There are times....

...when felting seems like voodoo to me. I knit a swatch, measure gauge before felting, felt it, then get the gauge after felting, knit the piece, felt it...only to be let down. When will I get it right!? Knitted columns and rows (width and length) just do not felt at the same speed.

This is the 2nd try of a bag I've designed. It's still not quite right but close.



Ahhhh! It's not a total loss. It's a perfect bag for my wonderloom!

Wordless Wednesday

Saturday laughs

F L I P I T O R
Increases life expectancy of commuters by controlling road rage and
The urge to flip off other drivers.

J A C K A S S P I R I N
Relieves headache caused by a man who can't remember your birthday,
Anniversary, phone number, or to lift the toilet seat.

Hopefully someday I'll have some knitting and beading I can blog about.

In the news

This Yahoo! article caught my eye yesterday - One in four read no books last year. There are actually people that do not read!??!!? How can anyone resist the call of a new adventure while sitting in a comfortable chair? Or the enjoyment of family time spent reading out loud?

I believe that books are food for the soul. So it surprises me that there are people who do not appreciate the rise in heart rate when entering a book store or library. My house is filled with bookshelves and everyone has at least one book they are in the process of reading. And a Christmas wish list from any of us will always include books.

Some of my favorite reads (other then Harry Potter series):
Dean Koontz is read by the entire family so we purchase his books sight unseen, as a new hardback. Odd Thomas is my favorite character. If you enjoy paranormal/suspense type story lines, I highly recommend this series.

During the twice-a-year Friends of the Library book sale, I always look for a book by an author I've never read before. It's an inexpensive gamble. At the sale this past March, I picked up "A Woman's Place" by Barbara Delinsky. It was OK...not great, not terrible...but good enough to try another title by the same author. So I checked out "Three Wishes" from the library.



I love this one! It's a little romantic (yeah, mush) with a little paranormal, and very uplifting (spiritual). I'll definitely be reading more by this author.

Then there is historical fiction. I fell in love with the writings of Gwen Bristow in high school. Celia Garth and Calico Palace....it just doesn't get much better then those two. Of course I read Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. Epic novel! (And yes, the mini-series was good too.)

Obviously these are just a few of my favorites but there are so many other possibilities. So why do people not read? I don't get it.

Just turn off the boob tube, open a book, and let your imagination loose!

Wordless Wednesday

Crayons - not just kid stuff

Have you always thought of crayons as kid stuff? Perhaps this will change your attitude...



Amazingly, this art is with crayons. The artist is Don Marco. Check out his other works here.

August 17, 1957 On this date....

...I was born fifty years ago. I now qualify as a Red Hatter. (Look for the red hat I made for myself in the to-be-released Knifty Knitter booklet from Leisure Arts.)

Also on this date - Philadelphia Phillies baseball player, Richie Ashburn hit a foul ball into the stands that struck spectator Alice Roth, breaking her nose. When play resumed, Ashburn fouled off another ball that hit her again as she being carried off in a stretcher.

Remembering Elvis

Hard to believe it's been 30 years since I sat in my car crying after hearing the radio broadcast with the news that Elvis had died. No matter what your taste in music, you cannot deny his voice was like velvet.

RIP

Wordless Wednesday

Pigeons in the front yard

Pigeons?



A rare sight in the desert. And they're tagged....




...but since they aren't extending a claw for me to read the numbers, this is as close as it gets.

I wonder how long they will vacation here?

Mail call!

I just love the pegs Decor Accents is using on their extra fine and fine gauge sock looms. Now, I *need* more sock yarn!

New loom knit patterns and techniques

I know I haven't updated my website in...well, months. Last real update was right after the boxes were shipped to publisher (no firm date as to when pattern book will be sold in stores). And it looks like it will still be another few weeks before I finish getting new patterns together for the site.

In the meanwhile, here's a peek of new patterns that will be available.


If you missed the Pinwheel Purse (below) class last March, you can catch it again later this month at Michael's in Lancaster.


New technique: I spent last spring experimenting with loom knitting and stumbled upon came up with a new technique that allows you to change the gauge of a loom. For example you can use 1 strand of worsted weight on a large gauge loom where you have had to use two strands to get a tight knit.

However, since this technique is a little slower and more complicated then the typical e-wrap or true knit, I haven't been in a hurry to get the tutorial together. Plus there are great knitting looms available in a variety of gauges. But if anyone is interested or can think of a need for it, I'll put the tutorial on my "to-do" list, along with the website update.

Let me know. Seriously, if I don't hear from anyone, I'll just shelve the technique for now 'cause I have a long list as it is!
:-)

Wordless Wednesday

Yum!

I had a good weekend (hope yours was the same!) We saw the Order of the Phoenix but most of the time, we hung out around the pool.

And we made one of our family favorites.... spinach dip.


It's too hot to oven bake it so I put it in the microwave and serve it with toasted sourdough bread and/or celery sticks. Really yum!

oops It's Thursday...

...and I missed posting the Wordless Wednesday picture. List of 10 most likely excuses:
1) Sick hubby*
2) Not home most of the day
a) taught class
b) errands
3) Finishing a test knit
4) Designing new loom knit projects
5) Sick hubby*
6) Cooking dinner, doing dishes
7) Some work on current needle knit design
8) Thinking of bead weaving design that needs to be finished
9) Brain fried from 100 plus temperatures
10) Sick hubby*

*Excuse worthy of multiple listings

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