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« July 2006 | Main | September 2006 »
I'm whooped!
And, as I'm typing this, I'm thinking about a couple of tote bags that are still up at the house with yarn in them..............*sigh*.
Have you any WOOL? Yes sir, Yes sir, three thousand, one hundred sixty-eight bags FULLLLLLL! 
Where did all this stuff come from?!?! In my effort to organize my passions (see yesterday's post), I previously brought all my knitting books (well, almost all) down to the studio. Now, in my continuing efforts to get everything within reach, today, I brought all my yarn down. I have pulled yarn out from everywhere and think I have just about all of it down here. The sight at the right does not include several Rubbermaid containers of sock yarn and one other big container of good stuff.
Good thing I have this blog! I have found that blogging about projects I start makes me more accountable. I really feel the need to finish them and report on them. Not that I didn't finish them before -- it just might not have been in the timeliest of fashions.
In this organization effort, I have discovered that I REALLY need a system. I have yarn that I know I bought for a specific project. I mean, I just don't buy yarn willy nilly! What that project was, in some cases, I have not the foggiest idea! Also, I'm very worried about moths finding my stash. I work in here at night so the studio is lit up like a Christmas tree. The studio is at the edge of the woods and the moths, etc. are drawn to the light. They're flitting against the windows and occasionally, one or more manage to get inside. I have put pieces of my lavender soap in each box but I'm still worried. 
Does anyone have any suggestions???
The water is still, smooth as glass. We slide across it. The water forgives. Closing behind us, leaving no sign of our passage.
We went out on the lake this morning. We were aiming for 6:30 AM but it was more like 7:45 AM by the time we got all our ducks in a row. This was our first AM cruise. There were a lot more boats out than when we usually go - 
especially at noon when we were coming in. It was wonderful!! The water was still and the temperature was actually cool until about 10:00 AM. I cuddled up under a beach towel and took a snooze, awakened, sipped my coffee, and then hopped on Blossom. I finished 3 more sections. This pattern really goes fast. I made one goof -- I noticed a lone row marker on the WRONG side (the neck side) of Blossom!! I had made an entire section from the wrong side which made her curve back the other way!! Rippit, Rippit! So, I really did 4 sections!!!
The water was so low! It amazes me that the water level in this HUGE lake can recede this much in a month's or so time. I mean, think how many gallons it's low. All the red clay you see should be covered. There were sandbars and groups of rocks that usually go unseen. Also, logs were sticking up out of the water and islands had formed where there used to be none. We were fine staying in the main channel - just can't boat too close to the shore in most places. There were lots of fishermen out today - some trolling for striped bass, others just plain fishin'. Maybe they catch more fish in less water -- not as much room for the fishies to get away from them!! I hope it rains soon!!!
Well, got to get back to making sense of my stash!!
It's hot and it's dry. The lakes are LOW. We were going out in the boat tonight but decided it's just too dang hot. We went and got ice cream instead! We might go out early in the morning. That is, if we can find enough water to put the boat in. At one point, the weatherman predicted rain for this weekend but now the prediction is just hot and dry.
On the upside of this weather, my roses are flourishing! I think it's finally gotten too hot and dry for the Japanese Beetles that continuously munch on them. I see fewer and fewer each day and that's a good thing. The two rose pictures are of Tahitian Sunset, Tropical Sunset, and Bella'roma - all Jackson & Perkins brand.
Today, I met my friend Donna, from Oxford, NC, for lunch. We met at the Galleria in Clarksville, VA. Donna was dropping off a delivery of her beautiful jewelry. Linda, the owner of the Galleria, offers a 
great variety of fine art out of various mediums - wood sculptures/carvings, handmade wood tables and boxes, pine needle baskets, jewelry, pottery, watercolors, oils, photography, etc. My father sells his baskets here, also. The prices are very reasonable and there are some talented artists featured here.
