my mom's work

The sweet smell of success!

2012-01-22T14:59:00.001-06:00

This week I received a giveaway from Fleur. Two lovely little hand knitted bags filled with lavender. The smell is heavenly! Thank you, Fleur (Fleurtje-Eliza on Ravelry). I was feeling a bit low the day they arrived and it was a wonderful surprise to see the package from you.

Heaven scent!

I finished the SWAK & Hugs vest. I love it. It blocked beautifully and the Naturally Tussock is wonderful yarn--a perfect choice for the project. The buttons are absolutely perfect--success!

Blocking the vest.

Now on to finishing the Kasuri Chanchanko (or as I dubbed it, Tangled). That has more to do with the yarn than the project. The first skein I wound into a ball turned into yarn barf and I had a heck of a time untangling as I wound. Knitted up, the yarn creates beautiful fabric with a lovely hand and drape.

Eeek, steeks! They have been cut
and it was relatively painless (to me).

Kathryn plied her singles together and has hanks of her first hand spun yarn. Well done, Kathryn! We have our last session this week, so it is time to get out the calendar and get more classes on the schedule. Upcoming one-session classes: Thursday, February 9, 6 pm to 8 pm, Drop Spindle and Thursday, February 23, 6 pm to 8 pm, Finishing Touches. The next Spin-In is on Saturday, February 11, from 10 am to 12 pm! Exploring Color and Texture begins on Tuesday, February 7, and continues the 14th, 21st, and 28th. I have two more evening sessions of It's Your Choice on Wednesday, February 1st and 22nd. Look for another evening and a daytime class on the schedule!

Happy knitting and spinning!

From bottom to top (Blue-Faced Leicester): 2-ply hank,
bobbin 1--good, bobbin 2--better, bobbin 3, best.

When the planets align...

2012-01-19T12:33:00.001-06:00

...there is magic! I had a spindle class on Saturday and there is a great sense of satisfaction and fun when a student has their a-ha moment of knowledge. Whether it is controlling the drafting zone in spinning, or as in my case, picking up stitches for a neck band in seed stitch, when executed correctly it is a magical moment.

Sara shows off her first hand spun yarn.

I picked up the stitches around the SWAK & Hugs for the seed stitch neck band. So far, so good...the yarn is quite lofty and I hope it does not look too big when I wear it. Humph, I am not happy with the collar or the arm band. I did, however, find the perfect buttons. Luckily I bought some a few months back when JoAnn, ETC had them and I needed two more. They had them again! Once I regroup and re-knit, I'll sew those lovely buttons on, block, and have a new vest to wear!

My current NBK (No Brain Knitting) project is a Baktus scarf knitted with Noro lace weight yarn. I like the way the yarn over increase looks. I began making the Lacy Baktus, but did not like the look of the fabric. Noro has a thick and thin texture which lends itself well to plain stitching.

So Fine Scarf on size US 1/2.25 mm needles

SWAK & Hugs Vest with the perfect buttons!

Last night at It's Your Choice, we had a good time. The entrelac projects are progressing, a Fair Isle bag needed a bit of math adjustment and is looking good, some beautiful knee socks benefitted from a quick lesson in duplicate (Swiss darning) stitching, and some warm slippers are going to keep some feet warm, soon! I thought I would be able to wear my vest, but I am pushing to have it finished along with the Tangled Vest by our next class!

Check out the previous post for upcoming classes and Spin-Ins at Shepherd's Choice.

Class Notes for the week...

2012-01-09T14:50:00.013-06:00

I teach knitting and spinning at a LYS (local yarn shop) in Anoka, Minnesota. Now it is time to talk about my upcoming classes at Shepherd's Choice. Minimum students per class--3, maximum--6. The Spin-Ins are for as many as we can fit!

This is the painting that used to be on Kathy's barn.
It is now in the shop and is one of my
favorite things in Kathy's shop!

EXPLORE COLOR & TEXTURE
Date/Time: Tuesdays, 6 pm-8 pm, February 7, 14, 21, 28, 2012
This class will focus on color work and cables/textures (Fair Isle, intarsia, cables, lace, etc). this is a good opportunity to kick your knitting skills up a notch to a whole new world of knitting. Currently, I'm working on Eala Bhan by Alice Starmore, and XO Cardigan, and Kasuri Chanchanko by Cheryl Oberle. Students can pick their own projects. Recommended books are: Kristin Knits, Color by Kristin, Aran Knitting, A Fine Fleece, or Folk Vests.
Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Cost: $48.00 plus supplies

Below are some color and texture samples that would make great choices...

The hat's bi-color cable is worked as Fair Isle.
(Kathy's shop sample)

For intarsia knitting, the different colors
are knitted separately making a single layer of fabric.
(Pillow knitted by me)

Fun hat designs with lots of color
and texture can chase away the winter cold.
(Kathy's shop samples)

Slippers from Color by Kristin are
a good way to try out Fair Isle knitting.
(Slippers knitted by me)

Extra-Long Scarf from Color by Kristin
is knit in the round and a fun way to
learn about combining colors.
(Scarf knitted by me)

One of my students, Dawn, made these slippers.
I love the bells on the toes!

IT'S YOUR CHOICE--EVENING
Date/Time: Wednesdays, 4 pm-6 pm, January 4, 18, February 1, 22, 2012
We started last week and have a full class of six students and a good variety of projects. Fun group with lots of chatting, laughing, and knitting! Students pick their own project/s to work on during class. This is a good time to try a new technique.
Skill Level: Advanced Beginner and up
Supplies: Pattern, yarn, and needles of choice
Cost: $48.00 + supplies

IT'S YOUR CHOICE--DAYTIME
(Wednesdays, 11 am-1 pm, January 11, 25, February 8, 22, 2012)
This is a daytime version.

FINISHING TOUCHES WORKSHOP

Date/Time: Thursday, February 23, 2012, 6 pm-8 pm

Just the workshop to learn those finishing techniques such as seaming, Kitchener stitch, blocking, picking up stitches, etc.
Skill Level: Beginner and up
Supplies: A project or projects ready for finishing, finishing tools--yarn, scissors, buttons, and tapestry needles.
Cost: $15.00 + supplies

WHEEL SPINNING
Date/Time: Thursdays, January 12, 19, 26, 2012, 6 pm-8 pm
A beginning course for learning how to spin your own yarn on a spinning wheel. (For this class you will need a functional spinning wheel.)
Skill Level: Beginner
Supplies: A functioning spinning wheel, and about 8 ounces of wool roving
Class Price: $36.00 + supplies

Go small with a spindle,
or go big with a wheel!

Lovely hand-dyed roving on the railing upstairs.

Locally raised Alpaca is a dream to spin.
I spun and plied the sample skein with a drop spindle.

The small bags contain more of the alpaca
and the larger bag is raw fleece.

Dawn made mitts with her first handspun yarn.

DROP SPINDLE SPINNING--Learn how to spin your own yarn!
Date/Time: Thursday, February 9, 2012, 6 pm-8 pm
Skill Level: Beginner
Supplies: Drop spindle (top or bottom whorl), 4 to 8 ounces of wool roving (the shop has a good supply), and PATIENCE!

Class Price: $15.00 + supplies.

SATURDAY SPIN-IN

(This is not a class, it's free, and a fun way to meet other spinners in the area! Bring your wheel or spindle, some fiber, or add to the stash from Kathy's selection of spinning fibers, and a show-and-tell if you wish.)

Our first Spin-In of the year was on Saturday. It was fun! Thanks to all attendees. The next two dates are:

February 11, 2012 from 10 am-1 pm

March 10, 2012 from 10 am-1 pm

What's new?

2012-01-02T12:50:00.000-06:00

The year, for one. Welcome 2012! This is a big year for Ben, as he will graduate in the spring. We are excited for him and he is ready. We had a nice holiday when he was home and had another couple over for New Year's eve. We all stayed up long enough to welcome 2012 complete with champagne and poppers. The weather turned and we now have some snow, which will probably be gone in a few days due to the unusually warm temperatures predicted later this week.
I took down the tree and decorations yesterday. Now begins the tedious task of putting everything away for another year.

Gery Grey Wolf was in a festive mood.

Eevee found a spot by the door. She likes Gery.

With the warm temperatures, Jim took
the opportunity to take down the lights.

Up on the rooftop a little behind schedule.

We finally got snow on New Year's eve.

Happy New Year 2012!

In the New Year, may your right hand always be
stretched out in friendship, but never in want.
~Irish Toast

Keeping Christmas

2011-12-29T09:43:00.001-06:00

Around the house at Christmastime...

Zach, Ben, and Scott got together and did some
Dutch oven baking. One creation was delicious.
Lemon Blueberry Cobbler made with fresh blueberries
...and a dash of Jack Daniels "sauce."

This was a gift from a friend last year and
has a place on Grandma's dresser in the
dining room for the winter months.

This little doll tops the small tree on the kitchen counter top.
She was made by Joanne. :^)

This little fellow might be the only snow
we see this winter!

Jim likes to wear this hat.

Chocolate chip Heath Bar toffee cookies...

...and Brown Sugar Cut-Outs (bears, trees, and puppy dogs).
The puppy dogs were cut with Grandma B's cookie cutter.

This is about all the snow that showed up before Christmas.

The Boy Scout side of the tree.

Jim picked out the nicest little tree.
It brought back memories of Germany.

I love the tree-top angel.

I thought the key chain made a nice ornament.
It is a photo of Ben.

I heart felt!

2011-12-20T16:52:00.000-06:00

Here is a project I finished in under 30 minutes--a Heartfelt Ring, by Tiny Owl Knits. It was fun to knit and then felt. I will wear it tonight while I teach. My finger will be nice and warm.

This is a warm fuzzy!

December

2011-12-12T17:45:00.001-06:00

How did it get so late so soon?
It's night before it's afternoon.
December is here before it's June.
My goodness how the time has flewn.
How did it get so late so soon? --Dr. Seuss

I agree Dr. Seuss!

I took my mother to see Santa.
When he asked her what she wanted she said, "Everything!"

I made the doorknob decoration in Girl Scouts.

Decorations for the tree.

It is getting late and I am just now catching up. We have a little tree this year. Jim cut down a small one and it looks just like the ones we used to get in Germany. I still have to find the candles and put them in the holders. NO we don't light them...they're just for show. It's breakfast for supper tonight--pancakes!
I finished another baby sweater and now they are ready to be sent.

Sweater for a little boy.

It's snow wonder...

2011-12-05T12:24:00.001-06:00

Last week the squirrels were busy gathering acorns and even whole apples! I was not quick enough to capture a photo of a large squirrel climbing the pine tree with an apple bigger than his head, but I managed to see him sitting up in the tree enjoying a snack. Today MiniD and Jojo just could not resist going outside to make snow angels. I want the snow to get a bit deeper before I make one.

You have to look closely to find Mr. Squirrel.

MiniD and Jojo making snow angels.

Two little angels.

Knitting...I am making progress on Eala Bhan. I made it past row 21 and once I am on the second chart, the knitting will be smoother. A baby cardigan is in progress. I bought another skein of the Bernat Mosaic. The color-way will be nice for a boy.
Ben is presenting and defending his senior thesis tomorrow. Naturally he is a bit nervous, but he will survive this busy week filled with classes, more papers, swim practices, student government, and leading study sessions...and I think I am busy? He will be home in two weeks, which makes us very happy. This last year of college is speeding along.
Time to get back to work re-organizing my office.

