so I made her something that takes pictures to explain. However, I have used her anatomical reference to name the project that will forever more be known as "The Bajeejee".

I must say, I was very proud of the results of "The Bajeejee". This project gave me quite an education. Not only do the fallopian tubes have the fimbriated ends, but I also learned how to do a cerclage - albeit in yarn, but still! You never know, I could be called in to assist in surgery at any given moment - hush, it could happen!

NOTE: My mother does not endorse the poor taste of knitting or photographing "The Bajeejee", nor does she use the F-word. However, after she comes back from spending this coming weekend with me in St. Louis for the Loopy Spring Fling she might...

Treats for the Sweet

For Easter, I have knit a collection of sweets for my two nieces, ages 8 and 5. This collection includes the center two cupcakes (pattern from Little Cotton Rabbits), and the pastries include the jelly rolls, doughnuts, strawberry jam tarts, and chocolate fingers (pattern from Jean Greenhowe's Jiffyknits). Each girl will get one of each so as it is FAIR to everyone lest the balance be upset.

These sweets were really a lot of fun to knit, and they were very quick on and off the needles. They were knit with Lion's Brand Vanna's Choice, and a little bit of Plymouth Encore.

I am going to make a cupcake for myself to sit on my desk, but it will include the beads that look like sugar sprinkles, but mine will be chocolate with sprinkles (beads).

The tiny nephew will get something too, but the details of that project are still being worked out.

Think PINK!!!

I finished the Lucy bag, and it came out better than expected. Admittedly, I am not such a fan of the color pink, but once felted this bag was double cute. The gals at the yarn shop told me that the Galway variegated pink would look like marble when felted, and it certainly did.

As I mentioned previously, I had enough yarn left over to knit a little accessory purse, and I put a button on it to match the Lucy bag. I tried to get up close, but the button was somewhat shiny and reflected too much light, so this was as close as I could get. It actually reads, "Girl Power", and it is an exact match to the pink with green accents.

This Lucy bag is the smallest version on the pattern, but knit in worsted to give it a little extra size. I will definitely knit one of these for myself - probably not in pink though...

As an aside, hubby never really has too much to say about the knitting because it just isn't his thing, but he told me he really liked this bag and thought it would be a hit!