Donna and I ate lunch at the Main Street Grill right up the street from the Galleria and about a block up from the lake. Then, we came back to The Robin's Nest. The Robin's Nest is my studio, office, soap making place, etc. and is located at the back of our property - down the driveway from our house. My 
husband built it and it opened its door as a rug hooking studio (only one in the state of VA) in 1996. My neighbor likes to refer to it as the "hookin' house". It has a bathroom, kitchen, upstairs, etc. The outside is equipped with a shaded porch that provides a front row view of the flower, herb, and rose gardens, bird baths, and bird feeders. If it had a shower, I would live here!! I practically do already! Now, since I'm selling my rug hooking inventory, I'm trying to organize my passions (also can be thought of as hobbies but that sounds a little demeaning) so everything will be at my fingertips. We are s-l-o-w-l-y renovating our 216 year old home and nothing has been at my fingertips for 22 years --- everything is packed in boxes. I'm excited about having a place to sit 
and immerse myself in my passions. I also plan to have a little sitting area - a cozy area where friends can join me to sit and knit.
On the knitty front, I'm still working on Blossom. I have 7 more sections to go. Have already done 17 sections. The pattern offers options for finishing the edge -- a crochet edging or fringe. I think I'm going to do the crochet edging. I don't think I would like this yarn as fringe. I want to get back to my 2 toe-up socks on 2 circular needles. I'm anxious to finish the toes so I can cut the extra yarn and work with a single strand. It is very tight working with 2 strands but I bet it will solve my hole-at-the-toenail problem. I also want to get back to my shawl that I started several TNK nights ago. I try to always keep a couple of projects going at the same time - at least one that is mindless and another one that is not. I can hear my Clapotis calling, also! So many projects, so little time!!!
It's Thursday and I'm waiting for the weekend! This will be a busy work weekend for me. It's the last weekend of the month and I will need to do reports. Hopefully, I'll get at least a little time to work on Blossom. I did quite a bit on her today while waiting in appointments.
Several posts back, I featured one of my cats, Gus, who had died that day. With Gus gone, Earl 
Grey is the only cat left. Earl has developed a routine now that Gus is gone. I'll be in the studio working at night and I'll hear him meowing for me outside. Sometimes, he'll jump up in the window to see if I'm really in here. Then, I'll let him in and give him a few treats. I've dug out all the cat toys and put them on a little rug for Earl. He plays with them a little - he's always been more of a hunter and not so much a playful kitty. Usually, he'll get on the rug and sleep for hours. Tonight, I put an empty shopping bag on the floor and it was like a magnet -- drew Earl right in! He played in the bag with and without toys for a good while. I love to watch cats play. You can't help but smile!!!
[What fun!!! Pictures throughout the post, except for the close-up picture of my toe-up effort, are 
from TNK last night. Explanation of pictures are within the text.]
Well, I've been in Richmond for the past couple of days for work. I definitely make the most of my trips to the big city! I packed my work stuff, computer, my yarn bags, my camera, my soap, and Daddy's baskets and off I went! On Monday, I met my son for lunch and got the tour of his new house. He and his fiance have been painting up a storm, have had laminate flooring put in downstairs, have had the washer and dryer delivered, bought a lawn mower, etc. They are planning on painting the upstairs this weekend. It looks like a different house with the new paint colors.
In my trip to the Richmond knitting shops this time, I had a wedding on my mind. I'm going to be the mother of the groom in October 2007. Now, those who know me can attest to the fact that I 
would call in sick if I had to don one of those frilly dresses to attend the wedding. So, I'm racking my brain re: what I'm going to wear - already - one year in advance. You have to realize though, the wedding is in the fall 2007 -- this is the fall (almost). If I'm going to knit something to wear, I have to purchase the yarn NOW! I discussed this dilemma with a couple of the shop folks I visited. I'm not the easiest person to fit - I can't wear just any pattern and have it look good. I'm VERY hot natured and October can be very warm here in southside Virginia. Everyone was in agreement that a pair of dressy pants and a handknit top/shawl/wrap/stole/etc. would be perfect. I sure do hope so. I need to knit something so stunning that no one will look at my feet. See, that's another problem. I have a TERRIBLE time finding shoes to fit my 10.5 feet. My grandfather always told me I'd never tip over in a strong wind!!
