Janeen's sweater

I am using a top-down book to make sweaters. After making my son a sweater (which I still have not finished!!) I got very sick of sewing. The book I am using knits from the top down and there is really no sewing - it's great and fast. Here is my progress on her sweater. The first picture shows how you start the top and proceed through the shoulders. The second shows afte I started a sleeve and am amost to the ribbing in the body. Isn't it cool! Nothing has been sewed in! Here is the website for the book I used - Sweaters for Everyone: http://www.onepieceknitting.com/index.html The only thing I am not happy with is a purl much looser than I knit - so when I switched to knitting in the round the patter is much tighter and you can see it in the fabric below :(

A letter to my representatives and president

I have been so increasingly angry the past few days, that I had to let my representatives and president know. I hope they have had fun spending money on highways and pet projects the past few months - and can now pull that money back to do some real work.

Here is my letter:

I have been extremely dissappointed with the response of the federal government to this tragedy. It appeared that we responded faster to war in Afganistan and Iraq, as well as for Tsunami victims then our own citizens. This could very easily be any city in America with a natural, nuclear or terroist event. It is a disgrace, and I would like to request my representative to become involved in fixing this so we are never as embarassed by how poorly we can take care of our citizens again.

I do not accept the blaming of the victims. Most who did not leave could not leave. I do not accept the slaps on the back from FEMA and other agencies because while they have done their best (apparently) their best was not enough and that is not what we pay them to do. We pay them to be able to execute - quickly - to address emergencies that local goverments cannot handle. The fact that they have been so ineffective in this instance is inexcusable. They need to find leadership for FEMA and Homeland Security that can be effective in a time of need as we so clearly have had in the past week.

I have summited it www.congress.org - and if you feel equally as disappointed you can contact your congressperson and president there as well.

On a Lighter Note...

You are elegant, withdrawn, and brilliant.Your mind is a weapon, able to solve any puzzle.You are also great at poking holes in arguments and common beliefs. For you, comfort and calm are very important.You tend to thrive on your own and shrug off most affection.You prefer to protect your emotions and stay strong.

World's Shortest Personality Test

These are my test results folks. Those of you that know me - is this true?

Did we not learn anything with 9/11?

This is a bit of a rant, but I have got to get it off my chest...

As a nation did we not learn anything during 9/11? The so called hurricane effort is the most pathetic excuse of a response I could have imagined. Let's hope we do not have a major terroist attack, because if this is any indication the reponse will be useless.

I think the Americas who are bonding together to help are tremendous. HOwever, the very slow coordination of goverment response is astounding. Apparently - different agencies rarely plan for emergencies together. How could we have so quickly moblized in Afganistan and Iraq for a war - but not get at least 1 meal and water to those stuck in New Orleans, Louisana, Mississipi and Alabama. There is a huge body of water by which supplies can be shipped in, one would think. And in 4 days why aren't there military ships with supplies on hand?

I just don't understand - it does appear that anything was learned after 9/11. What in the word have they been meeting about for the past 4 years. It's just amazing to me. There is no excuse.

It's only water..........

Like everyone else in America - I have been glued to the TV watching the aftermath of Katrina. It is horrific. It makes me think about the few things that really matter - God, my family, my health, water, food, the basics.

We have friends, that are now homeless and jobless. Their children will remember their early years as ones where they moved to a new town & home. However, they are so upbeat. They are just thankful to be alive.

I don't have any profound thoughts to share. I don't feel like talking about much at all. It is a time of reflection and prayer for me. It's a time of sadness - as I pray that those stranded are able to safely leave the city. It is a time of sadness because it also appears that some of the worse traits of humanity are making life even more miserable for others as looting and fear are unleased in the Big Easy. However, we also see the best of people in those who are tireless working to save others. I just wish I could do something, I feel so helpless to do anything except donate what we can and pray for the people of the Gulf coast.

How many more do I need to make?