SCORE!

2011-12-02T11:53:00.000-06:00

I was reading a blog the other day and noticed a familiar project. It was from a 1978 issue of McCall's Super-Book of Knitting and Crochet. I remember the project and felt the need to seek out the magazine. I lucked out and found one with a day left on EBay, and won the bid. It is on its way. The postage is almost as much as the magazine, but considering how much magazines cost these days--it was a bargain.

I even remember the model's name--Sunny Griffin...
Is this a cool tunic or what???

Last night we had (BSA) Round Table. My Dutch oven offering was Pumpkin Delight. It was very good and popular. The Cub Scouters were wandering in after word got around there was something good at the Boy Scout breakout. It was cold yesterday, and I just ran outside about every 20 minutes to check and turn the oven. Sock Monkey wanted to join me and he made a snow angel. Not much help, but entertaining! I was wearing quite the getup--short-overalls, tights, knee socks, hiking boots (untied), hat, and an over sized fleece top. The neighbors probably think I am from another planet when I go outside.

Preparing coals in a chimney.

Coals are placed below and on the lid to heat the oven.

My very attractive outfit. You can see my slippers inside.

A Sock Monkey snow angel.

Mmmm...this smelled so good and was yummy!

Ho ho ho, I'm looking at snow!

2011-11-25T14:53:00.001-06:00

The holiday season has started and it is the countdown to Christmas. I finished a fingerless mitt for the shop. I did only one so they could put it on display for the open house last weekend. It was good to catch up with friends and I took a bit of time to knit a couple of rows of the Eala Bhan. This afternoon (Sunday) Jim and I will go over to Mom's and decorate her tree. We put up some decorations yesterday and found that she needs new lights--we had plenty here and they are the really bright ones, so her tree really sparkles!
I have a few small projects to finish and get in the mail, and then it will be time to work on Christmas cards.

I stepped outside to take a photo of the snow.

Jim brought these home from work.
The marshmallow had chocolate in the middle.
The packaging is very cute.

Baby vest 2.

Über pom pom

It's a cute hat--I made the smallest size.

Today I made a shop sample (in under two hours, even with the gigantic pom pom) using some oddments of super-bulky yarn. I went a bit overboard with the pom pom maker. I thought it was a bit much, but Kathy liked it and she had me secure a button on the inside to stabilize the pom pom. It looks cute on the shelf at the shop. After finishing the baby sweater, I made three crowns for the older sisters. Very cute in bright colors. I do not have much pink in the stash. Last week I whipped up another baby sweater. This one is plain, and was a quick and fun project to knit.
Eala Bhan is coming along at a slow pace. Right now I am on row 19 (again) and hope to make it past row 21, which is where I mucked it up last time.

Baby-baby-baby oh baby!

2011-11-21T10:46:00.000-06:00

No, no, not the Justin Bieber song...I needed a quick project for a couple of new babies. I found this pattern while browsing the free patterns online. It takes less than 200 yards of yarn. It is a quick knit and fun to knit, which is important.

Baby vest front

Baby vest back

It turns out that the couple had a little girl (which now makes 4) and the little sweater will go in the mail this week. I am making another vest from a different pattern. Photos will follow soon.

UFOs hovering about the house

2011-11-18T10:29:00.004-06:00

My hands certainly get a work out. We are back to painting the Advent banner as of Friday. It is so close to being finished! I took some photos. It is large and we do not have much room to move around.

I finally got through the first couple of rows of the Eala Bhan and now I am working Chart A. The Nepali Hat had the strangest fit, so I hand-felted it and manipulated the heck out of it before blocking it on my wooden form. It will have a cloche-like appearance rather than making me look like a conehead and I call it the Kathmandu Cloche. I have to dig through the project bags to find x_OTangledO_x, aka the Sakori Vest. I think it has aged enough and it is time to add the edgings. I know where the XO Vest is, but for some reason it will age a bit longer. Of course, I received my Kauni solid yarn in the mail this week and now the New Box of Crayons, aka the Paintbox Scarf is calling to me.

We finished the Advent banner this week. Today (Thursday) after Morning Break, we glued the edges of the canvas down. This one will be up the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and I cannot wait to see it. Lynne's design is amazing and it was a joy to work on this piece.

You can see our small work space.

Speckled eggs in the lower right corner.
The yellow will be touched with gold,
so when the light hits it, it will glow.
The golden thread runs through the painting.

I like this area of the painting.
The drawing is Lynne's design and we
worked from it.

My Kathmandu Cloche.

The yarn for New Box of Crayons

Eala Bahn in progress on size TWO needles!

New Hat

2011-11-06T15:14:00.001-06:00

I finally finished the Nepali hat for the shop. It really was not difficult to make, but for some reason I was having a brain block. Once the lightbulb turned on, it was a breeze. This sample is sized for a child. It is a neat design with the built-in earflaps--a stash dive is in order for this afternoon!

This is the side view with the "earflaps."

We went on a drive to Stillwater and across the river into Wisconsin. Jim was mapping out a bike ride. We came across a little cheese house and bought a sampling of cheese. After we finished the back road tour, we stopped in Stillwater. I found a great skirt for $10 at Bronze, we stopped in the yarn shop (lots of goodies, but I resisted), and then had coffee and something sweet at the Bikery at the top of the hill.

A wonderfully creepy house across the river.

Tying up loose ends

2011-11-03T10:10:00.000-05:00

Road Trip Beret

Well, I don't tie knots, I weave in ends! It is time to get some of those WIPs finished. I started the Eala Bhan in class last night. Using 3mm needles and fingering weight yarn will make this a marathon endeavor. I think it will be a lovely sweater, though. I was going to top. off the Road Trip Beret with a little I-cord bump, but I did not like the look, so it will just have the stitches pulled tightly as in the pattern. The Halloween decorations are down and I went to Target and found a couple of decorations on sale--a cute door decoration and a felt table runner that looks good on the hutch.

The pom pom finishes off the hat!

I finished the Road Trip Beret. It needed a little pompom on top and I like the color run back to the brown. It's cold enough to wear it today. Now to finish the shop sample hat. I did not like making it, but the color and design show off the yarn nicely. Next for the shop will be some scrappy toys.
The Eala Bhan swatch is coming along, although I have to drop a needle size already. The 3mm is too big. I am hoping that a 2,5mm will do the trick.

2011-10-31T15:43:00.001-05:00

When witches go riding,
And black cats are seen,
The moon laughs and whispers,
'Tis near Halloween.
~Author Unknown

Autumn

2011-10-19T09:38:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe it is now mid-October! We had a brief color change with the trees this year. Looking at my photos, I would never think that all those lovely trees would be bare or dried up. I managed to gather some leaves for pressing, which I later dipped in wax and gave to my Mom. She loved it. I put them on her table so she can look at them while she has her coffee. She used to do that when she was a little girl, and I still cannot resist picking up pretty leaves.
Being secretary of the troop has really kept me hopping. I made templates for the weekly announcements, the monthly parent meeting minutes, and sign-in sheet. The weekly announcements went out on meeting night after the meeting! Huzzah!
Knitting is progressing. The blue vest is resting after surgery (steek-cutting) and the red vest is ready to work the fronts, as the back is almost finished. I am making a hat as a shop sample--not sure I am crazy about the pattern, but I chose a bright greenish-yellow for the main color. The variegated yarn is in pink, purple, orange...originally I found some purple that was perfect, but it was difficult to see the rib pattern. The new color combination will be better. It is a child's hat, so more color is better!
I've been going through the yarn stash and reorganizing. Painting on the Advent banner at church has made me miss creating art other than the fiber sort. We are so close to finishing the banner. I must remember to take my camera when we work next time.

The felted hat is a recent shop sample I made. I quickly
designed a hat band for it. The pattern will follow, soon!

Kathy gave me a bit of one of the Alpaca fleeces to
spin. I carded and drop-spindled it. It is so soft and
spinning was smooth and easy.

Here are some photos from our brief Autumn color

I love the contrast of the bright leaves and dark trees.

It was warm, so the sprinklers were going.

Eevee takes a break under the treeless tree house.

I have apples from Kathy (from the shop) to use and also Ben has requested some Hudson Bay Bread. Today and tomorrow will be baking days.

I can row a boat...canoe?

2011-09-11T18:46:00.002-05:00

I know, that's pretty lame. Jim had me renew the license for the canoe so we could go on a fun adventure yesterday. Three canoes, six paddlers, and a gorgeous day! We started at the dam in town and spent the day on the Mississippi River. On our journey, we saw people fishing, three bald eagles (one in flight and two perched in a tree on one of the islands, a blue heron, lots of geese, and ducks. Karen saw a turtle, which I missed. As we left the residential area and approached Minneapolis, we could hear traffic, some boat traffic, and the city skyline. A conductor tooted the horn for us as we approached one of the many bridges we crossed under. A small paddle boat and large pleasure boat passed us and everyone waved. As we entered the city, we went through two locks. One dropped 50 feet and the other 25 feet. The first one was a bit of a wait. When approaching the opening, there is a cord to pull, which notifies the lock master someone wishes to pass through the lock. Also, we had to wait at the traffic light blinking red until it turned green. We have been through a lock before, but never with just three canoes! People were standing on the bridge watching and it must have been funny to see three little canoes come through the large gates. We all joked that they looked like the Gates of Mordor opening. I hummed the Lord of the Rings theme song. We landed at the University of Minnesota's Boathouse and we had one of our friends meet us. I did not feel tired until we stopped. After loading the canoes on the vehicles, we set off for a favorite Chinese restaurant of Dennis'. It was delicious! We got home a bit later than planned and Eevee was very happy to see us, although she was even happier to go outside!

Driving from our house to the dam.

Our intrepid canoeing companions paddling on the mighty Mississippi River.

Not a bad shot from the phone camera. It's tricky to stop paddling, balance, and click!

Dennis, Karen, Niel, and Bennett waiting for the green light.

Dennis and Jim keeping the canoes steady as the water level drops 50 feet.

Karen holds on and we held onto their canoe.

The lock is quite large.

It took eight minutes to drop 50 feet.

The second lock.

We chatted with the lock master.

My feet!

The gates begin to open.

On our way!

The pencil is mightier than the sword

2011-08-23T00:00:00.002-05:00

I usually post my knitting here, but today I would like to post some art work. I had a commission from a dear friend and today I finished it. Sadly, the dog passed away, but I hope that her husband likes the surprise. I used different pencils from H to 9B and I love the result. Drawing is still one of my favorite forms of artistic expression. The simplicity of the materials is ideal! It was also nice to do a larger work. This piece is on 18" x 24" drawing paper. Storage of art can be a challenge, so commissions are a great way to work.

The process began at the drawing table after picking a pose.

I adjusted the contrast of the bandanna, and then made a grid on tracing paper, sketched the portrait, and then using my window as a light table, finished the portrait on the drawing paper (moving to the large easel after getting the subject blocked in.

The finished portrait.