Not too far from my son's house just happens to be Unraveled. I visited with Mary Jane and Andrea and discussed my dilemma. They suggested knitting a shawl out of Yin yarn. I loved it and bought enough to make a shawl. The colors are great (sage green, rose, copper, silver gray-blue with a black thread) and the yarn is very light weight. This will make a gorgeous shawl. The colors will 
also give me options for finding coordinating pants. And, Mary Jane is now the proud owner of one of my Dad's baskets featured a couple of posts back.
I stopped by Holly Spring Homespun. Kathy had a 35% off sale on Laines Du Nord Cashsilk (50% merino, 25% silk, 25% cashmere). I got enough to make a sleeveless tank with a beautiful pattern - Fir Cone Lace Shell by Vermont Fiber Designs. I also bought a gorgeous pattern by Knit One Crochet Too - the Textured Lace Cardigan. Kathy is also a proud owner of one of Daddy's baskets!
I ran into Lettuce Knit to pick up my skein of Blue Heron Cactus I ordered on my last trip to Richmond. I was lucky to pick up one skein during their sale a couple weeks ago but needed a second skein to knit a full Clapoti. We were discussing my wedding attire dilemma and they also agreed that dressy pants and something knitted up top would be very appropriate. They showed me a yarn by Karabella that had kid mohair, nylon, and polyester in it. I liked the olive green with the bronze/copper colored metallic in it. I purchased the Gossamer Cardigan pattern and saw the sample they had made up in the store. It was gossamer, alright! Light as a feather! This would be p
erfect - lightweight and airy yet simple and pretty with the touch of metallic. It's an open lace stitch with no buttons. I didn't buy any of the yarn - will think about it. The olive color is a little dark but it was really pretty.
Today, after work, I stopped in at The Yarn Lounge. Melanie was kind enough to sit with me and teach me how to knit 2 socks on 2 circular needles. (Sangeeta, you're right -- Melanie just GETS it!) I worked with 2 skeins of Regia yarn on one 16" circular and one 24" circular needles. I highly recommend doing these on 2 different length needles - easier to remember what you need to do and when you need to do it. I found the stitches VERY tight and difficult to do the increases. I always wear my handknit socks out from the nails of my big toes so I wanted to work these toes with the yarn doubled to make them stronger over the nail areas. I'm sure that's what made them so tight. Stewart had a pile of Soft-Kid on sale for 50% off. I picked up some in lavender and soft pearl gray. <Please Note: The minute bit of work (my toes) to the pictured to the left does NOT represent the knitty effort involved! These two toes were darn hard work!>
A special treat during my trip to Richmond was TNK night!!!!! There were 18 of us there and we were BUSY! Sheddy worked on and finished her curtain from the Mason-Dixon book. Issy was starting a pocketbook. Rita was working on a shawl. Patsy was working with some gorgeous stuff - a wide ribbon knitted with another yarn. Every time I see Patsy, she's working on a different project! Renny was working on the sweater for her grandson. Trish and Christina were both working on bright scarves. Tami was knitting a washcloth. Robin was also knitting a scarf (I think). Mary Jane showed off a really neat scarf - multi-directional. Nancy and Deb - what were the two of you working on?? Sangeeta was working with a really pretty and soft yarn made of llama in a terra cotta color. Susan was knitting a cotton sock. Trish showed us another felted bag she had made. I think it should be called her 'glow worm' bag. Those needle felted 'worms' are so bright, they glow!! Sangeeta and Susan stopped for a Mexican dinner on their way to Knit Night and brought the adorable penguin. They said that there was a guy at the restaurant making these balloon animals. The penguin is holding a fishing pole in one hand and a string of 3 fish in the other. However, in true TNK fashion, he is knitting a sock - on double pointed needles!
