Sunday, January 29, 2012

YoP update #27

Only a couple of things for show and tell today. I finally made the other Fingerless Mitt for my mother. She was thrilled. I don't know why it took me so long except I think I was a bit scared of messing it up. I changed the pattern the when I made the first one and of course I didn't write it down. I just sat down and began and it sort of came back to me. The second glovelet looks a different color in the pic but I swear it's just the lighting. Weird how different it can be less than 18" apart.

I also worked on my Fathers hat. Here's a pic. Not going as fast as the other but I have a good reason. I had to add a few "people" to the pattern and a about 10 extra plain knitting rows (my bane!).
Plus I'm having a strange pain in my right arm. It's like I can feel it moving down from my forearm into my hand bones and  pointer/middle fingers. I've decided to slow down for a couple weeks and see if it gets any better. I'm having trouble writing, crafting and even typing is sending little twinges. I won't be giving up crafting though! Even if I should, I would be much too bored.

Friday, January 27, 2012

An Awesome Giveaway!

There's a giveaway that I am entering over at Forgotten Way Farms.

Just click through to the blog section.

Six chances to win and each one of the prises are wonderful in their own way. Even if you don't want any of the prises for yourself I'm sure they would make a great present for someone you know (hint, hint)* Everyone knows someone these days that is trying to live on less and there are even some who really love that lifestyle (me included) and are purposefully heading full steam* in that direction. All in all a great chance to learn or try something new.

* Not really folks, I think that would be considered cheating (^_^)
*in my case dragging 2 reluctant family members in tow.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

YoP post # 26

Plenty of progress this week. I made a hat, which was supposed to be for my father, but was too small. Evedently I tighten up a bit when I get to the stranding part of colorwork. So now my mother has a hat and my father will soon have a hat to match. I can just see them now...Walking through the Flea market looking corny and all lovey dovey. It's called the Circle of Friends hat, only I had to take out some of the patterning because my father thought it looked too girly :) He found this little (statuette?) at a shop somewhere near New Mexico or lower California and then bought another (bigger!) for his mother so I knew when I saw this pattern on Rav. it would be perfect for him.

After I finished that hat in like 3 days (a new record for me) I decided I needed some crochet. Nothing like constant repetative movement to get the fingers aching. So I made "Midget" some new fingerless gloves. And yes folks she is wearing some shorts :)
Speaking of "Midget", She thinks she's too old and too big for that knick name now. Sad moment for sure with all these growing pains. Now I call her "Minnie". It's a mix between Midget and ninny which used to be our name for each other when we knew we had done something silly like try to put the pickle jar lid on a soda bottle etc...

Plus I worked a few rows on my Grandma's wrap. Not enough to take another pic because it never looks different (always a half circle). A row now takes me 20-30 min. and I'm near the end of the pattern but I know I will have to keep going on my own because Both my Grans are less than svelt. O' well we shall see how that goes. At least I'll be more sure on the second one.

Have a lovely week. Thats an order :)

Sunday, January 15, 2012

YoP Update # 25

I have only really worked on one project this week. One of my I Love This Wrap projects for 2 presents for Mother's Day this year. I just realized though, that by Mother's Day it will be hot out. Maybe I should save them for Christmas presents? Eh. I just know that I think both my Grandmothers will look good in these. One of my Grandmas is tall and stately and the other is shorter and more homely (in a good way).
Tall and Stately
This is my Grandmother on my Dad's side. She was raised to be a true Lady. Bold colors, church clothes always, driving gloves, and never leaves the house without her make-up and heels, even though she had hip surgery and probably shouldn't be wearing those. Taller than my Dad! Though once again the heels probably help there (^_^).

My other Grandma is only 5'3" (my height) and she is only a few year younger so it's really weird how different they are. More casual clothes and shoes etc...

One thing they both have in common is Church. They both attend not only Sunday Morning Church but every chance they get. Which is something I can be really glad of because even "Midget" can see how much they Believe and asks me to tell her more about Him.

This Wrap is for my shorter Granny. She likes calmer colors. I'm thinking of making the other one Cream with a dark brown edging. I can't make it a bold color because she wears so many different colors.

Here's another pic sort of draped almost like it should be. One question though, a bit of starch (just a little)? during the blocking? I've never made anything that needed a bit of stiffening. Any advice there would be welcome.

I keep trying to picture it with shoulders in it but I think it's going well so far.
I'm off to read, read, read. I always try to check your posts Sunday night to give everyone a chance to post but today I'm the late one, oh well. We had an unexpected visitor today. My brother brought his Semi down for "Midget" to see and play with.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Belated YoP post # 24

Hi everyone. I'm back in the posting frame of mind :). Total insanity reigned all through the Holidays this year. My Father turned 50! Just a few days before Christmas we threw him a party. We took turns shooting bows, guns and  playing darts ect. We had cake ( I made a Semi-cake) and Ice cream. The whole 9...

Plus I had to take him out to the local Flea Market that morning because.. Tada... It was all a suprise! We had great fun :)

Imediatly after the party it was time to head out for "Midget's" Christmas play. They wern't allowed to perform that at the school because of the whole "God" issue but her teacher arranged for the kids to come to her church and it was great fun. Except for the part where we had to get there 4 hours early and sit through the rehersal and everything. Not that I complained out loud very much (though maybe a few times (^_^). The bleachers are not a good place to wait something like that out, especially for my Mother who has hip and back problems.

My mother had a bad-ish fall just before all our festivities this year. Looking at it now I don't know how she didn't break anything. I hate to say it but these falls happen more and more often these days.

After all that, just 2 days later, it was time to get ready for my own Christmas Dinner on Christmas Eve. It went well for a dinner scheduled after a Christmas Breakfast (at Grandmas) and a Christmas Lunch (at the other Grandmas). Actually I'm surprised anyone ate at all! I know I have been eating the left overs for weeks.
This is Ginger. Santa brought her. Isn't she just perfect? So sweet though she does knaw a bit and Guinnea Pigs aren't supposed to bite. She's very jumpy though and when she gets excited she leaps around like a 3 yr old on a sugar high.

Someone was talking about the traditions they have during the holidays and it made me think about a few things we do that I didn't even consider traditions. Namely, Christmas bingo. Each year we sit down to breakfast and then clear the table and get down to the fun bit. Whoever wins bingo gets to go pick any present from under the tree and either open it or give it to the person who's name is on it. this not only teaches "Midget" to give instead of only pick her presents but it also makes a 2 minute wrapping paper frenzy into a 2 hour family party/game.

As for crafting... I didn't.

I only did a contest project and my latchhook project. Well that and crocheting the white edging around those African Flower motifs.

Here's my Christmas Angel. Who won! Yay! prize was 3 skeins of nice yarn. She made a beautiful centerpiece for my Dinner.

Here's a pic of my Latch hook project. In my last pic of this (at the beginning of this holiday season) I had only gotten up past the E. Maybe this thing wont take me 10 years after all :) I don't have a pic of the motifs because I just didn't take one yet, maybe next week.