Class descriptions

2011-08-18T08:19:00.001-05:00

I have my September classes on the schedule at Shepherd's Choice. Of course, Color and Cables (renamed Color and Texture) is coming back. Color and Texture is for students wanting to take their knitting skills beyond the basics (cast-on, knit, purl, increase, decrease, and bind-off). The class is four, two-hour sessions and students can choose their preferred projects and yarn. Color techniques include stripes, stranding/Fair Isle, intarsia, and embellishing. Texture techniques include knit and purl surface designs, cables, and lace. Projects can be as simple as a washcloth or as complex as a sweater. One of my favorite books is Folk Vests, by Cheryl Oberle. The projects feature many knitting and construction techniques. I have two more projects in progress, which will bring my FOs (finished objects) from this book to five! Vests are wonderful garments. They add punch to any outfit and are a staple for in my wardrobe.

Vintage knitting gnomes--I love the web site

Next on the schedule is Drop-Spindling. This is a one, two-hour session introduction to spinning wool into yarn. It is amazing what one can create with a spindle and some wool. Spindles are wonderful tools, they are portable and the investment is small compared to a spinning wheel. My new class offering is Finishing School, a three-session class for finishing those pesky UFOs--picking up stitches, Kitchener stitch, seaming, blocking...etc. Check out class offerings at Shepherd's Choice. Stop in the shop to sign up--hope to see you in class!

Thoughts of Autumn

2011-08-17T07:55:00.000-05:00

Yes, I know...most Minnesotans do not want to think about cooler weather right now, but I am in a knitting mood after a long summer break. I dug through my bags, emptied out all the loose needles, organized them, and rounded up my notions. It amazes me how many gauges I have, but they make nice bookmarks and I keep yards-meters and meters-yards on them. It is handy to have along when buying yarn, which I am working hard NOT to do right now. It is all about using up stash for awhile.

My next project is Kasuri Chanchanko by Cheryl Oberle (Folk Vests). I bought Spud and Chloë Fine, a superwash blend of wool and silk. The dark blue and creamy white will be really nice together for this project. Today I will wind yarn and then swatch.

Before I do anything else, Eevee needs walkies. The gym is closed, so no yoga or walk club :( . At least the humidity is down a bit after all the storms.
04.07.11 I provisionally cast on the 252 stitches for the vest. After the near-disasterous yarn winding session yesterday, I do like the feel of the yarn. The only size 3,5 mm circular I have is an Addi Turbo, so the knitting goes quickly.
16.08.11 The Addi Turbo was not a good choice for my project. I have done more frogging than knitting. Bamboo is better. I believe after a few tries, I am on the right track.

I called this Tangled--not because of the pattern--because of the yarn!

The time for Ben to be home is fast approaching and I couldn't be happier! He has had a wonderful summer of adventure in New Mexico. Last week he was on bear patrol and chased a bear away from the area he was patrolling. Mind you, we are talking about a black bear and not a grizzly.
We had our first Round Table of the year. I made Monkey Brains (the boys like brains better than bread). I found a chef's hat at the craft store and had pieces off Jim's old uniform for decoration. It was fun to embellish and it's a nice touch for my Dutch oven presentations.
And now for something completely different...

My chef's hat for Round Table.

It was a dark and stormy...

2011-08-01T22:18:00.001-05:00

Day! Not a leaf is moving outside and it is very still and dark outside right now. Of course, today I have to run errands. ...Could be worse, could be raining. The weather--ugh--is going to be steamy at 93 with a heart index of 108! I will be happy when a cold front blows through and brings down our temperatures to normal.

I am working on a pair of socks and I happen to be on the second sock, thank you very much! I started this "Americana" pair while at summer camp. Since I have so much yarn, the second sock will be longer, and then I can frog the first sock to the heel flap and add to the length. They will be nice to wear with my hiking boots. I love this sock yarn. I have a skein of German flag colors, too.

Now that it is August, my calendar will fill up with classes and events. I will be switching my cable/color class so I can help Jim with Round Table. There will be an expanded version of the Dutch Oven cookbook this year.

Knitting by the campfire at summer camp.

Americana socks

I confess, I am not sure I like the red for the vest project...I may have to think about this one before I knit more. It is the OX Vest from Folk Vests.

SWAK and hugs

Back home, with camping on my mind...

2011-07-28T11:37:00.004-05:00

We're settling back into our routines. I have to say that the humidity is a bit rough, but at least the heat index is not quite as high as it was when we left. The air conditioning feels good!

I have not been knitting much, lately. I am way too busy with other things. Mom is enjoying hearing about our camping and Scouting adventures. She is excited to see Ben when he comes back to Minnesota in August so he can tell her all about his experiences.

Beautiful trail I walked daily during Grey Wolf

Afternoon sunlight filters through the trees.

The light filters through the leaves and the green just POPS!

An old (downed) sign at FCA Scout Camp.
I like the look of the washed out color and worn wood.

This tree was by the road leaving Tomahawk (summer camp).

A gateway made from sheds at Philmont. The skull with antlers was found by a Ranger.

Looking down the main street in Cimarron.

A fun bike--we used to decorate our bikes like this on the 4th of July.

Buildings in Cimarron. The light in the southwest is just beautiful.

Pretty purple petunias!

Grrr...

Outside an antique shop in Cimarron.

View of the other side of the Tooth of Time.

Mule deer are plentiful around the ranch.

Crew preparing for their trek--shakedown time.

Beautifully hand-painted decorative beams in Villa Philmonte...

...and tile work,

...and light fixtures (the star was made in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania).

How Window Rock got its name--Waite Phillips had this window cut into the library wall
so he could see the view. The horizontal rock formation is Window Rock.

Waite and Genevieve Phillips. He felt his portrait made him look a bit pompous,
so he had it hanging in a closet (it is still there).

Tile work at the front door.

The gardens and plants around the villa are just gorgeous.

The lovely details around the villa are charming.

I think I could live in the villa...

Branding items is always fun to do.

A couple of the ponies watched the closing campfire.

Linda sings a beautiful solo at the closing campfire. Her seeing-eye dog, Daisy, was so dear. We all agreed that she was the most spoiled working dog, period. She is 12 1/2 years old. Linda was in Jim's class. Linda was so interesting to talk to, and musically talented.

Crew packs ready to go. The TP on the outside is not a great idea
because it can catch and unroll. Not good...

We pulled off the road on the way to Angel Fire so I could take
photos of the rock formations and this was a nice surprise to see!

Angel Fire, New Mexico

Cloud formation on the road to Denver.

View of Denver from the plane.

This is a chipmunk that resides around our home. At Philmont, these little critters are referred to as mini-bears. They are cute, but curious little buggers that love to get into everything!

Back from the Land of Enchantment

2011-07-27T19:06:00.003-05:00

We have been back from Philmont since Sunday. I caught up the laundry and now have to work on putting away camping gear. It was a very busy July.
The trip to New Mexico was so much fun. Jim and I enjoyed our courses--he took Round Table and I took T-BOS (Training--Basic Outdoor Skills). I will be adjusting my schedule this year so I can help Jim with Round Table and besides--I miss being there and will probably be using my new certification to teach Basic Outdoor Skills!

Ben was able to take his three-days-in-a-row off while we were there. It was wonderful to see him and spend some time with him. Ben is so happy to be trekking in the back country. He takes a crew out for a total of four days, hikes back into base camp, and then takes out another crew the next day. On his time off, he hikes. What an experience for him. He showed me some of his photographs from the trail and they are just amazing.

As always, the folks at Philmont (whether at PTC--the training center, on staff, or participants) are very nice. We all share a love of Scouting and meeting others from all over this great country. Steffers, our tent city staffer, made Dutch oven cobblers two times over our stay. What a good treat after a long day; AND with ice cream! On Wednesday, the day off, we decided not to go into Taos. Instead we spent time in camp at the craft building making a belt for Ben, tie-dying vests, and branding stuff. The buffalo burger cookout was tasty and it was Ben's first opportunity to partake of the good food. Jim copied the little Dutch oven cookbook to distribute at the Scouting Midway. I also got a couple of good recipes to put in this year's updated version! Steffers even tried Ben's recipe for S'Mores cobbler later in the week. It was very popular.

In New Mexico and on the road to Philmont

Sign on a Com Truck

What Scouts wore in the early days.

Our home in South Tent City--we did a bit of decorating for fun! I am whittling a neckerchief slide.

Moon over the Tooth of Time

My course instructors made a floating flagpole. It even lasted through a couple of storms.

These little birds flew the coop by the end of our stay. They were right in front of our classroom.

Ben pays us a visit

Steffers unveils Dutch oven goodness!

My morning view from the tent

On the way to the Tooth of Time Traders

My turn!

Ben's home away from home.

Dennis dressed as a Webelo with his bag of patches for the kids.

Ben and some of his Ranger friends. They hiked Baldy the next day.

Inside Villa Philmonte in one of the New Mexico rooms. It is said the buffalo charged
and his head got stuck.

One of the lovely sunsets.

This was our sunset the day before we left. As I was taking this photo,
Linda, a classmate of Jim's, was singing a moving rendition of "America."

A Summer of Scouting

2011-07-27T11:25:00.000-05:00

Summer is flying by. We are preparing for the trip to New Mexico! The end of June I spent nine days at Grey Wolf, which was an amazing experience. Five adults + 21 youth staffers + 62 participants = week 3 Grey Wolf! Watching the participants over the week transform into leaders was an amazing experience. In a nutshell, it is living the Scout Oath and Law intensely for a week. We began developing our team in January in order to put on a great program for the participants. I believe we accomplished that! Course 4 finishes up today and it is time to put the equipment away for another year.

After a couple of days rest at home, I drove over to Tomahawk Scout Reservation to spend time with the troop at summer camp. I lucked out with the weather--it was very cool and comfortable for sleeping. Kerry and I were happy that the camp installed new latrines with a side for women! The boys were doing well, working on merit badges, and having fun. It was good to have a fire going in the campsite all day. A nice place to take a load off the feet and relax. On cook's day off, we had Cheeseburgers in Paradise at Scoutcraft and then for supper the boys fixed steak, baked potatoes, and dessert. A new twist is to have a couple of staffers join us for supper, which was great. They sit with the boys and it is a nice way to see how the scouts are doing and get feedback about the programs, etc.

I drove back home in torrential rains, did laundry, and have been resting up for the trip to New Mexico. I will take Outdoor Training, and Jim will take Round Table. He made copies of my little Dutch oven cookbook to share at the Midway.

Gery and I are ready for Course 3!

Dutch oven cooking!

There is always time to sing

Quiet time

Mrs. C. checks her notes

Happy totem

Breakfast--A's mom made us muffins!

Morning assembly flag ceremony

Out for a walk. I guess you could say this is a self-portrait.

I took time to observe the color and textures of the woods.

Mmmoss

The ferns grow in circles

A valentine from nature

Ballista lashing

Summer camp!

The weather was nice and cool, so I planted myself and picked up my knitting!

Pretty blooms near the Trading Post.

Adult campsite--Big Agnes and the Gnomes are back!

Weekend in San Antonio

2011-07-15T09:47:00.001-05:00

I went on a brief trip to San Antonio to see my brother in June. The weather was hot, and thankfully dry. My brother looked great considering the surgery he had and it was wonderful to see him. Here are some highlights from the trip...