I'll be more than ready to stop making purses after December of this year!! I've enjoyed making bags and felting, but I can tell I need some more challenges. These bags sat for a while before I got the energy to felt them. So much boiling of water, checking to see the felting, etc. Especially since I have a front-load washing machine which I love for everything except felting.

The first phots are the bags before felting - the smaller SnB bag is in Painter's Palette - a very nice chuncky merino. The 2nd SnB bag - is in Galaway, a green color, and BaaBaajoes - the varigated that is created the stripes. The gift bag is in BaaBaajoes. I love the NZ Woolpak BaaBaajoes and how it felts and stripes. I have to make a sweater in it for me once I get done with these gifts.

I miss crochet so much. I have been knitting these bags - but I was jones for crochet so I have started 3 shawls!! I guess I need to add shawls to my gift list to justify it :) But I really needed to crochet again. It is so much faster for me, and I love the way the stitches look. Crochet will always me my first love.

This second photo are the bags after felting - and stuffed with towels so they keep their shape. The gift bag actually felted together - front to back :(, and the cotton yarn I put in to keep the eyelets open also felted into the wool! That BaaBaajoes is a strong, strong felting yarn!

On Vacation

We just got back from a week - yes, a week - away on vacation. We signed up earlier this year with bluegreen vacations and took full advantage of it! This was our second trip where we combined 2 free days in Charleston with using our 'points' in Myrtle Beach for 5 days. It was our first time in Charleston with the kids, and fun but don't think we will take the kids back. It is not as kid friendly as Tennesse or Myrtle Beach is. But it still was nice, very nice place that Lodge Valley Inn was.

In Myrtle Beach - Colin and kids was able to go to the beach. I'm not really a beach person, so I shopped for Colin's Birthday during the time.

I also completed a shawl - I like this pattern it is knitted from side to side instead of from top to bottom so there are few stiches to cast on or cast off. Very neat! I used eco wool, and it is so soft. Doesn't feel itchy at all - I really like this wool. Shaina is the model!

A bubble bag for me!

I decided to take a break from making Christmas bags and make a bag for me. I love the bubble bag, thought it would make a great project bag. So that is what I made! I mixed Eco wool in black and Noro brown/gray/cream mix. I love the results. Here is bag before and after felting.

Felted Peppermint Bag

I call this little beauty peppermint, because she looked like a peppermint before I felted her. But she blended nicely once felted. I'm happy and hope my friend likes her!

More Presents

I have been busy making Christmas presents!

One super cute project is felted gift bags. I found the pattern on http://knittingpatterncentral, here is the link: http://www.y2knit.net/felted%20pouch.pdf.

Here are some of them felted and before felting. The blue and white thread is to keep the eylets open.

I love this pattern - very very easy, but very pretty. And practical. You can use as a gift bag, but someone can then use later on for a sachet, or to carry jewelry or any small item. So it is a bag and gift in one!

And I love the colors in the Noro yarn, it was my first project using Kuryeon.

My other project is another bag for one of my friends - she likes red - so I made this one especially for her. This is it pre-felted:

I'm felting it and the gift bags now - I'll update once completed!

I'm still here!!!

We have been on vacation and travelling and getting buried at work - so I have been neglecting my blog. But never fear, not neglecting knitting, crochet and stash building!!

I took my yarn with me on vacation. I had one whole bag dedicated to my projects. Poor hubby had to lug my yarn bag each place we went to on vacation!!! He kept asking me - tell me again what you have in here?!? I just couldn't bear to part with my WIPs!

I did finish another bag that will be a Christmas gift. A felted green bag. I really love that pattern, and really am attracted to green this year. I considered keeping it - but decided to keep it as a gift!

Not much else to show - I have a ton of WIP that I just need to buckle down and finish. I did have one WIP I wanted to post. My first sweater! I decided to use the Brownsheep book that just gives a generic pattern that you can use with any yarn depending on gauge. I am using Muench Tessin yarn. Love the yarn and the way it is knitting. As you can see I'm down to just one sleeve!


