I Was Knit Together In My Mother's Womb

I am calling the woman today. I have not done one more bit of seaming. You know, funny thing is, I would have just gone ahead and completed the whole thing and then worked out the payment stuff, but a little voice inside me prompted me to stop what I was doing and get the advice of all of the bigger voices outside of me! So, I will keep you posted.

On Sunday, three generations of women showed up at Freedom Village to visit Ben and make sure that he was being taken care of.  Poor Ben...the women in his life, Grandma, Mom and sister Kate swooped over him that day..."What about  hygiene products? Do you need anything?"   "You need a vacuum cleaner? Well, we'll just get one."  "Is your laundry being done?"  "Are you being offered fresh fruits and vegetables?" 

I believe he completely enjoyed the doting that day. We had a great visit, and I was proud and pleased to see how much Ben has grown and matured emotionally, spiritually, and in wisdom. He told me he is not coming back home to stay. He'll visit home in April for the first time for about a week, and then  he'll be going back to the Village, will be working in ministry there, and will begin his college education while he's working.  He has found a purpose, and is surrounded by love and encouragement. He cannot pass up that opportunity.

I think that he's made an excellent decision.

JR leaves today for Baltimore for a few days. I'm coming close to finishing my Paton's classic cardigan, and I will appreciate the uninterrupted knitting time. Lisa! Come over to knit tonight!

I'm just a bit excited about the coolness of Lion Brand these days. Organic Cotton?

Has anyone actually seen it in stores? Or the new Cotton Ease. for that matter?

How do I get myself into these things?

Last year, I taught a series of classes in which the students learned different stitch patterns...it was an introduction to reading charts, making bobbles, cables...all sorts of fun things in  squares, which could then be seamed into a pillow or baby blanket, etc. There was a lady who came to every class, and because she already knew how to knit, felt she shouldn't have to pay. Even though she got all the patterns and I advised her through the whole process on pattern choices, layout of her design, and so forth. It was a sensitive issue, however, and one that needed to be handled sensitively.

A few months passed, and apparently, this woman had been knitting up squares....a blanket's worth of  squares, and not a baby blanket, friends... loving all that she had learned. So, she called me one day and asked, since she didn't have the time, would I mind seaming them together to make her blanket?

I'm thinking...okay, you already know how to  knit, but you don't know how to seam....that's the real issue.

I'm also thinking...I'm getting paid for this deal. And she agreed. "Take your time." she said.   So, a few more months have passed, and last night, I finally started going through the basket of squares.

She did a nice job, but most were not even blocked, and several were not blocked appropriately.  I began to lay out the pattern with what she gave me.

And, found a pleasing arrangement. 

So, I figured I would seam one strip a night.

My question is two-fold.  Would you finish weaving in ends so that it's ready for her to knit the border?   And, what would you charge to do a job like this?

GUESS HOW MANY SKEINS....

   

Sixteen Skeins of Yarn in this little case!

Of the correct answers, I drew the name of JERSEY!  Clapping, cheering, clapping!  Jersey is a brand new blogger; she is a 21 year old college student, who spends her spare time knitting,instead of all the crazy things other college students do, I'm sure.  I'll be sending you a special care package, Jersey...a care package to a college girl. I haven't done that in many years!

Go say hello to this brand new blogger, Jersey. Load her up with comments and new connections!

Winter has finally returned to Western New York, and we have gotten a decent week of snow, as well as some single digit temperatures.

  It's colder when you are alone.

Last night, I ate leftover spaghetti parmesan in bed under the electric blanket while I watched Grey's.  My husband is away on a sales conference trip and won't be home until very late tonight. If he knew I was eating in bed, I think he'd have a canary.  Good thing spaghetti parmesan doesn't have crumbs.

It's interesting how "The Preparation For Bed"  is executed (or not) when he is not here.

I forget about lights...JR turns off all the lights.

I forget to set the alarm...JR sets the alarm. Do you know he actually did that for me before he left yesterday morning?

I forget to turn back the thermostat....so I'm glad I didn't have a hot flash last night.

I plump all the pillows and place them next to me as if he's there. So, when I turn over to spoon, I have something to spoon.

I don't have to wear a Breathe-Right strip!Think a bout this.... If a wife snores in bed and a husband is not there to hear it, did she make a sound?

Tonight, I'm faced with another evening alone in the house.

So I put on my p.j.'s, lined up my knitting, 

Made some hot chocolate...

And I've got my dog on the floor beside me.

Tonight it will be "What Not to Wear" and knitting....under the electric blanket....until he gets home.

Here it is , and it's inspiring!

http://interweave.com/knit/interweave_knits/preview/2007_spring.asp

What a lovely collection of patterns. I can see some possibilities, and the use of some interesting fibers and blends intrigues me. Having used soy silk and  bamboo blends, and loving them, it was good to see them utilized quite often in the IK collection of patterns.