Neighborhood deer at my brother's home

Bill and Mariana checking out the view from a WWII sub

A light tank--the same one my Dad drove in the South Pacific

Old Glory

Sharp looking cowboy boots at the Buck Horn Museum

Sheriff badges displayed in the shape of Texas. We lived in Collin County.

Polar Bear paw

Optical illusion--still the little sister

...now I am the big sister!

A nice view from the plane back to Minnesota

Home again!

What in TARNation, the unofficial start of summer!

2011-06-04T10:31:00.005-05:00

28.05.11 Early this morning we took Ben to the airport and he is on his way to Philmont. The flight to Denver is not long (2 hours). He met three others at the airport from Minnesota and they all know each other.

02.06.11 Since Ben arrived at Philmont, he has been in training. In fact, they started the evening the Rangers arrived at camp. Right now he is on a trek that will take the (Ranger) crew over Mt. Phillips, which is one peak Ben had not scaled, yet. He was happy about that and I hope he takes lots of photos!

I will be going to Texas to visit my brother soon and am anxious to see him. He is doing well and getting stronger each day.

I love my Little Brown Jug

04.06.11 I finally unloaded the photos off my camera and did some editing, rested my hands, and have been drawing. I took some photos of myself wearing Little Brown Jug. It is a challenge, but I believe they are sufficient to show how the sweater looks on me.

A great little cardigan to cover the shoulders

Walk club is going well and I enjoy that. I am back practicing yoga, too. Too much marathon knitting was making my left shoulder and hands sore. I cannot afford to lose the use of my left side (I am left-handed). It is surprising how much better it feels to take a break, although staying active and moving is how I roll!

Ben went through his clothes and had a large tub of (mostly) t-shirts. Rather than just adding them to the charity bag, I decided to make tarn (t-shirt yarn). There are lots of videos on the web. Finding ways to recycle is always fun and making yarn is a bonus! My Aunt Leona used to crochet plastic bags into items when I was a kid. Tarn is very easy to make and knits up nicely. I particularly like the colors! I will probably have Jim go through his shirts, also--I will get more yardage! My shirts, not so much...

1. Cut the body below the design and trim off the hem.

2. Cut strips about 1" apart and just below the top
of the tube.

3. Open up the tube and cut the end at an angle.

4. Repeat the angled cuts--you will have a continuous
strip of fabric.
5. Stretch the strip to lengthen and roll the edges inward.

6. Roll the tarn into balls and knit with large needles!

Little brown jug how I love thee...

2011-05-27T16:57:00.000-05:00

Ho, ho, ho

You and me

Little brown jug

How I love thee!

I finished the little cardigan and it fits nicely. Also, I have very little leftover yarn, which is great. I have enough stash!

Books and such

2011-05-26T09:50:00.000-05:00

I ordered a couple of books and they came yesterday! One is by Jade Starmore, and the other is from Rowan. Lots of lovely projects to knit and wonderful inspiration.
The past couple of weeks have been interesting in terms of weather. We were lucky to dodge the damaging winds that hit above and below us. Recently, there were some amazing cloud formations and I could not resist taking photos until the sun set.

Looking west

Right now I am making a simple, neck-down, short-sleeved cardigan for summer. You would think that I could knock it out in just a few days, but for some reason (inattention?) I had to keep frogging it. Now I am on the right track and ready to work the sleeves. To add a new skein, I did a Russian join, which worked nicely. I whipped the end of the yarn on either end so the threads are not noticeable. In the meantime, it is time to decide what project to do next. I believe I found a good pattern for the Shepherd's Choice yarn. Other possibilities for the stash are Amaryllis or Wild Saffron from the Purelife Autumn book. In the stash: 18 skeins of Kathmandu Aran Tweed and 14 skeins of Classic Elite Skye Tweed. I will have to check yardage--especially with the Aranmor near disaster!

Ahhh, it is done

2011-05-13T20:09:00.001-05:00

Well, here is the finished Aranmor. It is just gorgeous and I am very happy with it. It was the perfect blend of yarn and design.

I love this sweater!

Now that I am at the end of the Aranmor journey, it is time to go to the next project. I started a little cotton cardigan for spring/summer. I believe it is time to use the handspun yarn for a vest or sweater. The fingers are a bit swollen lately. Too much marathon knitting. I called the cardigan Little Brown Cardigan, but last night my friend and student, Karen, suggested Little Brown Jug, which I think is perfect! It is the color of root beer.

Ho ho ho, you and me
little brown jug
how I love thee

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T20:21:00.000-05:00

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Now it will be done!

2011-05-06T11:35:00.002-05:00

The postman brought me a package right to the door. Verra Yarns was very quick with the delivery and it was beautifully packaged. Now I can finish the Aranmor even though the weather warmed up. I will have something to work on tomorrow when Jim's staff is here.

The sleeves are giving the new yarn a big hug!

A good match

Eevee and I had nice walkies after she got a trim. Her legs get a bit woolly during the winter. The leaves are trying so hard to pop out and I believe with the sunshine they will be quite pretty, soon. The windows are open and the fresh air smells so good.

Yesterday I went to the doctor to get another antibiotic for the stubborn bronchitis. I do not like taking more medicine, but after over three weeks, I want this to be over!

I have to neaten up the house and get some cookies baked for tomorrow. One of the Scouts is coming quite a distance, so we'll have a guest tonight.

Ben at 10 and Eevee

Ben will be 21 soon, and naturally his birthday falls over finals week. I bought some fun things and goodies for him to share. It is like a party-in-a-box. We will celebrate with him when he comes home. I am going to make him a game that will be funny for him and his history buddies--pin the pickelhaube on Bismark. I also thought about pin the (coat)tails on Washington, but decided he would get a kick out of Bismark.

Time to clean and bake, when that is finished it will be time to work on my sweater. I really only needed one skein, but after this near disaster, I am taking NO chances. One skein will do all the work and the other two will keep it company in the knitting bag!

Aranmor sadness

2011-05-03T10:26:00.001-05:00

'Rub-a-dub-dub Mother C. went to the tub to get her poor Aranmor a skein

When she got there the tub was bare and so her poor Aranmor had none

...And she was really ticked off!'

Sigh...the life of a knitter is not an easy one. At least with paint, I can go out and get another tube of the same "dye lot" and be done with it. Knitting? NooooooOOOOOoooooo! I was so careful to check yardage ahead of time and my gauge is spot on to Ms. Starmore's (quite an accomplishment, if I say so myself). I spent the morning looking online to search nationally and internationally for a few skeins--I need only 1, but am NOT taking chances. I found a lot of 8, three will be sufficient to finish. I am checking to make sure the order went in, even though I got an order number. Overkill, I know, but one must not take chances with discontinued yarn! The body is finished and I was almost to the saddle on the second sleeve when I stuck my hand in the tub--horrors!--worse than a slasher movie. Well, at least in my opinion right now. Until I have the yarn in my hot little hands, I will not rest easy. That would be a cold, dark dive into the frog pond.

Daisy Bowl

Enough of that!! I have an entrelac class tonight. I hand felted the daisy bowl. It is very cute, just as I thought it would be. I will leave the pink/green/white bowl unfelted and then I have two bowls in progress so I can work with the students as they progress. The Quant pattern is ready and I have to steam the first sample (knit in Noro Kureyon from Kathryn). I like it better than I did at first. I knitted it exactly like the pattern. On the shop sample, I modified the ends to match. There are lots of modifications on Ravelry, which is handy!

The bronchitis is barely hanging on and annoying. This week will be week 3 of it and it is time to get better. It just needs another nudge to get out of my system. Over-the-counter meds just treat the symptoms, so another visit to Dr. V. is in order. If I go on Thursday, I can see his therapy dog, Rufus. I love Rufus and he always makes me feel better. "Dog pills."

Art in Bloom

2011-04-28T10:49:00.002-05:00

The last of winter melted away yesterday with a visit to the MIA. My friend, Lynne, and I spent the rainy day at the museum taking in the Titian exhibit before it goes away and it was also cool to watch the floral artists set up for the Art in Bloom exhibit all over the museum. Florists chose works of art as inspiration and arranged flowers to display along side the art. Lovely colors, textures, and smells!

A nod to Alenander Calder

This is the painting to the left of...

Hortense!

Renoir is to her right.

This one was so beautiful and captured the light and color of the painting.

Ahhh, Monet...

This was a clever and very Americana interpretation
of Grant Wood's work.

Chagall needed no flowers!

Lynne's friend did this arrangement beside the monkey.

The art teacher at CRHS made her vase and arrangement.

This was one of my favorites--simple and elegant.

The Quant is finished!

I finally got photos of the dreaded headband. I like the Great Adirondack yarn much better than the Noro for the project. I used the pattern modification to make both ends the same. The left sleeve of the Aranmor is almost finished and I started the cuff of the right sleeve. Light at the end of the tunnel--at last! The weather is still dreary today, which is fine--I do not have class until later. I hope the rain stays away during the baseball game, as Jim and some colleagues from work took the train into the city to see the Twins play.

I like the pattern modification to make the ends match

A sleeve and a cuff

I have a lot of catching up to do. I lost a few days with being miserable. Bronchitis = ugh! We received some "medicine" in the mail the other day from Bernd and Angelika--Ritter Sports and Milka chocolate bars, a chocolate bunny, and Milka eggs with little purple spoons for scooping out the cream centers of the eggs! That will make me feel better really quickly! Danke!

Bunny hop

2011-04-23T20:13:00.000-05:00

The yard critters were out and about recently. The bunnies came out from under the deck and nibbled on what little vegetation is growing. A robin popped into the photo and even a squirrel came by, although he was not around for the photo.

Jim shows Jeff how to use flint and steel to start a fire.

Thumbs up! Drinking lots of hot cocoa to keep warm.

I was Scoutmaster for the cooking campout last weekend. Of course, we had snow! The boys had a great time and it was fun to try out some of their goodies. The older scouts made burgers at lunch and I had one. Very tasty and cooked on a griddle over an open fire. Jim stopped by during the day to help. The whole camp was turned into Hogwarts for the Cub event with the theme of Harry Potter. There were at least 500 Cub Scouts and their parents in camp for the event on Saturday. I was asked to be Madam Hooch and run the Quidditch game, but I had signed up for the campout. The Quidditch field was right beside our campsite and it was quite an event. Three of our younger Scouts were asked to be Golden Snitches (one was not enough!).

When I got home from camp, I was so tired and just slept as much as I could. The warm bed felt good! I developed a cough, which promptly turned into bronchitis. Ugh! It has be down for the count! Ben and his buddy, Paul, came home for Easter on Thursday night. I spent Friday in and out of the kitchen. I baked a batch of brown sugar cut-out cookies. MMMmmm...good!

April?

Happy Easter!

I'm working on Quant. I decided to do a shop sample. I made one with some yarn Kathryn gave me. The project is nice. I just do not care for entrelac. Making a second headband is painful. Aranmor is going well. The first sleeve is coming along fine. (I would much rather work on it than the headband!).

Spring might just be here...

2011-04-11T22:53:00.002-05:00

The water at the Rum River Dam in Anoka was really rushing
now that the snow has melted!

I am afraid to say that too loudly. As the snow melts in the back yard, I am doing yard patrol. Not my favorite job, but necessary. A robin hopped by the back door. I think it is safe to say SPRING!

