I Admit I am Over Whelmed

Wednesday through Sunday I helped my good friend Ialiuxh with her booth at the Madrona Fiber Arts 2011 WINTER RETREAT (http://www.madronafiberarts.com).   It was a lot of fun and a lot of work.  I honestly didn’t do all that much work; Ialiuxh did the biggest share of it.  It was all new to me this year, but next year I will know more and maybe be able to help more.

I gotta tell you, if you have never been to Madrona as it is called, you really need to plan to go next year.  You can follow Madrona on Ravelry as well as the website (http://www.ravelry.com/groups/madrona-fiber-arts-fans--attendees).  Warning the classes fill up within 5 minutes of opening and the hotel rooms go just as fast.  If you live in the area, you can drive in each day or take community transit.  There is a light rail shuttle from the Tacoma Dome Station to within a couple blocks of the Hotel where Madrona is held.  I commuted each day, but think I will plan ahead to stay at the hotel next year.  If you don’t want to take classes or can’t get into any The Market Place is a total wonder to behold.  Just imagine 20 to 30 shops all in one room and you have sort of an idea what The Market Place is like.  There were offerings for knitting, spinning, crocheting; you name it any kind of fiber crafts you can imagine, there were offerings for.  My tip to you is take only cash and leave you checkbook and credit cards at home.  That way you stay within your budget.  I truly tried to stay within budget, but it sure was not easy.  I only purchased a few items:

• Drop spindle to learn to spin with

• Fiber to learn to spin (beautiful shaded turquoise)

• Fiber to have spun for me (gray and red tones)

• A Philosopher’s Wool sweater kit and a new Philosopher’s Wool book

• A little light that fits on your ear like a blue tooth.

I have to be honest; I get more than a little over whelmed when I have too many projects screaming at me to get them done.  There were tons and tons of incredible yarns there that I would love to possess, but the thought of having them waiting to be worked up would be just too much for me.  Maybe next year, I will plan my projects for the year and wait to purchase supplies and fibers until I get to Madrona.

Over all, Madrona is an experience that I would recommend to all of you.  And one more thing about Madrona:  It is a family reunion of Ravelry members.  You will totally love it.  There are people sitting everywhere knitting, visiting, spinning or just whatever all over the hotel and pavilion where the classes are held.  Totally amazing.

While at Madrona, I got to finally meet my all time knitting heroes; Philosopher’s Wool originators, Eugene and Ann Bourgeois.  I have wanted to meet them for over 10 years.  I missed out on their classes, because I wasn’t online the second the classes opened.  But, I got to meet them and they taught me how to knit with two hands at their booth.  I purchased a kit from them and am looking forward to getting started on it as soon as I get a few more projects completed that are already on my list of priorities.  The kit went home to my friends with the booth just to keep me honest and working on what is already on my plate.  You can find Philosopher’s Wool at www.philosopherswool.com; they have a video of the knitting method they teach, if you are interested.

I have today off and am clearing up some loose ends to get back to work tomorrow.  I was on vacation all last week, so there will be plenty to catch up on at work when I get there tomorrow.

Go forth and knit!

I pray you are all always happy, blessed, loved and healthy.

Have a God filled day,

V

I have a new favorite product

I have a new favorite product

It isn’t a “new” product, just new to me.  It is a beeswax lotion bar from Snohomish Soap Company.  I purchase 2: Tuberose and Lemongrass.  I purchased from my favorite LYS, Country Yarns on Avenue B, Snohomish, Washington, after a fellow knitter shared hers with me at Thursday night knitting.  It is the most wonderful lotion and because it is in bar form you never have to worry about the lid coming off and spilling in your purse or pouring too much out and trying to get it all absorbed and end up wiping off with a tissue.  You can leave your rings on and they don’t get all gunked up.  AND the way it leaves your skin is to totally amazing.  And one more big plus is that you can apply, rub it in and go right back to your knitting; there is no greasy residue.  Another plus is that my friend told me it lasts forever.  I looked on their website and could not find it listed anywhere on their site, but I am sure, if you don’t live close enough to purchase from my favorite LYS, you can probably contact them directly and obtain this wonderful product.

I completed two projects since my last post, the Lollipop Cabin Toddler Pants and a tunic top to go with them.  Of course they can be worn without each other as well.   I have pictures of the pants, but not the top yet.  My DIL has my camera, so I have to wait for pictures of my completed projects.  I am seriously researching cameras with the idea of getting one just for my knitting projects.   

There is a one skein contest at my favorite LYS One Skein Project and I am planning to make another pair of these pants to enter into the projects since it took exactly 1 skein of Lollipop Cabin yarn.  Visit www.lollipopcabin.com she has new pictures of her

·         Beginning Wednesday I will be busy helping with the Lollipop Cabin Madrona Fiber Arts 2011 WINTER RETREAT (www.madronafiberarts.com) booth in Tacoma.  Most all of the classes are full and closed, but you really should at least stop by one day and cruise the booths.  The show is Thursday through Sunday.