The other day, I was at a local yarn store on my lunch break. The lure of Amanda's Bloomin' Feet 2007 was too much for me to resist, so I will be knitting another pair of socks for someone. ANYWAY,  I spotted  "Tofutsies." Speaking of interesting yarn blends! Tofutises is a Southwest Trading Company sock yarn.

http://www.soysilk.com/

   

Get this....it is a blend of superwash wool, cotton, soysilk and Chitin, which is a fiber made from shrimp and clam shells!  It's very soft, has great colors, too. So, I'm thinking this will become  Bloomin' Feet socks. And, appropriately, I will be using Nancy Bush's "Child's First Sock"  shell pattern.  Or  Mim's Razor Shell  sock pattern.   Do you have any other suggestions for patterns with a shell theme?

I decided I like to knit socks, if they are for other people. Every now and then.

This is my space.

 

JR created it for me. I do many creative and fun things here, while only steps away from the most un-fun thing to do...laundry.  I sew, look through my knitting books,  craft,  and blog in this room.

We were looking at houses yesterday, and one of the key criteria was being able to have a space for "my space."

My space  has great storage spaces.

  where I can hide yarn.

   GUESS HOW MANY SKEINS?

Leave me your guesses by midnight, Friday, January 26.  I'll draw a name from the correct guesses. And you will receive a lovely  something from me!

Come on now,  GUESS HOW MANY SKEINS????

Dear Lisa,

Thank you for coming to dinner last night. We love it when you and Jon come to our house, and I'll tell you why. You bring the best salad. You always compliment the food. And, you always bring something unexpected...like homemade ice cream, or sangria with loads of fruit, or a plant (which is the only plant that has ever lived in my house). I like that we can hang out and retreat to the family room to knit while our husbands stay at the table and talk about I-beams and woodworking. I especially loved that last night, you allowed me to indulge you on a tour of my stash, just so I could hold it and love it all over again...one skein at a time..and you understand why that's important. Our husbands really don't understand, but you do. Although, your husband winds my yarn for me, and mine doesn't.

Anyway, it's good to have a friend like you.  Thanks.

Love, Lynne

I have loved reading your comments about the times of your lives! Oh, younger moms, I can so relate...those were wonderful years, I do remember well,  but it exhausts me just to think about that now. Exhausts me!

With all of my uninterrupted knitting time, I've been able to start the sleeves of a new project...

  This the cover sweater from Paton's Street Smart.

Awesome set of patterns.   

You may recall the "Must Have" Cardigan that went crazy in blogland a few years ago. That's why I bought this book. Yet, I've found I love this sweater even more!  I am using Dark Horse Yarns "Rhapsody." Great yarn.  It's a merino wool....$5.99 for  210+ yards. It has a nice quality to it, and knits into a lovely fabric. I am also cabling without a cable needle, which I much prefer to the traditional method.

Lady Eleanor is coming along...

And, the Patons Classic cardigan  is halfway there. No pictures of row after row of stockinette for you...I figure I'll share when it's completed.

I knit the Street Smart sweater in the morning before work.  Classic cardigan is for mindless car knitting. My evening knitting is reserved for Lady Eleanor...in fact, she went along to choir practice last night, and I knit a few rows there, and she certainly drew much attention.

It occurs to me that it's getting near time for another episode of "Guess How Many Skeins!" Stay tuned!

I have to confess, I rather enjoy this time in my life. Not that it is without struggles or the daily desire to live better. I just love now. I can't think of a time in my life that I would want to relive. It's good to be here, letting all of those past experiences and mistakes contribute to increasing "wisdom" today. It's good to be an empty nester. Not that I don't have shifting responsibilities and deadlines to meet...concerns and issues that have to be worked through. BUT, I can

1. Knit when I want to. I don't have to stop in the middle of a row for many things.

2. Eat cereal for dinner more often...or popcorn...because I know that we have eaten what we should have eaten during the day, and I don't have to cook if I don't want to.

3. Go to bed at  8:30. or go to bed at midnight. (although, I can't remember the last time I saw midnight...)

4. Talk on the phone when I want to. Or not.

5. Keep the snacks I love in the house...and they last for more than a day!

6. Leave my crap wherever I want to without having to say..."but I clean up my own things.. you don't have to!"

7. Browse leisurely through a yarn store or a clothing store or Joann's.

8. Dance around my house without being the object of comedic jesting.

9. Take a nap.

10.

What are you enjoying at this stage of YOUR life?

Lady Eleanor.

  Noro Silk Garden, Color 84.  Just when I think I've learning everything I could learn with my limited brain capacity, I've learned how to do Entrelac.

Who invented Entrelac?  Does something like this happen by accident? Like how Chocolate Chip Cookies or Penicillin were first introduced?   I guess I am just amazed at the people in this world that can envision something from a strand of yarn, and will work to figure out how to make it happen.

JR is making me walk after work. Under great protest, I have walked four times this week. I have a bad back, and for the past several months, it's been really bad and honestly, it even hurts to walk some days. So, Dr. JR has me on a recuperative walking program...because walking really is good for my back (and butt, and thighs...). Even though it's been slower going, I do notice a difference, and I'm confident I can get back to my power walking days before too long.  I am trying to convince him that we need to get one of these...

I have a lot of convincing to do.