I finally edited the felted bowl pattern, and since it has been a week, it is time to try it one more time. Kathryn is taking a shot at testing it for me. Aranmor is progressing...meh...I had to frog that darned center section because on row 97 the numbers on either side of the section were off by one...not happy about that. Such is life and knitting.

Bottom of the bowl marked for the first triangle tier

11.04.11 Wow, it has been some time since I started this post. As you can see by the photo of Aranmor, the buds on the maple tree are popping out.

I made another entrelac bowl and took photos of it in progress. I have two to felt and Kathryn did a great job with the pattern and I just need to re-word the top triangle tier. It will be a perfect pattern for teaching.

I will call this one "daisy."

My knitting demons have disappeared for now and the second side of Aranmor is just about finished. I will be very happy to begin the sleeves.

I like that this photo shows the true color of the yarn.
I really love this pattern!

FO

2011-03-29T07:55:00.000-05:00

I finished the entrelac bowl the other day. Now I am working on another one and going through the rewritten pattern closely as I knit. The third one will look like a flower and then I will add some embroidery or needle-felting. We shall see. This will be the shop sample. As I knit the current bowl I am taking photographs of the progress.

Entrelac bowl

Boing!

2011-03-25T21:52:00.001-05:00

Eevee's paths disappeared.

Spring sprung, and then it SNOWED! Jim told me to take the Jeep on Wednesday. I drove my car to the gym. Bad idea. I made it to yoga, but did not make it up the driveway when I got home. I started to shovel, and then decided to start the snowplow. The shovel worked, not the snowplow. I got back in the car and tried to back up--nope. I tried to go forward--nope. In all my years of driving, I have never been stuck...I was stuck. A couple of neighbors pushed the car while I revved it and finally got unstuck. One of the fellows started the snowplow and cleared a path for me to pull into the garage. I made two loops around the block because I was afraid to stop and get stuck again. Once I got the car back into the garage, I got ready for work. It took over 30 minutes to get to work and I was happy to drive the Jeep!

Bowl before felting

I finally have the entrelac bowl finished and it is ready to felt. I believe I will adapt the pattern and put in better instructions. The Quant is my next small project and then I can schedule a class for an introduction to entrelac. Entrelac is not my favorite technique, but now I am happy to have finished the bowl. Maybe once it is felted I will like it a bit more. My Baktus scarf is on the second half of the skein.

Heavy March snowfall.

Surfing around

2011-03-18T07:57:00.123-05:00

I was surfing the web the other day and found a cute pattern for a no-sew sweater from Berroco.

I got my Wood Badge beads on Monday. It was a fun event at our troop meeting with our Scouting family in attendance. Kristi got her beads at the Wood Badge breakfast in January. I waited until Ben came home.

Three of us from the troop went through the same course.
The totems represent the Buffalo, Bear, and Beaver patrols.
I got the cake at Cub and put the totems on myself.
Ben and I were laughing, and I don't know how
I managed to keep a steady hand!

The Bears were well-represented!

Ben is home for spring break. We have had a nice, relaxing time. It is time for him to go back to school today. :( Ben will be back for Easter along with one of his buddies, Paul. Yesterday, Ben and I were running errands and the bookstore was one of our stops. When we got home, Ben's phone rang and it was one of his high school friends. Apparently, while in the bookstore, two of his other friends were "stalking" us and we left before they had a chance to surprise Ben. They all got together last night and had a good time catching up. I am glad he had that opportunity to reconnect with friends. One friend is home from the Air Force Academy in Colorado, and they have not seen him for quite some time.

I taught a wheel spinning class yesterday. Little Hortense (I decided to shorten her name. If she is naughty, she will be Amelie Hortense!). Transporting her in the backpack was very easy. Parking is at a premium in Anoka and I had to park a bit far from the shop. Anyway, it was a good class and my student did get the hang of the drafting before class ended. I am anxious to see her progress over the next week. Kathy is planning to have the spinning corner of the shop upstairs. We will have our own area for class, spinning tools, and fiberrrrr! I will decorate the space--happy dance! The shop hop is coming up, so we will be re-arranging the shop to open up the areas. St. Brigid will still be on display...I did not wear her this winter. I have to admit, she makes lovely wall art!

Coopworth roving blended with just a hint of
cotton, linen, and wool blend.

Ashford Wildcarder

Finished yarn before blocking

Aranmor with the EB (entrelac bowl) I have

to finish and felt the bowl.

Self-portrait in the
pansy sweater.

Progress is slow on Aranmor. Working on spinning takes up more of my time right now. I was surfing the web the other day and Berroco posted a new free pattern here. I like the construction of it. Also, I am trying to take more photos for Ravelry. I do not take photos of me actually wearing my projects, because it looks funky to be holding the camera in the shot. The weather is warm enough for me to wear the pansy sweater as a jacket. I love this design (by Susan Duckworth). I wish I had a photo of the backside of the knitting in progress with all those bobbins of yarn. This sweater has 23 colors and the yarn is fingering weight--amazing detail!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T00:00:00.001-05:00

Knitting image from an antique postcard

Marching along

2011-03-10T15:50:00.004-06:00

The past couple of days we have had temperature ups and downs! I believe today will be warmer side.

Amelie
From the movie character

Hortense
A favorite painting by
Edgar Degas

Yesterday I was happy to have Kathryn back in class. She is so sweet and chose a wonderful cabled pattern out of "A Fine Fleece" to knit. It is on page 114. Kathy and I put together the Ashford Traditional wheel, which we started before class and finished up after class. It is a lovely wheel. In the meantime, a call came in from Louet. My second wheel is on its way. Yes, I said second. The first one was apparently delivered to Kathy's prior address (she has not lived there for well over a year) and mysteriously disappeared. Crikey! Anyway, it should arrive early next week. I am anxious because I would like to get out and spin.

Amelie Hortense

Speaking of spinning, I scored a book I never would have paid full price for--"Intertwined," by Lexi Boeger. Some of the yarns are strictly art, but it is a good book for inspiration. At a third of the bookstore price, it will be a nice addition to the fiber-brary.

Aranmor is at a slow point. There is a lot going on (and that is news?) and I have a bit of stress, which zeroed into my lower back since Tuesday. I started the other side and will decide which side I want to use for the back and which side I want to use for the front.
09.03.11 Snow day! Last night I had a fun spindling class. One student is a weaver, and the other a true fiber-lover. Her young son is learning how to do wood turning, so she is hoping to have some lovely fiber tools, soon.

Happy birthday, Mom!

Mom had a fun 95th birthday yesterday. We called my brother in Texas, we went out to lunch, and then had a little party back at her place. I got a big cake, those of us that made Mardi Gras masks last week wore them, and after our snack we played a rousing game of Mardi Gras Hangman.
10.03.11 As you can see, there is a new addition at my house--Amelie Hortense arrived while I was teaching yesterday afternoon. She weighs in at a little over 7.5 pounds and is 23-inches tall. Louie and Wendolene are pleased with their little sister. She came with her carry-bag/backpack and is just a delightful little spinner. A half pound of Coopworth roving came with her, also. I have almost a full bobbin already.

Little Amelie already has a bobbin full of Coopworth

Louie and Wendolene welcome their little sister.
She is very petite.

It's melting!

That is WATER! You can hear the water dripping,
and the birds are singing!

One small step

2011-02-28T11:54:00.004-06:00

We went to the Mall of America early Saturday morning for the Juvenile Diabetes Walk for Boston Scientific. It was a festive atmosphere with all the groups in their unique t-shirts. We even got necklaces from Joe, one of the Gold Guys.

A trip to MOA is not complete without going to REI. There were lots of sales and I lucked out in the shoe department. I scored a pair of Moon Boots! I had a pair way back when we lived in Germany the first time. Very fun style and nice and warm. I have a very stylish collection of winter wear for my feet!

I have not been knitting as much on my current projects, as I am looking for class projects. Entrelac and lace are popular techniques students want to learn. They are not my favorite techniques, although I may be able to (finally) finish the Kilimanjaro. A nice lace pattern with a natural scalloped edge is Old Shale (Feather and Fan). It is easy to knit and has great visual impact. Karen loaned a pattern to me for a felted entrelac bowl. I like the bowl better than a felted bag. Another project I am considering is Quant. It is from Knitty and finished projects were featured recently in Spin-Off Magazine. A headband is a good choice for our transition into spring.

Spinning classes are on the calendar. Louie, Wendolene, and I are waiting for the arrival of the little S95. This afternoon I will prep some fiber for my spinning classes. I carded gray and some pink together, but it needs a little color boost.

Looking ahead to March, the calendar is full! Ben will be home for spring break and I will receive my Wood Badge beads. Jim is going to the Scout Office to have his photo taken. He's been going through photos for his presentation (his Scouting history).

Snow--The Sequel

2011-02-25T09:38:00.003-06:00

Eevee cuddles with her babies

Here we go again! I just shoveled the deck. It seems like we have close to what we got in December. We may end up with the snowiest February on record. We were very happy to catch our flight from Midway Airport in Chicago to Minneapolis. We were delayed about 35 minutes, but took off and landed in Minne-SNOW-ta. The roads were terrible, but we got home okay.

Backyard moonscape

Neighborhood activity

The midwest really got clobbered!

Eevee prints

Gorgeous day during the development weekend

Nothing like a warm "campfire" on the development weekend...

22.02.11 The sky was clear and the temperature was in the 20s, so I took Mom out. She was so happy to see all the snow and breathe in the fresh air. When we got back to her place, we got in on the last part of the songfest. I stayed and sang, too. It was great fun and then they were getting ready for their coffee.

I stopped in at the shop where I worked and visited with Cheryl and Paula. It was so nice to see them. I found a couple of skeins of sock yarn--yes, I said sock yarn--and a Berroco pamphlet. It was good to see them and I will have to make a point to visit on a Monday and see my former students from the morning class. They are still going strong.

Work on the Aranmor is coming along, and I am almost finished with the back. That way I can decide how long I want it. It looks to be the same length as the photo, although I believe it may be a bit wider in the body, which is just fine. It will not be as oversized as St. Brigid.

24.02.11 Well, I would post photographs of the snow and the knitting, but not today--at least until I get the wireless connected again. Grrr...it makes the bear in me come out.

Lovely texture

Progress!

The bottom border looks like winter trees

Exciting news--my little S95 is on its way by post and the Ashford WILD Drumcarder is in my hot little hands. I carded some pink and gray wool together. (More gray than pink!) It is easy to use and I am anxious to blend some more fibery goodies together.

Great news tonight at class...students brought in some of their finished objects. Janel took some photos for the blog. Baby wheel did not arrive yet--we may have to induce labor! ;)

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T14:55:00.000-06:00

A winter adventure

2011-02-09T09:36:00.008-06:00

Growing up, I envied my brothers' adventures with the Scouting program--especially when they went to Canada on canoe trips. Fast forward to the present, and it was Jim and Ben enjoying the high adventure at Sea Base in the Florida Keys, Philmont in New Mexico, and Okpik in Ely, MN. I should mention that Jim took Ben and I to Philmont and I did the Silverado program and Ben did the Mountain Man program, which were so much fun. We are going back again this year. After many years, it is my turn to go on my own adventures with Scouting as an adult Scouter. I signed up for Okpik with the troop and we had a great experience over the past weekend.
We met at the church on Friday at noon and took off on a cloudy, but relatively mild (20s) day. After close to a five-hour drive, we stopped in Ely to have supper at Pizza Hut and wish Sam a happy 17th birthday with cupcakes his mom sent along.

