Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Christmas 2016

I'm starting my gift knitting early.  OK, very early.  However, I have an idea that I think will work wonderfully.  On ravelry there is an advent calendar scarf pattern for knitting.  Actually there are about 10 from different designers, but I'm doing the German site's series of 5.  I'm using Paton's Lace in natural, plum ice, turquoise with repeats of the plum and turquoise.  I'm not adding beads.  I will be doing a thin version.  The finished dimensions as written are 50 cm (20 inches.  I did the conversion.) by 200 cm (78 inches).  Since these will be fairly quick to knit in the thin versions and are broken down into 24 small bites, I hope to get them done by the end of January, February at the latest.

I also received high compliments on some granny square slippers I made for my sister's boyfriend.  Those will be repeated and expanded for the recipients.  A few adjustments to hook size and I will have dialed in a perfect size I hope.  I used this pattern with doubled Red Heart Super Saver yarn and an I hook.  I will go down a hook size.  These should wash and wear like iron, but still be soft and comfy on the foot.

The scarves posted on ravelry in the finished projects tab are breathtakingly beautiful.  I might adopt a similar idea for either an afghan along or a lace class series.  There are many lace patterns out there that really have a lot to teach and look fabulous.

I have also decided that lace cardigans for my granddaughters will happen next year.  I will make them over-sized for more wear-ability.  The lace will not be the very holey kind, more of eyelet outlines of some of their favorite animals.  I will post pictures of all progress once we get some sun.  I need to do this outside.  My lighting inside is poor for pictures but great for general seeing.

For now, I must get my laundry done after finally kicking the flu.  Holidays and illness are not fun when combined.  Add every Godzilla movie made and killer klowns from outer space and I had to get better for self preservation.  Yarn shopping in my stash will be fun.  I know I have something that will work.

Thursday, December 24, 2015

New calendars at long last!

Merry Christmas to you all!  We are three days and less out from the big day and I am interspersing my cleaning and tidying with gift wrapping and thinking about upcoming classes and workshops.  Finally I have things lined up just right.

My husband's gift to me this year was a shopping trip at a local yarn shop.  My daughter in law went with me.  I picked up a lot of lovely natural fibers.  My personal preference is for natural fibers, due to allergies to synthetics.  My daughter in law also got some nice things.  She has plans for accessories to keep her warm at work and to gift.  We also got some nice patterns for baby and small people wear.  Babies crop up now and again in life.  Plus I have 2 granddaughters who, in spite of living in a very warm state, enjoy their knit and crochet items.

I'm going to start to offer day classes at the Lebanon library.  Class will end just about the time kids get out of the middle school.  I'm hoping this works for some of you.  In an effort to help you see your schedule when booking classes, I'm changing the way I do my layout.  I'm posting calendars.


Friday, December 11, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving & Merry Christmas!

Belatedly, happy thanksgiving to everyone.  I didn't get the chance to post my well wishes earlier, I was cooking and cleaning.  Well truthfully, my husband vacuumed for me (this was a major undertaking).  I was working out my timetable for the big meal and waiting to find out when everyone was actually going to arrive.  The meal was good.  Not all my sides made an appearance as scheduled.  That is OK.  I was thankful for the people who made it safely here.  I also thought about my sister who had to go to work after dinner with all the holiday shoppers.  Some of them are a little little crazy and a few are dangerous.

Some of my holiday preps were halted by the installation on new plumbing fixtures.  Definitely nice but differences in the old sizes to the new made our job longer than estimated.  Our family now has a shower head that will get the soap out of my hair.  A rainfall head is really nice, but I found that the soap didn't wash out of my thick hair as well as I wanted.  We also have a new goose neck kitchen faucet with on-board  sprayer and now a soap dispenser.  Nice to have but caught up in the preps for holidays, I didn't get the chance to fully appreciate the work.  I have now.

Another new thing in my life is that I quit my day job.  I won't be out completely but I won't be going in every day or so.  I can now concentrate on classes, teaching, designing and regaining classroom space.  Keep your eyes peeled for a new schedule.  I will be working on that this weekend as well as partying.  One family get together is this weekend.  This is the smaller of the 2.  We are ready.  I hope.....

Merry Christmas and I will keep you posted.

Classes do make great presents as well.