My next project will be another Lollipop Cabin project.  This time the project is a toddler dress and I will be knitting with two strands, which makes it worsted weight and I expect will go much faster than knitting single strand sock weight. 

If you live in the North King/Snohomish Counties in Washington State I most strongly and lovingly recommend Country Yarns on Avenue B, Snohomish, Washington.  It is the best LYS there is and the owner is a real kick.  Here is the link to her latest newsletter: 

http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=ee91443b0da64986736829b87&id=3a9c1cf619#New_Items

Even if you don’t live close enough to get into Country Yarns, there is always something interesting and educational in this news letter.  Be sure to check out Learning with the Llama, if nothing else.

That’s it for now and I most likely will not see you again until after Madrona at which time I will have tons to tell you about all the sights and wonders I found there.

Go forth and knit!

I pray you are all always happy, blessed, loved and healthy.

Have a God filled day,

V

I have a new toy

I actually got this new toy the night of my eye “episode”, but I didn’t get to tell you about it until now.  The new toy is a Lacis yarn ball winder.  It is the first winder you come to on this page:  http://www.lacis.com/catalog/data/AB_YarnThreadTools.html  When I buy unwound yarn at my LYS, the lady winds it into a ball for me with her winder.  She got in some winders just like hers, so I made sure I purchased one before she ran out.  When I buy yarn in wound skeins, I always re-wind in balls and now with the winder it is so, so easy.  I also like to rewind my pull from the center balls when they are about 1/2 used to keep the ball neater.  I highly recommend a winder to anyone who works with yarn.  I do not yet have a swift, which goes along with having a winder, but I am working on getting one.  I have used my friend’s umbrella swift and ball winder before getting my winder and I don’t get along too well with that type of swift.  I searched the web and found a Beka swift that I think I would be more compatible with. 

http://www.bekainc.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=109&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=26&vmcchk=1&Itemid=26

My local LYS lady is seeing if she can get one for me or if I need to buy one online.  I know where to buy online, but I do try to support my LYS as much as I can.  I also found some sites with directions to make your own swift; some are pretty involved and more permanent than others. 

http://webeccasays.blogspot.com/search/label/swift

http://auream.wordpress.com/2008/12/07/diy_swift/

http://www.folkcatart.com/blogs/jen/?p=742

I like the plastic coat hanger swift and the tinker toy swift. Oh, yes, and I also like the swift with the two yard sticks.  I did ask my loving hubby to make me the more permanent PVC pipe swift, but he said, “Just buy one, you deserve it.”  He is so proud of everything I do and never gets upset with whatever I purchase to increase my stash or “tools of the trade”.  The cool thing about the plastic coat hanger swift is the portability of it.

I finally got pictures of the red Christmas dress that I knit my great-granddaughter.  Buttons on back are pearlized hearts.  The flower and streamers are a pin that can be removed so she doesn't pull at it and tear the dress.  On Christmas day it was put in her hair after these pictures were taken, but I don't have a pic of that.

 My DIL has my camera as hers died, so I have to depend on her to take my pictures for me and she is so sweet and very good about doing so; never once complains.  However, the red Christmas dress was a bit late getting completed and I took it to my daughter before getting a picture. I then had to depend on someone else to take the pictures and post them for me.  The pictures are now on my FaceBook page and also in my Ravelry projects.  I still need to get all my 2010 completed projects posted on Ravelry. They are all posted on my FaceBook page.

I know I talked about knitting groups at your LYS, but I do want to encourage you to make sure you support your LYS, especially if you are not charged to attend the knitting groups hosted by your LYS.  There are expenses incurred by your LYS to host the knitting groups and your purchases help to keep the shop open for your convenience.  If you are not so totally in love with your LYS or if you are being charged to attend knitting groups, then I most strongly recommend that you find one that you do love that much.  If you are in the area, I most strongly and lovingly recommend Country Yarns on Avenue B, Snohomish, Washington.  It is the best there is.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Country-Yarns/91635774887

http://www.manta.com/c/mm4d45t/country-yarns

Go forth and knit!

I pray you are all always happy, blessed, loved and healthy.

Have a God filled day,

V

I am back...I THINK!!

I do apologize that I went missing for so many days (weeks).