Arriving at Okpik after sunset, Mike checked in, we met our Interpreters Dom and Andy (who was shadowing Dom to learn the ropes of leading a crew). There was a presentation for the participants about cold weather camping and the activities available for the weekend. Building a snow hut was one of the activities the boys wanted to try. We got outfitted with extra gear and set off to the first night cabins. The advantage to being the only female is that I had my own cabin!
After breakfast on Saturday, we set out on our trek to Griddle Lake. It took over an hour to get there and when you are working hard to pull a loaded sled (mine weighed more than me) uphill and control it going downhill, it gets warm! When we arrived at the lake, the experienced Scouts were sent out to check the safety of the lake's surface for camping. The deep snow insulates the surface and because of the slush below the snow, we decided it would be better to camp offshore. There was a nice campsite with a cooking area already set up and plenty of room for all of us to set up camp.

We loaded up on some snacks for fuel; it takes a lot of calories to stay warm and it is very important to stay hydrated.
With some hearty snacks and warm drinks in our bellies, we set to work on the snow hut. We sewed the trapezoid-shaped sections of heavy material together up to the first set of green loops and began to fill it with snow. As the snow fills the area, the snow inside must be packed by stomping it down. I did some shoveling, and then would help stomp down the snow. When the snow gets to the next section of green loops, you sew up to the next section, repeating the process of filling with snow and stomping it down to pack it tightly. It took about two hours, but we got it finished. When C and S opened up the seam, it sounded like it was going to blow up with all the pressure! It held together and was a giant snowball. We stopped to have lunch. (To finish, you have 16 pins to help determine the thickness of the walls as you dig. When you hit a pin, stop digging. The pins are moved around until the interior is finished.) Having the snow hut canvas sections made the job faster!

Afterlunch, we had a real treat--the dogsledding! There was a Scoutcrew in Musher Camp, so they came by to give us dogsled rides. Wehad a short talk on the dogs, types of sleds, etc., and then the funbegan! The dogs used for Musher Camp are the smaller, speedydogs. The larger ones are for freight hauling. The minutethe dogs stop running, they bark and bark. They are bred to runand love every minute of it. They are well-cared for andclearly love what they do! The toboggans were really nice. TheMusher is the driver and the passenger sits in a covered sled withjust the head peeking out. It is very comfortable and warm. With four sleds we were all able to take three loops on theLake, and I was so happy to get a second turn! Dom was myMusher. I should mention that the Interpreters were ourMushers, not the Scout participants. We walked back to our campand then enjoyed watching the sleds come by camp on their way totheir next activity.

Forward to supper, a hearty, warm pasta meal; a small campfire (forshow, not warmth--it smelled heavenly!), and then a night hike beforebed. I should back up a bit because before the hike we filledNalgene water bottles with hot water to warm up our sleeping bags. It is a great idea, however, mine leaked! I stuck my handin the bag and felt dampness. :( Mike helped me out byswitching out our inner sleeping bags. We kept the large onesand switched his bag for me to use inside and my damp one he used onthe outside of his heavy bag. It worked out great, and I reallyappreciated the help! Before going to bed, we each got a granola barfor a midnight snack. It is for when you wake up at night andhave to go to the pee tree. Eating the bar gives you quickenergy and will add the extra calories when walking away from camp tothe designated spot. It was useful because I had to get up andit takes energy to leave the warmth of a sleeping bag, slip on thosecold boots (stored under your sleeping pads), slip on the coat(stored between the sleeping bags), make sure to have a flashlight,and take that walk in the dark! I slept relatively well and gotup at first light. I stayed put until I saw movement outside! Having the day's clothing in the inner bag with me kept themwarm enough to slip on quickly. We had a quick breakfast. Ihad oatmeal and it was so good and warm. As we were packing upour sleds, the dog sledders came by camp again, we patrolledthe campsite for any stray trash and put clean snow over where we hadthe campfire and the outdoor loo. An important part of Scoutingis to leaveno trace.

Itwas about 10 degrees colder in the morning with a lovely, lightsnowfall. Everyone hitched up to their sleds and trekked backto base camp. We took a more difficult route, but it was ashorter distance. After unloading the sleds and turning inextra gear, I quickly took the opportunity to wash my face and hairbefore lunch. It felt wonderful! We had a hearty lunch,shared stories, and did some last minute shopping at the TradingPost. Our Scoutmaster promised the boys root beer if they wereon time all weekend (they did a great job) and then we packed up thevehicles and headed back to the cities after a brief stop in Ely tosee the snow sculptures.
This experience was amazing for me. I thought of my family growing up. My parents taught us to appreciate the natural world and the simple pleasure of the beauty of and enjoying a winter wonderland. What a wonderful gift.

My first night cabin

The Scouts and Dom lead the way

My sled, Mike, Gary, and Andy bring up the rear

Stomping snow for the snow hut

Un-sewing the seams--lots of pressure in there

In the snow hut

The Musher Camp pays us an afternoon visit and Mike, our Scoutmaster gets a ride

My view from the sled

Second trip--hike, hike!

Coming by camp--the experience was beyond awesome!

Winter camping in the snow trench

We had a small campfire before our night hike

Sunday morning; the sled is packed and ready to go

Heading home

At the Trading Post
Andy, me, Dom, Gary, and C (our troop's crew lead)

A lovely snow sculpture in Ely

Re-enactors camped in the park
I love the Hudson Bay blanket coats!

A trapper--the hat was a complete pelt complete with feet
the knife in the fur sheath is made from a bear's jawbone.
He was very large and friendly, but a little scary looking...

Queen of the little snow castle

Waiting...

2011-02-08T09:34:00.000-06:00

Settling into February finds me teaching knitting and looking forward to a new addition to my spinning family--a Louet S95 Victoria! Louie and Wendolene will have a sibling soon! At only around 6 to 8 pounds, it will be so nice to take along when I teach and travel. I want the carry bag, also, which can be worn as a backpack. I'm thinking during really nice weather, I can have a little companion to keep me company when I camp. The first two Ashford wheels arrived the other day. I readied the Joy to display yesterday. It is a very nice wheel and I think of my spinning group in Texas, the Texas Twisters, when I see it. My drum carder did not arrive, yet. I am anxious to card some of my fibers for spinning. I may card together some wool and cotton. I have lots of cotton.

The day class for color and cables went well yesterday. I have my evening class tonight. I have not spent much time knitting, as my winter camping adventure is fast approaching and my staff development weekend is the week after that. It would be great to take my big camera to Okpik, but the weather may not be cooperative. I will take Jim's small camera instead. That way I can stow it inside my coat. The weather forecast is for a slight warm up with highs in the 20s and very low 30s with single-digit temperatures on Saturday night (the night we camp out on the lake). I printed out the personal equipment list and will get my gear together today, so I can relax tomorrow before we leave. Jim has been up there once and he said that was enough for him. Ben has been a few times. The boys just love it and I am sure I will love the challenge of braving harsh elements, too!

I was thinking about warm weather, which for me is unusual, when my dress arrived from FunkyFlax. I will enjoy wearing it during the spring and summer. With all the snow it is difficult to picture warm weather again. I confess that I miss seeing green, although the deep snow is pretty.

Twisting the turns and turning the twists

2011-01-31T11:16:00.010-06:00

Progress..

Now that I have slain most of the knitting demons, the Aranmor is going gangbusters. I'm past the first diamond and onto the next. I can see in the photo in the book that there appear to be 3 1/2 or 4 diamonds up the front. This is an enjoyable project. I love how the Rowan Scottish Tweed is knitting up. The natural color will show off the cable work nicely.

Jim is finally home from Ohio. He visited his Mom, sister, niece, and her boys. Mom turned 88 on the 28th. She had a nice birthday and I am glad he was able to see her. It has been quite a while since he was there. I have not been back since a couple of months after my sister's funeral. Jim had dinner with a couple we have known since junior high/high school. They had a nice time. We all keep in touch on Facebook.

...is going well! Spunny inspects my work.

Tomorrow is the last of the wheel spinning classes. One of my previous students will be there to make up her last class. I am very proud of her. She is spinning yarn for a project from A Fine Fleece, which is a really nice book. Oh dear, here I go again!

While Jim was in Ohio, I made a couple of warm blankets. Normally I wouldn't go for these because I love natural fiber, but Polar Fleece is so nice and cozy. We got the scout fabric from the Wood badge breakfast auction and I just couldn't resist the gnome fabric. The scout one is larger, I just squared off the gnome fabric. I might make a pillow cover to take along camping. I might need the extra warmth when I go to Okpik this coming weekend! Okpik in Inuit for Snowy Owl.

Boy Scout blanket

Happy Gnomes

To make a simple, smaller blanket: Polar fleece runs 60" wide. Buy enough to make a square of fabric of the main color and a backing color. On a large surface, trim the selvedge edges of both the backing and main color. Now lay the backing and main color with wrong sides together. Cut a 4" to 5" square from each corner (this determines the length of the fringe). Now cut the fringe about 1" wide and 4" to 5" long all around the blanket. Next tie every other fringe with overhand knots on the right side (the backing color should show up on the front), and then turn the blanket over and do the same on the wrong side. It makes the fringe look better. That's it! It has been so cold here and these blankets are lightweight and easy-care.

Cables, classes, and spreadsheets--oh my!

2011-01-25T21:48:00.000-06:00

Eevee contemplating whether or not to venture out

I attended another class at the Apple Store this morning. I created a spreadsheet for my classes and one for the Aranmor. Rob was so helpful and it was nice to tweak on something I created. After class I walked down to Caribou and enjoyed a cuppa Joe, a muffin, and some wi-fi time.

Today is very sunny with a bit of wind kicking up. The temperature is bottoming out by tomorrow. Kathy and I will brave the cold and have our Friday coffee together. I look forward to catching up and hopefully she will have on one of the sweaters she made recently.

It's a big old egg outside!

23.01.11 Baby, it's cold outside! It is very cold, but with a collection of sweaters and accessories, I always stay warm!
Progress on the Aranmor is coming along, but I seem to keep making mistake on row 17-18 of chart B. Sigh...it seems that happens every so often in a project. Working past a particular section can be frustrating. It is not difficult, I was probably not paying attention (over confident) because the knitting was going too smoothly.

I love the texture!

We went to the Wood Badge Breakfast at Base Camp and it was such fun to see my patrol mates again. We picked up some Scout stuff from the silent auction and Jim even had the winning bid on a cool chair that the Scouts (from the troop that Dennis and George started) made. I heard a familiar voice bid, which surprised me. Jim was upping the bid and didn't expect to have the winning bid! All the money earned from the silent and live auctions helps fund Scouters that want to attend Wood Badge. The upcoming WB course staffers were introduced and I found out that I may be a troop guide. It was a surprise, but by 2012, I will have enough experience under my belt. I will be away from my comfortable spot behind the camera!

