the joys of ravelry

i really don't know why it took me so long to start using ravelry properly.  instead of just favoriting patterns and never starting anything, i'm moving them to my library.  and when i realize i indeed have yarn to make one of those patterns/projects, i'm moving them to my queue and linking my yarn.  

amazing things happen when the bins of yarn get sorted into your stash online.  it actually recommends projects!  or yarns to use with a project.... who'd have thought?  :)  

within my studio, i have bags and bins of yarn.  cheap yarns from the big box stores for projects just because i liked a color or softness (or price).  and good yarns from LYS when i've travelled.  i have a lot more to upload to my stash on ravelry, but i have a nice start in helping me use up some of the ever growing stash my family doesn't realize i have.

this is the year to get active in creating again.  i'm going to pick up my pencils and my paintbrushes too.  it's time to do things for me again.  and with doing things for me, that also means easier knitting and sewing for others so help hone my skills better and build up to the amazing projects i want to keep.

i hope you, dear readers, continue to craft and create as well if you hit a slump in the past.  keep your skills practiced and learn something new!  or find a group you can create for and spread some happiness along.

ending the week on a high note

two good things happened last week/weekend....

first - i got to FINALLY see the moody blues.  i had tickets when they came to town 8-9 years ago, but wasn't able to go because of scout obligations.  i should have pushed X2 aside for westychic's company and gone anyways, but i didn't because i'm a nice person. (kicks myself in the backside for that...)

we had ice storms last week that shut down the city.  yeah...houston and the gulf coast has no idea how to drive on ice and our roads aren't built for it.  the band couldn't get to us and we couldn't get to them, so it was rescheduled by one evening.  my DH bought me tickets for christmas knowing i didn't get to go the first time.

they did a lovely tribute to ray thomas during the whole show, who died the week before.  they may be old, but they were still rocking the leather pants and the guitar/bass playing never slowed.  a second drummer has been added and it was a bit sad to see graeme edge not quite playing up to speed, but i get it... age... 

the other great thing that happened was i had the house mostly to myself, which meant that i got free reign of the living room to spread out quilt blocks!

my happy pill quilt finally got to see row construction.  i had some furry four-legged supervisors to make sure i was getting it laid out correctly.

the fabulous magritte approved after seeing a bigger picture and once the boy got up from his upside-down shenanigans.

and the refugee kitty, sir winston furhill III, had to shuffle blocks around, while bringing me his dead bird for about 30 minutes solid. 

setting goals for 2018 - textile edition

once upon a time, i used to make a dozen quilts of valor a year.  this was on top of quilts for other people, plus clothing, plus some 2D artwork.  certain things have slowed down and other things are picking back up, so i thought this would be a great time to set a few goals for myself.

introducing...my textile goals...  or at least the start of it, all subject to change of course.

my best friend and i have been knitting a few of the big heart little hat red hats for the AHA and i should ship those next week.  late last week, she sent me a text with a link saying we needed to knit for "knots of love"once we were finished with the red hats.  looking into it - i agree!  helping chemo patients and veteran amputees sounds good to me.

i had a coupon for jo-ann's, along with their weekend sale.  off i went after church sunday to take advantage.  KOL has a very specific approved yarn list, and i knew i could get some of these from jo-ann in great color variety.  i walked out with this bag stuffed with 10 skeins of approved yarn in men and women's colors for chemo caps and stump covers for only $34.  i started an arm stump cover in that grey/white marl yesterday and should finish it today.

this will be my satisfying and easier knitting projects for the year.  and i'll throw in some additional tiny red caps for next year's AHA collection.

next up.... FINISH HAPPY PILL!!!!  

the pile above are the last blocks to stitch!  there's about 30 in the pile, so it's not too bad.  and then i have to trim all of them down to size before i can start laying out the blocks.  i will have a new bed quilt in bright and happy colors this spring!!  hopefully.  

the next goal is a huge one.  ok, yes, happy pill is pretty large as well.

i need/want to learn how to knit this maple leaf shawl.  someone, either my mother or my best friend, posted a picture/link to this shawl on my FB page a couple years ago.  i knew then i couldn't do it.  i'm not so sure i'm ready for it yet now.  BUT it is being added to my goal for the year.

i've purchased the pattern and stared at it cross-eyed.  thankfully, the first pattern part i opened was just the chart version and they have regular written instructions also.  i don't really know how to read charts for knitting.  somehow, you knit sections and then knit other sections and they all get added together??  no clue yet and i'm going to have to see about getting some of the more experienced knitters at church to help me i think.

shopping online for good quality wool yarn to withstand the extensive blocking process (which i've never blocked anything btw), while not breaking the bank was an adventure.  you can't have just any color for a maple leaf.  none of the decently priced wools were the correct autumn color for a maple leaf, so i decided to choose a spring leaf.  appropriately named... "a new leaf" green.  

the house my dad grew up in back in michigan had gorgeous maple trees out front.  the street was lined in them.  when i got the chance to visit my grandmother in early autumn, i'd spend time outside taking pictures of the leaves glowing in all shades of red, yellow, orange with just a hint of green.  i adored it.  the last time i got to do that, i brought home a leaf of every color combination i could find to press in wax paper to prove to my then-husband that leaves really are that color outside of gulf coast texas.

and somewhere along the way, get in a few dresses and skirts.  i need an update to my closet after all these thyroid and autoimmune struggles the past 2 years.  

hello 2018!!

goodbye 2017....hello 2018...  

it's been a ride this past year.  in houston alone, we went through a hurricane with massive flooding, won the world series, and had snow!  actually, that snow week started out in the 80's monday and then it snowed mid-week.  it actually was heavier and stuck longer along the coastline than in town north of me.  like everyone, there was more to happen this past year than most of us care for, but we keep moving along.

my december looked like this:

crafting and planning gifts

constantly trapped by or keeping an eye on these two furballs

little hats big hearts cap production (i'm up to 5 complete!)

celebrating with family and friends

and a surprise QOV presentation

i baked, i ate, i knit, i sewed.  i actually finished the last of the large order of welding caps for my hubby's coworkers on new year's day in the morning and i am clear of those for now.  i'm hoping that a bit of a break happens from those so i can return to working on my happy pill quilt, start a collaborative quilt project with westychic and get in some sewing of clothes for me and maybe knit something good for me too.  that trio of yarn above is calling to me!!  

i wish all of you a very happy new year.  i hope it is better than the last and that many good things happen to us all.