My Profile

I am Sandra - faithful steward. listener. shepherd. dream believer. hard worker. collects brass bells, boots. Jesus follower. contented. star gazer. homemaker. farmer. prayer warrior. country woman. reader. traveler. writer. homebody. living life large.

Friday, May 08, 2009

Friday Fiber Arts Carnival

For the longest time, I've had nothing on the knitting needles. I've been in a bad place with my knitting and just couldn't find the wherewithall to either start nor finish one of the many UFO's lying about. For those who don't know, UFO means unfinished object and I've several that have been on the needles long enough to have their own zip code.

This week I visited Millie, Master Knitter Friend, in Columbia, SC. She always knits like there's going to be a world shortage of yarn; she always has something on her needles and it's always beautiful and, usually, tough to knit. She went to Stitches last month and took a class with Susanna on Brohus knitting. I am in AWE, I tell you! Millie has even knitted a Most Beautiful Sweater with steeks! Here, I'm giving you the Kids Knit info page for steeks because I figure if they can explain it so a child can understand, I may, possibly, have a small glimmer of hope. HA! BTW, the Kids Knit steeks info page is "only" seven pages long so, be prepared, there's lots to learn.

Millie always encourages me to knit, sometimes to learn something new and is always gracious with her knowledge, time, patience. Even so, I've shocked her before when she was attempting to teach me how to knit socks. Apparently, I've "un-invented"...get the Elizabeth Zimmerman reference, eh?...a way to knit socks inside out and backwards. Trust me, I didn't know what I was doing and the lone sock has since been put into the back of a drawer somewhere. I trust my nephews will run across it when I'm long gone and they are weeding their way through this maze of a farmhouse with steamer trunk in every room. I keep thinking I'll find someone who has only one foot and would like a wool sock for their remaining foot but, thus far, no joy there.

Millie helped...ahem, meaning she actually cast on the start of this moiebus shrug shawl. It's a lovely pinky ruby purply wool acrylic blend yarn that, when finished, should sit on the shoulders, "shrugging" one in a warm hug. This is actually yarn that is to go to the Russian orphanage but in a finished state not as mere yarn. I wanted to send something to the woman who runs the school and hope she finds this acceptable.

The Komi Kids Yarn Project is one I started in 2004 and I'll tell you about it in another post. For now, gaze at the beauty that's, eventually, to be a warm hug. Dave took me to the eye doctor yesterday as I thought I'd scratched the cornea of my right eye. It's been bothering me for several days but not enough, really, to be worried about. Until Wednesday and then I got worried. It turns out I've several, more than a dozen, eyelashes growing into my eye ball and the doctor had to pull, cut and shave them so they eye would be pain free. Let me tell you...it takes GREAT faith to sit there, eyeball wide open, still as a mouse while the doctor comes at you with sharp instruments. The eyelashes were white, blonde, gray or something like that so they were difficult for me to see when I was peering in the mirror. I'm told this will reoccur so welcome to old age -smile-.

While in Bluefield, we went to Tuesday Morning and I found this lovely Araucania yarn. Again, it's in a purple ruby color and is a bulky blend of 70% Merino 20% alpaca 10% silk. AWWWWWW, OOHHHHH, touchy feely, moaning noises, sighs, sounds of joy and bliss. I bought all they had, a bit over 600 yards and I want to make something for me. Any ideas?

Also found this delish cashmere yarn by Elsebeth Lavold and it's incredible! There are three small hanks but enough, when combined with the tobacco colored yarn of same name and content, to make lovely hand warmers. Oh goodness, won't they feel like heaven when cold weather returns?

It would appear my knitting slump is over and just in time for warm and hot weather. Am I good or WHAT!? -smile- My timing seems to be a bit off but as long as I'm knitting it's okay. I've missed having yarn running through my fingers and as much as I adore quilting, it's just not quite the same as wool or other animal fiber.

Blessings ~ Millie ~ knitting ~ cashmere ~ wool ~ alpaca ~ silk ~

7 comments:

  1. Yes, your timing is impeccable....knit warm stuff so it will be done in time for fall and winter! I can picture you with all your spare time knitting while sitting in your rocker on the porch, enjoying the sunshine and country beauty! No....what do you do with all your time?

    OUCH! The eyelashes in the eyeball sound painful. I had a sheep with that problem, had to have her eyelids plucked and shaved of wool and hair.....

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oooch! One of my guinea pigs had those eyelashes and they caused a lot of irritation until they were plucked. I hope they don't grow back very quickly and you stay pain free for a long time.

    I'm a cold weather knitter only. I just can't get myself past it. Sitting and knitting warm fuzzy wool when it's 90 degrees outside, sunny and beautiful just doesn't work for me.
    But it's a great idea to do it so you can get projects done in time for Christmas and when cold weather returns.

    Those yarns you took photos of are gorgeous! Enjoy!

    ~Lisa

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Kathy - yep, my timing is what it is...but at least I'm knitting again. -smile- Yeah, the eyeball thing was/is painful and I hope eyelashes take a LONG time to grow.

    Hi Lisa - I'm a bit 'off' to knit animal fiber in warmer weather but I've had few knitting slumps so when my hands are busy, I'm happy. I quilt in warm weather too -smile-. I'm glad you enjoyed the yarn photos, thank you for the compliment.

    ReplyDelete
  4. These yarns are so beautiful! Thanks for sharing. Glad you're back in the knitting saddle.

    Thanks for participating in Fiber Arts Friday!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Alpaca Farmgirl - it's good to be knitting -smile-! You do such a great job with Fiber Arts Friday, glad to be a participant.

    ReplyDelete
  6. OIh my gosh... I wish i could knit more than a scarf!! But I can sew which is better than nothing... Your yarns look like fairy floss... I think you call it cotton candy?

    xo Steph

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm glad they were able to take care of your eye. I think I would have bolted when he came at my eye with scissors! Brave woman you are.

    I have just taken up crocheting again after about a 30 year hiatus. (My mom had given up on me and my mile long chains so she's happy to help me re-learn. She never did try to teach me to knit, I guess she just wasn't that much into torturing herself!)

    We've been having a lot of fun going yarn and fabric shopping together. Poor hubby just shakes his head & pretends he doesn't know us if he is along on our trip.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting Thistle Cove Farm; may God bless you, yours and the work of your hands and heart. My goal is to respond, here, to your comments although it may take a while.
Anonymous comments negative, rude or detrimental in nature will be removed.

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...