Woody Bear came along
to decorate our table

Now to the front of the classroom...I will be condensing the Explore Color class and the Twists & Turns classes into one daytime class and one nighttime class. It will be easier for both Kathy and for me! The classes should be larger and it is always more interesting with larger groups. So far it has been so much fun to see the progress of the colorful projects and the lovely cable projects students have chosen. Today is the second session of three wheel spinning sessions. I believe the antique wheel issues should be ironed out and the Babe wheel will cooperate with the students. Ever faithful Louie always performs well for me!

New year, new classes

2011-01-17T08:44:00.006-06:00

It looks like a stalagtite

03.01.11 I had my first class of the new year (Exploring Color), and I am happy to report that it went well. I was very happy to have two returning students and after class, another former student will be taking a class! My peeps are finding me in addition to new students and that makes me very happy.

Icicle

It can be overwhelming to teach a new class, but I believe it went smoothly. I took notes and am ready for the evening class. Tomorrow is the Twists & Turns Starmore Style. We will be dealing with yarn substitution. I figure most knitters will have a project chosen before class.
05.01.11 This morning I had my first one-to-one class at the Apple Store. It was great learning how to best use my computer. I will be able to use what I learned for my classes! I am at the 'bou in the mall and treating myself to a dark chocolate hot chocolate and an orange cranberry scone. YUM!

11.01.11 Wow, this is quite a date! The new year is still young, but my schedule has been quite busy so far.

Aranmor in progress!

The two new classes, Explore Color and Twists & Turns Starmore Style are going well. Yesterday morning was a very busy class, and the students are proud of what they have accomplished so far. I would take photos, but it is so busy for the session, I do not have the time! I started a pair of mittens for myself because I gave the other pair to my niece for Christmas. The other project I started is Aranmor from Aran Knitting. I think of it as an Aran sweater on steroids--8 charts to follow! In the stash I have 10 skeins of Rowan Scottish Tweed Aran in a traditional oatmeal color. It's lovely yarn and the Aran version of the yarn I used for my beloved St. Brigid sweater that now hangs on display at the shop. We are expecting very cold weather and I will miss wearing it, but having it on display at this time is a good promotion for the class. It takes time to build a new following and I am happy that former students are taking my classes, too.

Jim loves his new socks and I enjoyed knitting them.

Jim's socks are just about finished. We had the first development weekend for the 2011 Grey Wolf course at Base Camp near the airport. It was a lot of work, but an exciting time to meet the youth on staff and begin to form our team. Jim is scoutmaster for Course 1, and I am ASM to the Scribe and Administration for Course 3. Even though we were in the same building, Jim and I only met up at meals and in the "bowl". I could hear his voice every once in a while from across the open area. The next few months we will be having our individual course development weekends at camp. We have 5 adults and 22 youth on staff. During the week-long course in July, we will be hosting 64 participants. I always wanted more kids and will be "mom" to 86 boys! A challenge, but so rewarding. I know I will learn and grow from the experience.

Eevee loves her spot upstairs...

We are experiencing a very snowy winter so far and have just begun! Even though it snowed all day yesterday, we only managed a couple of inches at most. Today is the last warm day (in the 20s) and we begin a deep freeze.
15.01.11 The classes are going well! I have the wheel class coming up over the next three weeks and a drop spindle class on Monday. I am getting used to a busy schedule again and thankfully I have my new toy--an IPad. I can sync my calendar and keep track easier than with the day-timer. Great little tool!

...she can observe everything from her spot!

Jim's socks are finished and they fit nicely. I did not try to match the stripes and I like the look. Also on the needles: the Aranmor from Aran Knitting and another pair of mittens from Color by Kristen. I do not have photos of the mittens, yet. We had another bout of snowfall, which was very pretty yesterday. Today it is clear and cold. I shoveled the driveway before Jim got home from spin class (the bike, not the wheel!). I worked on the deck, steps, and the patio, too. Eevee can move around easily. Inside, she loves her spot upstairs where she can see the dining room, the kitchen, the foyer, and even out the windows.

Snowshoeing toward 2011

2010-12-28T20:14:00.002-06:00

We took presents and dessert over to my Mom's yesterday. She was ready to turn off her tree lights! My brother called as we walked in and it was good to talk to him and niece Mariana, too.

Ben looking very north-woodsy.

Me in the quicksand snow!

Jim poses like Captain Morgan.

The snow was so deep, just like quicksand! I had to let Jim and Ben be the trailblazers. I managed to break into a run, but took a face plant in the snow. It was funny. I felt like Randy from "A Christmas Story" trying to get up! There were a few skiers out and we saw a doe and two fawns. It is a quiet and beautiful place in the winter. We had the rouladen cooking in the crock pot all afternoon and we were ready for Christmas supper when we got home.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T16:11:00.000-06:00

Snow on the ground...

Candy canes...

The tree is trimmed...

Santa Claus is coming...

Climbing toward 2011!

2010-12-23T18:39:00.000-06:00

Yesterday my friend, Sebra, and I went to Vertical Endeavors in St. Paul. As you can see, we had fun climbing. Sebra's an experienced climber and I'm a novice. She took my photo on my way up to the top!

A successful climb to the top--happy time!

This is just one of the climbing areas.

Floating down--so fun!

Sebra's a good teacher. We had so much fun.

Ho-ho-ho look at all the snow!

2010-12-19T16:59:00.005-06:00

The wind was very strong during the storm!

Little snowman

Ben is home. All is right with the world. His buddies came by last night. We had a rib dinner and Muddy Paws Cheesecake for dessert. The tree is up, the cards and presents are sent, snow is on the ground, and we just have to bake.
This Christmas I am so grateful we are healthy (except for colds). It is always a good way to begin a new year!
Tomorrow we are expecting more snow. Last weekend was the BIG snow. One of the top five in Minnesota history! Being snowed in certainly put one in a Christmasy mood. We decorated the tree and I put up some decorations around the house.
My new classes are up on the Shepherd's Choice website. I am excited to teach new classes!

This was taken at night--the snow made it look much lighter!

Smiling suns

Cheery centerpiece

Flying high on the Christmas tree!

Making trenches for Eevee.

Ornaments

2010-12-14T19:47:00.001-06:00

I picked up the needles again to make some more ornaments. I was digging around and found a vintage reindeer chart. It worked well for a knitted ornament.
10.12.10 Gosh, time is whizzing by this month! Now we've had the tree up since Sunday, and it's lovely despite no adornment! I worked very hard on my schedule for my new classes. I think we have good ones coming up!
14.12.10 This is becoming a long post! We have the tree up and some decorations around the house. Unfortunately, the house is a disaster. It looks like a wrapping paper/yarn bomb went off. I'll finish up the boxes to send tomorrow and then I can get things cleaned up before Ben comes home. We will bake cookies this weekend.
We had one of the top five snowfalls in Minnesota history last Saturday. It was something! The wind turned it into a blizzard. Jim made paths for Eevee to use in the yard. I shoveled a path for her on the deck and cleared the steps.
Today was my day with my mother. We went out to lunch. I bundled her up and she loved seeing all the snow. At 94, she just loves getting out and about. Christmas music was playing in the restaurant. When we went to the restroom, we sang "Winter Wonderland." She forgot the words, but sang la-las with gusto! We sang all the way back to her place and she was able to join in on the baking activity.

Darth likes oatmeal for breakfast

2010-11-27T08:07:00.010-06:00

I made the red Darth for Jim and he liked it, however, he wanted it to cover his earlobes. In the stash was a whole skein of Lamb's Pride Bulky in oatmeal. I added about 1/2-inch or so to the length and it's perfect.

For the first time since living overseas, we went to a restaurant for Thanksgiving. Buca de Beppo had turkey with all the fixings (and pumpkin cannolis for dessert) as well as their usual Italian fare. It is such a fun place to go and the atmosphere was festive and busy! We bundled up Mom and brought her along. She loved getting out and about. She really likes the heated front seat in Jim's car.

So hard to believe it is Black Friday. Jim went out to get Eevee a new dog bed. He is taking his time or he is stuck in line somewhere! I am watching all the hubbub on the news. Now I have to get down to business and get the Christmas cards going and get some shopping done. We went out this morning after the big rush. We got Ben a nice top coat at Jos. A. Banks. Next year a new suit will be in order.

Photo from Anthropologie's website

Since we were out and about, we looked around the shops at Arbor Lakes. It was clear and very cold. We stopped at Anthropologie--I love looking in there. Anyway, Jim asked the sales lady about the "Adopt a Tree(s)" that were part of the holiday decorations. All you had to do was choose one of the live trees and they put your name on a card hanging from the tree. After Christmas we will pick up the tree and then when the ground thaws in the spring, we will be able to plant it. What a great idea--a free tree! I also got the cute dress in the photo. It looked really cute and I think I will get a lot of wear out of it. The fine-wale corduroy skirt is a lovely print and reminds me of Russian nesting dolls.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T08:33:00.005-06:00

19.11.10 Next week is Thanksgiving. I picked out our turkey yesterday. We willhave our dinner on Saturday because we will be taking Mom out onThanksgiving day. Actually, I am okay with that! I love cooking, butit will feel less rushed and no clean-up after the meal. Jim madereservations at a restaurant in Maple Grove.

Iam getting the house ready for Ben's visit. Jim will be picking him upwith two more in tow on Saturday. Today I found the Thanksgivingtrolls. Grandma C. got them for Ben when he was just a little guy andwe put them out every year. They are silly-cute and it would not beThanksgiving without them.

TheColours of Ireland vest is back on the list of WIPs to finish. It is abit worrisome because I am working the back and am hoping to haveenough for the fronts and trim. Jim wants his Darth hat a bit longerto cover his earlobes, so Ben will probably get the first hat. I havea skein of oatmeal Lamb's Pride Bulky in the stashand will use that for his hat.

23.11.10 When I got home from class on Sunday the guys were home. It is always a relief to see them after the long trip home.

Thetemperature has dropped and the skies are clear. Sunday the roads weretreacherous, as we had a coating of ice on the roads. The last wheelspinning class went well, and my students had some plied yarn at theend. Now I have to regain my spinning mojo so we can have a moreadvanced class. An art yarn class is in my future plans.

Somethingfinally clicked with my last Wood Badge ticket. I am just aboutfinished with typing the last couple of months--February and March. Ishould have it finished by the end of the week. At last night'smeeting the young scouts worked on a First Class requirement for firstaid. One of the Troop Guides was there and he did an awesome job withthe boys. Mike, the Scoutmaster, had a fun activity for the troop. Hecut foam tubinglengthwise in sections, marbles, and duct tape. When I walked in the room, it was wild! It was fun to see scouts ofall ages building tracks for the marbles.

What a difference a week makes

2010-11-18T11:18:00.000-06:00

Just when you think there is plenty of time before winter comes--watch out! I woke up yesterday and looked out the kitchen window to a winter wonderland. The weather report the night before predicted we would get snow, but I thought it might track southeast of us (as usual). Wow! Jim took me to work with Ben's car, with 4-wheel drive. A little while ago I heard the snow plow go down the street; at least we have a clear path through the neighborhood. One advantage to living in Minnesota is that we know how to handle snow!

