& more decisions, decisions..
A bigger decision than “what in the hell is for dinner”
What should I do with this yarn that the Mister made me on Saturday.???!?
It isn’t what I would consider something to be within my color palate. None the less, I told him I would make something for myself with it… Hummm……
There has been a plethora of dyeing going on here. & I updated the shop with those fruits.
…And now seriously, what on earth is for dinner?
XXOO!
(WARNING: you will have to either
A. read the whole post
or
B. scroll down
to get to the knitting content)
I tend to avoid the blog when I’m feeling like I was in my last post. For a number of reasons. Mainly, because it is like it goes down on my permanent record… (That I’m not super human. YIKES, the horror! Imagine that.) And sometimes putting negative thoughts and emotions into something will reinforce it (like the Bush-ies, tell the lie enough, someone is bound to buy it…) But, moreover, I do consider it some form of attachment.. But then, that crosses the line into dogma. Sheesh. Life is complex, isn’t it? These fine lines we cross. Regardless, each one of you who commiserated helped me see we are all just humans, trying to swim in the stream of life; doing our best to avoid the lamprey. (Each one of you who knew how to fold a fitted sheet, I started to question your humanness, and have come to realize you are born of the super human gene stock… The type that is always prepared with snacks and handi-wipes. Please train me in your ways, for you are the Jedi.)
I digress, as soon as I expelled the woe-is-me-I’m-sitting-here-on-my-pitty-pot… whaaa whaaa whaa-ness; things took a turn. (Not before 4 and I had a good cry on the bed.) But, I met 3 sets of neighbors, all of whom seem righteous, and decent and on the same page. 4 found a playmate (YAY!!!!!) and post cards started rolling in. Ann nearly filled my box single handedly! (And I got a kick out of the one in the upper left corner, because I’ve sent a few of those out myself!)
No sooner did I make the post about wanting post-cards, my lovely and dear friend Kate told me of a story she heard on the BBC that post cards are making a come back. Once again we fiberys are onto something… All of mine went out sometime last week; so if you don’t get one from me soon, please shout. I know I messed up on the list loosing my place, but I tried to double back just to be sure I got everyone (so, some of you may get two..) If there is anyone who wants to keep going with post card mayhem, do let me know. I’ll compile a list of everyone who does, and send that list of names and addresses out to willing participants… So, we’ll each send out 20 or so post cards, and get back 20 or so post cards…
And now for something completely different. (sarcasm)
I made yet another Morning coffee toque
I made some modifications, and wrote down/put up the pattern
I do hope you all enjoy it as much as I do.
I got a late start to the day, today. So, right now, the kids are nipping at my heals trying to get my attention. Poor neglected souls. I best do those things we do.
XO!
The blog sometimes can feel like sending up smoke signals, I never can be quite sure if anyone is seeing my message; but yet I feel the need to put it out anyway. And, it’s all well and good.
I’m writing today, not to display knitting, or yarns; or complain about my lack of domestic skills (how in the world does one fold an effin fitted sheet, anyhow?!?) But today, I’m feeling incredibly down & homesick. Add to that, a touch of PMS, tomorrow being the first anniversary of Valerie’s death, Mister 4 feeling just as homesick as myself~perhaps even more so (Miss 6 seems to be taking the move gracefully, just as her father is) and a touch of some kind of stomach bug… It equals plenty of tears. I was neither born, nor raised in Vermont, but as the song goes, I’ve been there so long; got to callin it home.
We’ve been here 4 weeks today, and it hasn’t really felt like home yet.
Sorry for being such a Debbie Downer. I’m just processing via smoke signals.
…With yarn.
It’ natures way, isn’t it? And we all know it is futile to try and mess with Mother Nature.
Mr. Pipps was away all weekend, participating in the Beaver State Fling. (Am I the only one who gets that hearty inner 12 year old laugh at the idea that Orgun is called “The Beaver State”? Yea, it’s just me… oh.) I digress, apparently, he was on the leader card the first day, then the length of the course just ate him up. (Eventually finishing around 20th in his class.) Congrats Mr. Pipps. I hope you will buy me some fiber with your prize money.
Anyway, left to my own devices, I started and finished a project in his absence. The worry shawl is almost nearing completion, and having a basic issue with project ADD, I set out to cast something on that was slightly more interesting than the simple and at times, monotonous worry shawl. I picked a hat… something small, functional (especially for the cold ass mornings here) and hopefully pretty. It was needed. It is absolutely time to retire ‘hatty’ Oh poor hatty, your brim is worn and you are so tired you slouch. You have served me well in your soft merino ways, dear hatty. I do apologize for that unidentified crust in the shape of a small thumb and forefinger that adorns the underside of your brim. I do vow to give you a good bath before I put you in the “winter gear” box. Let us meet again hatty….
Without further ado, I present my new headgear… The Morning Coffee Toque.