The kids loved their vacation. As a family we really, really needed to get away. It was a breath of fresh air to us all. We visited Dollywood, which I wasn't sure if we would like, but the kids loved it. It is truly a kids park, not lots of big rides (which is fine with me!) but a lot of kids activities. We ran into two big thunderstorms, but since it cooled the air down that wasn't bad either. We will definately go back to the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area again.

Here is the lining in the knitted bag. 

And I got this new knitted bags book. It is soo cool, I am going to have lots of fun with this book. This clutch was in teh book, it was super quick. the patter called for kid mohair, but I used Wildfoote (1 strands). The gauge worked out fine. I also lined it.... 

I absolutely copied this idea from http://jackie.cenla.net/ - the Crochet Buffet. My daughter was making paper burgers, and I remembered her site so I decided to make her a play burger. Of course Jason wanted one too! 

Guilty!

Guilty!! This is how I found my son after walking into the family room from being in the bedroom for a while. I thought he was playing peacefully. He was playing alright. Look at the evidence on his legs and face. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury ------ Guilty!!!!

Crafty Girl

Here is my creative daughter. She was dragging out constuction paper, markers and glue today, and I didn't know why. I was a bit peeved I must admit because it was everywhere. I told her to take it to the kitchen so she didn't mess up the carpet. When I went into the kitchen, I saw her barbie beach scene. What a crafty girl!! :) Daughter after my own heart.

Little Green Bag

And here is the bag where you can see the lining. I decided to line it - I need to line my felted bags as well. I figured it will be easier for the giftees to use them if they are lined. Making bags is fun!!

This little purse is my own creation. I went to the yarn shop and saw a purse with the Green cotton yarn, and then found the white & colorful yarn in the bargain drawer. I love a bargain!! I thought it would go well togheter, and it did. I have enough for another purse.

Felted Bags

Here are my 2 latest felted bags, together. I like both of them. Christmas gifts!! :)

Another pic of the Lopi Bobble bag. 

Here is my newest bag - it is made with Lopi and the same Bobble bag from Pursonalities I made earlier. This one is shaped better, although you can't really see it here. I have it stuffed with towels so it stays in shape while it dries! 

This is the bag after felting. It is a nice size. I'm drying it stuffed with towels so it wil hang properly. I noticed my last bag when dried flat didn't hang as I expected it to. Let's see how this one works out. I'll show pics once dry. 

Handbag before it was felted! I made this from the S&B book. I changed the colors and used Patons Classic Merino.  

Here are both socks completed! I used them on my plane trip to Seattle. They were toasty warm and snuggly! 

And this is it after fulling. You can see all the stiches merged together. It was supposed to be with the knit side on the outside, not the purl side, but I did the 3 needle bind off on the wrong side. Also - I don't know why it is rounder on one side than the other. But that's ok. It's not perfect, but it is cool for my first bag! 

Here is my first knitted bag!!! This is how it looked before I fulled it. It was longer than I expected. And I didn't double the yarn because I didn't have enough yarn, and I just wanted to see how it would go. This is my largest knitted project ever! 

And here she is with the heel sort rows and the gusset in full view. I did it!! And now I understand how they work I bet I could do one with sock yarn. BTW - i used Plymouth Encore. It's nice and soft, and machine washable. 

My first knitted sock!! I went to my LYS this weekend, and was wearing one of my ponchos. After a long conversation, they recommended a sock patter made with worsted yarn. I was always afraid of socks because they seemed too hard, I didn't understand the gusset, and couldn't figure out how to use dpns. But, she assured me the pattern was easy and you just have to do one to know how it works. She was right! Plus, using worsted means I didn't have so many stiches. This is actually a little big since I didn't have 6 dpns, just 7s. But it worked. I made them a little shorter Love them!!