Knitting Needle Carrier & Simplifying!

I selected a word to live by for 2011 - that word is "simplify". That means that I will try to reduce clutter in my life by using what I already have on hand, being creative about finding substitutions rather than buying new, and changing what I eat to more simplistic (not processed) fare. There are other things I plan to do to simplify but those are the biggies.

Some changes I've already made include using a clothesline instead of my dryer most of the time. Sometimes the weather makes the decision for me, but most items I dry on the outside or inside clothesline. Since it's just me at the burrow, I hand wash my dishes. I have not used my dishwasher since my son left for college in August. I don't miss it one bit.

This philosophy also extends into my crafting life. Yesterday I decided to make a carrying case for my knitting needles and knitting supplies. I should have taken a before photo - they were all in their original packaging but then just tossed haphazardly into a plastic bag. I found a large piece of yellow fabric leftover from a quilt backing, made a rectangle, sewed up some channels, and viola! A knitting needle case is born. I made the channels different sizes to accommodate supplies and circular needles - there's even room to expand my needle collection ;-). I also made some fun and blingy stitch markers with beads and jewelry making supplies I already had on hand.

Now if I could just figure out how to neatly store my yarn stash ...

Design Wall Monday 1-3-11

Happy New Year! I'm still working on socks. My goal was to get two pair finished while riding to/from Texas for Christmas - a 21 hour drive. But Sweet Pooch Charleston had other ideas that consisted of riding in my arms the whole way there and back. Needless to say, zero knitting was accomplished so I finished two pair of socks when we returned. The dark pair on the left are the first pair I made several weeks ago - they're okay. There are lots of mistakes in them but they are my "learning pair" and are fine for wearing around my burrow. The other two completed pair still have a mistake or two in them but I love them. They fit great and feel great and I love the colors. I've started another pair doing my version of two-at-a-time. (I'm using Patons sock yarn and a free basic sock pattern from the Paton web site.) In the close-up, I don't know if you'll be able to see it, but there is a bling-y stitch marker. A story goes along with this stitch marker ... when I hosted the earring-making party in December my friend Laura, also a knitter, brought some beaded stitch markers she had bought. They look like beautiful earrings only without the earwire - instead they are on a jump ring. So while folks at the earring making party were making earrings, Laura, Lori and I were making stitch markers and planning ways to make more. What a great gift for a knitter and, of course, knitting in progress looks so good with a little bling hanging from it.

The holidays are over ... traces of Christmas are put away until next year ... so tomorrow I'll get my sewing machine out. I'm still knitting socks, but I also have 3 sets of pillowcases I plan to make. Then it's back to quilting ... while knitting socks.

Take a few moment to check out Judy's blog at Patchwork Times. Her blog is always either a learning experience for me, or it motivates me.

Design Wall Monday 12-20-10

Jump over to Judy's blog at Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday and for great inspiration.

I'm still hooked on socks - no quilt on my design wall. I knitted the two in this photo and am now knitting the mates, using my "two-at-a-time" method - two sets of double-pointed needles! The only sock yarn I have any experience with is this Patons Kroy sock yarn - I like it and am fascinated at how the striping effect works. I mean, how does it know I'm finished knitting the cuff and now would be the perfect time to change colors? Or maybe I'm giving this too much thought?

I have yarn for two more pairs of socks and then I've got to put this down and get back to work on my quilting.

Word for the year - my friend Laura, at Mixonian, suggests selecting a word that will guide you for the year. My word for 2010 has been adventure - I've tried to see everything, even negative events in my life, as adventures. I must admit that using this word as a guide helped me to view events a little differently. It also gave me the inclination to do something different on the weekends, like the Sunday morning we got up early and drove all over eastern North Carolina photographing old and crumbling barns. I also used "adventure" as a driving force for trying some new cooking techniques or foods that I'm not familiar. In other words, the word "adventure" helped me step out of my comfort zone.

