Yarn Addicts Anonymous

In Palm Harbor... looking for a yarn shop. There seem to be two... Brad has seen one, I know of the other. I'll have a car later this week. Woo Hoo.

Off two days sick. Too sick to knti.. but I'm preparing to go to work tommorrow. It's a strain of the flu... no drugs will help. (actually they make me worse... groggy headed...

I've started an Irish Hiking Scarf... Sz 10 needles from a Singer kit teaching how to knit.. I picked it up for... 2 or 3 dollars at Tuesday Morning.. (a fun store to visit.. an upscale Big Lots...)

Eventually I'll do more.. I like the pattern, even this early in the process.

Tired.. must sleep.

J

In the time since Dad died, I've been starting projects.. too many projects. I finally declared some of them swatches... and bound off. I finished the Salsa cardigan. The sleeves are WAYYY too long. Next time (which will be soon - I already have the yarn...) the sleeves will be much shorter. These roll about 3 times to get to the right length.

I've got a green baby blanket... basket weave pattern.
and Two shawls... one Knitpicks purple and a Pi R Square shawl in pink alpaca. (also from knitpicks)

There are a few swatches that just aren't going anywhere.

I'm organizing yarn,... and hope to finish a few scarves for my daughter... as well as the shawls for myself. I've finished a number of alpaca mice for the cats in my life.

Till later.

I'm in Tampa. Crashing and sleeping, relaxing, walking on the beach, and hanging out at an Internet cafe. I'm still dealing with the estate... probably will be for quite a while. Dealing with C going to college. Dealing with work. Dealing with... everything. It is nice to relax once in a while. It is nice to have a bit of cash. It is nice to deal with the end of things. I wish Dad were here. I wish I could talk to him. Selfishly, I want to keep his ashes with me.

And yes, I've not understood others when they wanted to do the same thing. I'll look into something that I can keep a bit of him with me. Yes, it is selfish. but no one else wants him in the same selfish manner.

Till later.

Julie

Knitting news...

I've found a Meet up group of knitters (Panera Bread, in Castleton 86th & Allisonville Road, Thursdays at 6ish till the store closes). There's a great variety of skills, and fibers. Many of us have worked on a felted bag.

I was angsty about the straps for this darn bag. The colors and stripes are working out great.. but the straps.. Where to put them? How long? How can you tell how long to knit to get straps the length you need? Fortunately, others in the group have finished with their bags. I considered the options. It helps to feel, and "try on" a bag. So I'm felting the bag tonight... and then adding purchased handles.. Actually I think I have some bamboo handles that could go nicely.

Knitpicks had a lot of tempting sock yarn, so I got plenty of sock yarn, as well as Wendy Knits. Last night the Mad Knitters (as this group is called) informally decided to do socks. Several have made socks... including a knitter last night who had a pattern that made socks out of 5 pieces.

The new Knitty is on line... as well as the new Magknits. This is truly a great time to be knitting.

My daughter is leaving to go to Indiana University this fall. My to do list is longer until she is gone... then it will be much shorter... and better suited to knitting, or getting a second job.

More later. Still can't find the digital camera.. but I will take a picture of the bag before felting and after felting... and after the handle.

J

Getting ready to drive to Ft. Wayne, organize Dad's stuff... meet mom at the airport, clean dad's stuff.. find car keys, talk to the funeral home, make arrangements.. etc. My to-do list is 6 pages long.. I've missed some things... I know.

Pray for me.

My father died today. He's been feeling ill for a week. He finally took the advice to see a doctor. He drove to the emergency room, and died there. I'm two hours away.

My mother called. Today is my daughter's High School graduation party.

I'm making lists. I'm stunned. Tomorrow I drive to where he lives-- lived. I need to find a will. Get things in order. and then wait. So many mundane details... So many people to contact. So much...

Still don't know how to add a picture. I've been killing the stash of eyelash yarn by making boas... 5 stitches in garter until I'm tired of knitting. I get two boas out of each ball. These will go to my sunday school class members and to the church craft sale.

I may have several weeks to knit in the near future. My doctor has referred me to a "vein guy." When I scheduled with the "vein guy," I found out that he's doing surgery 4 days/week. When your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Well, If your only tool is a scalpel, every problem looks like surgery.

Okay, the boas are boring... but I'm waiting to be inspired by a new project. Skully is still waiting for sleeves. There's a herd of sock yarn.. and the Pi R Square shawl will be my big project... okay, that is what has inspired me... lace knitting... the final frontier.