One of the reasons that I have never blogged before is that I always believed if you had a blog, you HAD to blog every day.  When I started this blog, I committed to myself that I would blog every day.  All good intentions aside, I did not take into account the curves that life tends to toss your way ever so often.  I have had a few weeks of life challenges that got in the way of doing anything especially this blog:

1. January 2 gifted me with a nasty, nasty cold that really knocked me on my fanny.  My friend warned me that I could catch the cold.  Since I have a really, really strong immune system, I didn’t listen to her.  I should have listened.  After a month, I am just now getting back to normal (??).
2. The next challenge has been more difficult and actually will be with me on some level for the rest of my life.  One Thursday afternoon at work, after 5 hours of meetings with my department manager, I started seeing weird things out of my left eye and it sort of hurt a bit, but not bad.  I thought it was due to the long hours staring at the computer screen and endless spreadsheets.  At knitting that night everyone seemed to think it was probably an ocular migraine.  Friday morning the weird sights and feelings were still there.  I was sure if it were a migraine it would have been gone after a night’s sleep, but I notified work I would not be in that day, took a pain pill and went back to bed.  I woke up several hours later with no change.  I called the eye doctor and they got me in right away.  Not a migraine.  Vitreous detachment.  The Vitreous is the gel that fills most of the eyeball.  With age, the gel gets watery and sometimes detaches from the back of the eye.  It is not life or sight threatening, but it could cause a retinal tear, which could be sight threatening. I should be out of danger of a retinal tear within a month of the occurrence.  I have an appointment for 2/14 for a recheck and we should know then exactly how things are going to be going forward.  I spent a week in a darkened room DOING NOTHING.  At first I tried putting a patch on my left eye and knitting.  It did not work out too well.  Found out that even with the patch whatever the right eye was doing was affecting the left eye. Right now my eye is only affected by floaters in the form of seeming like there is a mud splat on my glasses.  I keep cleaning my glasses, but the splat never goes away.  I have started to seriously knit again and think things are pretty much settled into the new normal.

Thanks to my physical challenges, I am seriously behind in my knitting and need to work 24/7 for a year to get caught up.  In other words, I am never going to get caught up; I just have to move on.  For now, I am not working on my knitting courses until I complete some items that people are waiting for.  I do plan to get back to the courses as soon as I can as I have several I want to complete and then I can be even more anal (read to the end to see what I am referring to).

The day that I knit with one eye, I completed the Lollipop Cabin pants I had been working on.  I really did not like the way the legs tapered and could not bring myself to proceed with blocking.  Those pants were interfering with my knitting.  I would go to knit something and those dang pants were haunting me.  It got to the point there was no knitting going on in this life.  Anyone who knows me knows that is NOT GOOD.  Monday evening, I told myself it was time to fish or cut bait.  There was a big to-do at last Thursday night knitting involving a young, new knitter that had a MAJOR ERROR in a project that she chose to ignore and plow through to get the project completed.  I kept my thoughts to myself, but I did slap myself around with them over those pants.  I gave myself a pep talk, bit the bullet and ripped out 3 ½ inches to where I felt the taper went wonky.  It was a good decision and I managed to get one leg nearly back to where it was.  They will soon be complete and to my satisfaction.  I feel better about the pants and myself.

Okay, this brings me to my self opinionated knitting thoughts/advice for today:

If it is worth doing, it is worth doing right even if you have to go back and rip out a completed project.  I don’t care who you are, what you are knitting or how small the project or error……  FIX THE DANG THING!!!!  In my personal opinion overlooking a flaw in your work shows a flaw in you and your skills.  Being able to recognize and fix your errors shows growth in you and your skills.  Sometimes you can fix without ripping out and sometimes ripping out is the only solution.  Another thing you will learn is to PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU ARE DOING.  Probably, if you were paying attention, you may not have made the mistake in the first place (not always the case, but often).  If you are working on a project that has lots of details and “holes” or “twist”, then make sure you pay attention to what you are doing.  Unless you have the ability to tune out things around you and pay attention to just what your are doing then I would say a detailed, complicated project is not a good choice to work on at your weekly knitting group or when the kids are running wildly around terrorizing you and the house.  My grandmother taught me how to embroidery when I was a small child.  The most important thing she taught me was the inside should ALWAYS look as good as the outside.  I have always applied this rule to everything I have done in my life since.  Most people label me as “anal” and I admit that I am (my own daughters could never learn anything from me due to my being so anal about things needing to be perfect; they learned after they were grown and away from me).  Yes, I fix even the TINY flaws/errors, if I can find them.  To be perfectly honest, I am personally offended whenever I see a completed project with obvious flaws and to be honest a totally shoddy piece of work.  It is NOT MY PROBLEM.  The problem belongs to the person who made the project and the error, but it still offends me.  Yes, I do admit this is a major flaw in me and I am trying to learn to let things go; some days I can, other days I fail.  There is surly a “happy medium” between my intense anal attitude about the finished project and the “I don’t care, I just want to get this done” attitude of some others.  However, as for me and my projects, I will continue to be anal.  Just one more thing, for those who say being so anal takes the joy out of knitting or whatever you are doing….. NO, not for me, my joy is producing as perfect an item as I can.  Having an inferior, shoddy product takes away my joy.

Okay getting off my soapbox now.  I do hope you are all enjoying what you are doing and that you are producing beautiful, flawless family heirlooms.

Go forth and knit!

I pray you are all always happy, blessed, loved and healthy.

Have a God filled day,

V