My word for 2011 is "Simplify". I plan to simplify my house so it is easier to clean and maintain. I plan to simplify my "footprint" in this world. I plan to simplify the food I eat so my diet will contain more natural foods and less processed foods. I plan to also use this word to guide me in my quilting, crafting, and sewing. Give it a try - select a word and let it be a guide for you in 2011. I would love to hear what word you select.

Introducing Winston!

Oh! My! Gosh! Is he adorable or what? Winston has had a bad run but his luck just changed. He was obviously someone's pet and somehow got away from them and became a stray, but not for a very long time. However, during the time that he was a stray he was probably clipped by a car because one of his hind legs is dislocated and he has "road rash". He was in the city animal shelter for only a few days; my sister saw his photo and fell in love. That was last Thursday. Saturday she and my mother went to the shelter and met Winston in person (Winston is the name they gave him, he had no collar). They paid the adoption fee but had to leave without Winston because the shelter will not let animals go to their new home until they're spayed/neutered. Yesterday Winston was neutered and my sister and mother picked him up at the end of the day and brought him home. So, besides being in a shelter for a few days, he was neutered and was given shots, AND his back leg hurts. When he got to his new home, however, he saw that dog bed and knew what it was for! He's settling in and is becoming, once again, the pet he was destined to be. Today he goes to the vet to have his leg checked and start the process of getting it treated.

What a lucky pooch and what a lovely Christmas gift he has been given - the gift of a new, loving, gentle and happy home. On the other side, he's a lovely Christmas gift for mother and sister because he brings a bit of fun and life to their household and is something they can love and care for.

My other sister also has a rescue dog - Frankie - a chihuahua/Jack Russell mix - he's quite a charmer!

And my dog, Charleston, is a rescue dog - I love him to pieces.

Rescue dogs ... all they need is a good home and second chance. They give you back so much more than you could ever give them.

Design Wall Monday 12-13-10

Still no quilt on my design wall, but I can boast my first finished pair of knitted socks, and the start of a second pair. Can't believe how much I'm enjoying knitting socks. Even more, can't believe how much I'm enjoying wearing them!

What fun we had Sunday ... I hosted an "earring-making party" at my house. Everyone brought a drink or appetizer, and I supplied all the beads and findings, showed the delightful ladies how to make a pair of earrings, then let them have at it. They must have had a good time because around 50 pair of earrings were made - a fun way to get some Christmas shopping done. This is the 2nd year we've done this event. There is one rule at the party ... no one can make fun of how many beads I have ... am rather self-conscious about it ... hahaha

Sometime this week I plan to go shopping for more sock yarn.

Am linking to Judy's blog at Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.

My First Finished Knitted Sock

Notice I said "sock" not "pair of socks" - hahaha But it's finished, it fits and it feels good!

The sock pattern is from the Patons Yarn website and is just a basic sock pattern. The yarn is Patons sock yarn in "clover colors".

Wow, my leg looks huge in this photo - it's really not that big - I'm just a horrible photographer. Next ... start the other sock.

Design Wall Monday 12-6-10

So much has been happening causing me to be absent for a while. I'm back, but not with a quilting project. Knitting has captured my attention; maybe that's because the weather has turned cold and I love to sit and knit when it's cold outside.






I've knitted a sweater for Sweet Charleston. He actually seems to like it!










And I finished the Sea Lettuce scarf (Lucy Neatby http://www.lucyneatby.com/) - I think the color yarn (Lion Brand Amazing in Rain Forest) is perfect for this scarf.





And finally, I ditched the knit-two-socks-at-a-time method and have decided to just learn how to knit a single sock. Maybe after I've learned that the knit-two-at-a-time method will make more sense to me. Anyway, this sock pattern is from the Patons Yarn website and the yarn is Patons sock yarn.






It will probably be after Christmas before I get back to my quilting projects




Today I'm linking to Judy's delightful blog at Patchwork Times. I never fail to learn something from her blog.