I still had my dual-cable hat class and it was so nice to have one of my friends in class. The other gal couldn't get out because of the snow, so we'll do a make-up class later. Hopefully the weather will be nicer next weekend. Now my challenge is to find a good parking spot and not slip and fall with Louie in hand! That would not be pretty. Today we will work on plying yarn. I'm gathering some samples of yarn I have spun from different types of fibers. I re-marked pages in my book and printed out some free information from Spin-Off Magazine. It is the same brochure we received in spin class at Woolenworks in Texas.

Progress on the second mitten is going well. I was waiting for Jim after class and I wandered around the shop looking at patterns, etc. I found a beautiful book by Anna Zilboorg, Magnificent Mittens & Socks: The Beauty of Warm Hands and Feet. The projects look like the mittens I'm knitting, but on steroids. They are beautiful works of art.

18.11.10 I was asked by a fellow Raveler (choochooknits on Ravelry) to test-knit her hat pattern called Darth. I like the story behind it. The ribbing design looks like Darth Vader's mask and the minute her husband put it on he said, "Luke, I am your fa-ther". Anyway, I had some lovely red Lamb's Pride Bulky in the stash and went to work. I really enjoyed making it and it was a quick project. I even used double-point needles through the whole pattern. The cables and decreases at the top make a nice design on top. Jim has a new hat, he's pretty happy...however he asked me if it was washable--I told him I would wash it!

Spinning around

2010-11-10T08:59:00.002-06:00

I was making a yummy sound while showing off my roving at Shepherd's Choice

This was a great week for me...I had a drop-spindle class on Tuesday and then my first wheel-spinning class on Sunday. It was a nice break from knitting and it is always exciting to teach others a new skill. I finished spinning the yellow and brown roving and it's plied and ready to block. I do not know what it will grow up to be, but the yardage will have a lot to do with the decision.

I finished one of the mittens. I liked the French knots and daisy stitches on the originals in the book, but I wear my mittens pretty hard, so I opted for Swiss darning and straight stitches for embellishment. I also picked up three stitches rather than just one for the thumb and it fits much better. The mittens fit me perfectly. I started the decreases for the top of the hand right after I finished the chart. They would have been too long otherwise. On to the next project--Kathy wanted something out of Country Classic Yarn for Sox, and I chose a warm cocoa color. I'm surprised this is considered sock yarn. Naturally, I had something else in mind and perused the patterns. I came across a pattern I had in my collection and it would only take three hanks. At $8.25 a hank that is a good deal!

We are enjoying the last of the unusually warm temperature and by week's end a mix of snow and rain are expected. I'll have to bring in some wood so I can be ready for a cozy fire this weekend. I have a good supply of Digestive biscuits thanks to Jim, and it may be time to check the pantry for cocoa.

The squirrels are scrambling to hide acorns. They had a bumper crop this year. When we would pull into the driveway it sounded like bubble wrap popping.

Today I'm meeting some friends for knitting and I am excited. We had a good time last month. I have time today to work on that last Wood Badge ticket--I'm very motivated to finish by year's end.

Colorific

2010-11-07T11:38:00.001-06:00

I have to say I've had a very colorful fall thus far. All the projects of late have been with the same oddments of yarn. I'm thinking it's time for some cables. I was at the shop yesterday and a yarn rep was there. She's very nice and it was fun to see her wares and samples. After I stayed longer than I'd intended (no surprise there) I drove up to Elk River to pick up flint and steel for Jim. Track of the Wolf wasn't open on time, so I went into town and stopped at Diamond City Breads for some goodies. I had to get a loaf of Rhubarb Fritter Bread and some rustic Olive Bread--and then I saw the oatmeal cookies. Since I had a cup of coffee, I thought it would be something tasty--it was! Of course, the oatmeal is very healthy, the chocolate chips provide energy, and the pecans have "good" fat. Yup, that's how I see it. On the way home I stopped to get the ingredients for Hudson Bay Bread. Tonight is Round Table and Jim's doing a presentation on high adventure for Scouts. The bread is like an energy bar and very high in calories. The recipe comes from the Northern Tier.

Today it's really chilly, windy, and the clouds look pretty against the bright blue sky. I went to yoga class this morning, and now I have to take Eevee for walkies. The cold air and wind put a spring in her step.

My Mmmittens are coming along despite my inattention to stitch count and a dropped stitch. Good thing it's a small project and easy to frog and re-knit. I know they will be lovely, warm mittens when they are finished. The stranding makes a thicker fabric. I'm keeping the floats fairly small so my fingers don't get caught. I'll have to take a photo before I have to frog back to the dropped stitch...

5.11.10 November is whizzing by! I have to check Louie out to make sure he's ready for class on Sunday.
The Hudson Bay Bread was a big hit last night. It's really good, but it's high in calories--I had to use some restraint not to eat more.
I'm back on track with the mittens. I didn't like the green against the natural, so I switched to gray for the background of the hand. I like it better. I slip the mitten on now and then to check the size. Fair Isle knitting can be tricky when it comes to gauge. You have to knit at just the right tension so the floats aren't too tight or too loose. So far, so good.

7.11.10 I just now took some photos to post. Another frog of the mitten :(--I'm catching the floats every other stitch. I don't want my fingers to get caught on the inside. The tension is better, too. Today is my first wheel spinning class. I read through my book last night and marked some pages. I have to copy handouts for the students before I go. Louie is ready to show his stuff and I think I am ready to teach. I did a one-on-one with Kathy and she was a quick study. I've never had this many at one time. It will be a fun-filled session!
Yesterday was Sharefest at church. We made over $10,000 yesterday! The funds made at the bazaar go to help fight world hunger. I love the International Table and bought some pewter ornaments from Germany. One has a pin and the ornaments can be changed out. I think the Nutcracker will be a good one to wear during the holidays!

Road trip and knitting

2010-11-01T13:23:00.006-05:00

We had a whirlwind weekend with Ben. The men and women won their swim meet against Hope College. As always, it's fun to watch the competition. We had time to go to the outlet mall and I got a new rain jacket for camping, and we stocked up on some Ghiradelli chocolate squares and bars. Early Sunday morning, we picked up Ben and went into town to have breakfast at Frank's Diner. What a fun place, and the food was great. The staff was dressed for Halloween, which added to the atmosphere. I got quite a bit of knitting done during the six-hour drive and the waiting between events. The little slippers were quick to knit and not nearly as fiddly as I imagined. After I finished the sampler scarf and then the slippers, I started a pair of the mittens. I'll use gray for the hand to play against the bright colors. The projects have proved to be excellent examples of stash-busting projects. I can't believe how little yarn they take! November is going to be a busy month for me. My classes shift into gear and I'm excited to be teaching more classes. Finishing the samples from Kristin Nicholas' new book will help promote classes for after the first of the year. (Oh my, Christmas is just around the corner!)

Sunrise--Lake Michigan

Staff at Frank's--Dolly Parton, Ninja, and Prisoner

Breakfast--note the sundae (lower right) one of the staff was having for breakfast!

Frank's Diner

Eevee was very happy to be home again. She looks so pretty (she had a bath) and I'd trimmed her legs and feet before I dropped her off. She's glued to her bed right now. She also enjoyed seeing the Trick-or-Treaters last night. We had mostly really little ones. So cute! Lots of Buzz Lightyear made an appearance, Snow Whites, princesses, animals, and Ninjas. It's always fun. We have some candy left--I always make sure to get candy I like.

I Made My Way Through the Stash

2010-10-26T10:14:00.000-05:00

Justkidding! I finished the Stash Cardigan with the four skeins ofHimalaya. I really like the yarn so much better than I originallythought. I'll add some other large buttons until I get the otherspainted; that way I can wear it. Our temps are dropping after today.Ihad fun over the weekend camping with the troop in spite of theabundance of liquid sunshine. The theme for the camporee was CSI. Thepatrols had to solve a murder by collecting evidence using scout skillsand learning some new ones. The staff didn't even know who themurderer was and it was funny to find out that it was the ex-wife,played by a friend of mine. Our troop was well-represented on staffwith former and present adult scouters. I walked around with mypatrol, the What-Sons, and the other leader was with the CrimeScene Instigators. Our patrols earned three high scores and the troopgot a site inspection ribbon to add to the troop flag.

26.10.10 I can see the wind picking up. It's supposed to be very windy andrainy today. I have to decide whether to take Mom out and about today.

Lastnight I brought out my button stash and found three buttons for Stash. Originally I was going to paint the wooden ones, but the tagua buttonsmatch nicely. It's cold enough today to wear the sweater! Yesterdaythe postman delivered a package from dear Margie in Ireland. I won adrawing on her blog and it was so fun to open and see all the goodiesshe sent! Thank you so much, Margie!

Tempus fugit--num me vexo?

2010-10-22T16:04:00.000-05:00

Today it's cloudy and breezy. The winds of change are coming. The leaves are passing their peak colors. I took Mom for a walk yesterday. She enjoyed the fresh air and remaining colors. We picked up a couple of little pine cones and some lovely scarlet maple leaves. She used to tuck leaves into her letters and books she'd send to me when we lived in Germany. Before the leaves are all gone, I want to press some between wax paper, which I haven't done since I was a kid. Winter will be here soon enough. The critters are scrambling to stash the remaining acorns. I made an apple pie, too. Mmmm...the crust is so flaky and the house smells as good as the pie tastes!

Ahhh, it felt good to be teaching again last night! I had my first class, we made knitted ornaments, and it was fun. The pattern worked great (I only have one number to correct) and I'll be able to correct that easily and print some more. Before class, I went in early to teach a young woman how to use a drop spindle so she could teach an actress at the Lyric Arts Theater how to use the spindle during an upcoming play. She made her spindle with a pencil, cup hook and cardboard disc (she found the instructions online). I cut a tiny notch in the disc to keep the fiber from sliding around. Her spindle worked fine as a learning tool. Speaking of spinning, I'm excited that the spinning classes are filling up! It will be a refreshing change of pace for me to teach both advanced knitting along with spinning. Good things come to those who wait...

The big camporee is this weekend. I need to practice setting up Big Agnes. We had the pole repaired and were lucky not to have to pay--the poles were still under warranty. The theme for the camproee is CSI. The scouts will have fun with that! They have to solve a murder mystery and of course realistic first aid will be involved!

I'm knitting away on the scarf and should be finished soon. I don't know what I'll make after that. Heaven knows I have plenty of yarn in the stash! I typically make something cabled after using lots of color, and I have the lovely tweed handspun I made during the Tour de Fleece over the summer.
22.10.10 Already Friday and I'm burning daylight. Time to get ready for the campout this weekend. We went grocery shopping with the Grubmaster last night and got the items loaded in the coolers and tubs. I set up Big Agnes and she's looking good. I'm happy to have the new tent poles. Naturally the dry weather we've been having will end over the weekend and Stearns always manages to get rain. Ben and Scott would stand on top of the climbing tower and watch the weather when they worked at camp.
The leaves continue to fall and the back yard is full again. The maple trees are holding on tight and have barely turned yellow this year. Eevee brings in lots of the outdoors inside. It seems I have as many leaves inside as outside.
I finished knitting the short cardigan and now I have to block it. I'd like to get the large buttons painted today so I can sew them on when I get back from camp.
Well, it's almost time to leave for camp, so no painting today. My backpack is ready and I made sure to tuck in some gloves and a hat if it gets really cold tonight.