The deets:
Yarn:
apx 2 oz of 2 ply DK Vermont grown & spun (purchased back in the day when Vermont had a mill) wool.
apx: 2 (or less) oz of 2ply Sport/Dk wt (that I spun way way back here.) It is a really interesting yarn. Packed with everything from angora, hemp, silk noils, silk sari, tinkle and of course wool.
(I wound up not using any of the pink ball pictured above)
It graduates in color from deep sunset orange to periwinkle, and back again.
Cast on: late Friday afternoon, completed Sunday morning. (It is utterly amazing how much Less stuff there is to do around the house minus one adult.)
Pattern: My own.
If you could believe it there are more photos over on Flikr. (And I do hope to grab a photo of the inside before it gets too worn from my head.)
Perhaps it is luck, or a touch of a re-written Murphy’s law, or one of those “go figure” type things; but we didn’t have frost last night! In fact the current temperature is 56f! (But, yes, I’m wearing it at the moment.) Perhaps mother nature was pleased or something. (The key to bringing warm weather is knitting woolens?) Although, with it being this warm in the morning, makes me fear what heat the afternoon will bring!
Whatever your weather today, happy Monday!!!
XO!
It’s another cold morning here. My hands are little blocks of ice! I’m clad head to toe in wool (YAY WOOL!) and there is Ice (okay, frost) on my car. In a few short hours the temp should be up to 90f and it will be hot as Hades in the sun.
Not buying it?
I offer photographic evidence. (Please do say a small prayer that my basil isn’t done for, I forgot to take it in last night.)
As much as I’ve been complainy about this house (Mentally ill ~ thanks Riin for hitting the nail with that one ~ hysterically ORANGE kitchen, dangling, ripped clear plastic in the studio; 50 degree temperature fluxes within 20 hours, not knowing anyone, and so on and so forth… I feel entirely blessed. I do. I feel lucky to have a roof over our heads. Especially one that doesn’t leak! Walls that don’t have toxic mold inside; water that we can drink, cook with and bathe in; and most of all a land-lord we aren’t related to. (FWIW, He’s been much kinder to us than our last land-lord. Cough.)
The first wave of post cards went out yesterday! If I had your snail mail addy by 3pm left coast time; the card is in the mail. There is still time people, I’m forever buying post cards for the kids to send. It’s nice to get something in the mail other than dreaded bills…. Plus, I have grand plans for your cards. Oh yes, yes I do. I plan to hang them all in the (cough) “studio” to help take away the rough edges! (So, I will need a metric butt ton of them)
a diamond in the rough? Sure, I think so. With some time, postcards, elbow grease, insulation,(?!) and a nail gun it will be fab! I should get on it then, before the mercury reaches 90.
XO!
I’ve gone and updated the webpage, and as promised I am announcing it here. The individual photos didn’t come out so stellar. I have yet to find the right spot.
Anyway… Here’s an odd request.. Well, perhaps it isn’t a request as much as an idea and a call to participation. heh. Who wants to swap postcards with me? (OH! SaY YES!) I’ve been buying post cards for the kids to send their friends back in VT, every time I go to the market. And now I want in on the fun. (the cheesier the better, too!) Who’s game?
I do enjoy orange, as I enjoy All color. The paint job itself, and maybe perhaps the tones selected are the things in question. It’s one of those “decorative” faux paint jobs. Florescent tones of orange with spatterings of yellow. It makes me wonder the mindset of the painter. Who on earth would have stood back, to admire this work and said “Yup, that looks GOOD!” I’m not too sure I’d like to meet that person, the way their brain works scares me a bit.
Please, dear reader. Shelter your eyes. Don your protective eye wear, and perhaps put on a bit of SPF 50 for good measure.
(I made it small here, to spare you, one and all.)
What bothers me the most about it (perhaps more than the color(s) itself and decorative sponge technique, is the sheer sloppiness of it. It either says “I don’t give a rats’s ass” or “By golly this is super!” Whichever, it scares me.
On the brighter side, I had no clue just how many of you were kind of near by. The prospects are exciting!
There should be an update soon (tomorrow? maybe?) I’ve been working out the studio’s many kinks, now I just need to figure out what to do about the clear plastic that was (sloppily!) put up and is now dangling from the ceiling.
XO!
Oregonians (or is it Orgunians?) can I get a show of hands? There are two of you that I’m aware of. Could there possibly be some more?
The dust is starting to clear, boxes are becoming empty, and I find myself alone (well, not really alone, because 4 & 6 are nearly always underfoot.) and sometimes after alone, comes lonely; which, more often than not equals not good. What’s my point? I need some human beings that share my interests, to come and get spun with me. My mother can’t pay you, but I have a studio space (abet, a bit rough [okay, really rough] at the moment) and I bake a mean chocolate chip cookie!
Any takers?