When I arrived home tonight, I had 2 packages waiting for me. One contained 2 hanks of wonderful
yarn from Little Knits (great sales, by the way!!!) - Schaefer Yarn - Marjaana in the Rosa Parks colorway - 50% merino wool and 50% tussah silk. The Himalaya silk was a "little wrinkled" so I got that for 50% off!! What's a few wrinkles?! The ball at the top of the picture is what I discussed above from Unraveled that will knit up to be a shawl that will be one option in solving my wedding dilemma - love the colors!! The little variegated balls in black/gray and gold/tan were on sale at Unraveled and is the same yarn I used to make the little crochet purse several posts back. I envision a couple of gifts being made from them. The second package contained my plying paddle from Down in the Country - makers of the great little Rakestraw Spinner.
Now, an update on Blossom. I was able to knit quite a bit on her over the last few days. I'm about 2/3 done. I have to do a total of 24 pattern sections. When finished knitting the sections, I will need to figure out if I want to crochet an edging and block it. I haven't decided yet, so will have to think about that. She will definitely be finished by my next TNK night on 09/05/06.
Well, the weekend is over again. Why do the weekend hours go by so much faster than the weekday hours??? And who came up with FIVE workdays and only TWO weekend days??? If I could just have an extra pair of hands, I could get soooo much more done. I could make soap and knit. I could drive to all my work appointments and knit. I could work on the computer and knit. I could do laundry and KNIT! I really need that extra pair of hands!
The car is packed and ready for the journey to Richmond. It smells like linseed oil and soap! Daddy brought some of his baskets for me to take so the Richmond girls can see them. There's also a 
crate full of soap and one salt scrub to take to TNK night on Tuesday. This picture shows the table loaded with soap that's sliced and ready to box. Pictured on the far left is soap that has already been boxed and is ready to go. This weekend, I made "Minty Fresh", "Bunch o' Carrots", "Flowers of Summer", "An Apple A Day", "Amber", "Cool as a Cucumber", "Maine Blueberries", "Oak, Orange, & Oats", "Lemon Drop", and "Ginger Lime". My studio smells out-of-this-world wonderful! Some of each of these fragrances are packed in the crate along with "Love That Lavender" and "Cup o' Green Tea w/ Oats". The TNKers are going to be the cleanest knitting group around!
Blossom is halfway finished!!! I have finished 12 sections, have bound off loosely, and now need to pick up the stitches at the provisional cast-on I did and knit 12 sections going the other way. I think I am going to bind off again, though, and try to do it even more loosely. This is the first shawl I've done that required blocking when finished. I'm thinking the looser the bind off row, the more the shawl will stretch. I guess if the bind off row is too tight it will prevent the rest of the shawl from stretching as nicely. Am I right??? Yep, I may take out that row and do it again before moving on to the other side.
Since I have to go out of town tomorrow, Andy and I went on our weekly lake cruise tonight. We had our first boat guests - my Mom and Dad!! The water was really low and there were sandbars sticking up where water usually is. You could see a lot of red Virginia clay along the shoreline where the waterline had dropped. Mom brought a container of Midtown Market's Chicken Salad. It is the absolute best chicken salad I've ever eaten! We had chicken salad sandwiches, homegrown tomatoes, chips, macaroni salad, and cheesecake for dessert (that was Andy's idea - he loves naked cheesecake - no sauces on top). Need to remember to get some French onion dip next time to weigh those chips down. They kept flying off my plate when the boat sped up!! It was too cloudly tonight to see the sunset. I think this was the first night we've been out that we didn't see a beautiful sunset. As we were pulling the boat out of the water, there were 3 boats waiting to put in. Fishermen. Going out for the night to fish for catfish. There are some humdingers in this lake. There are pictures in the paper all the time 38 lb., 50 lb., etc. And, U-G-L-Y! Good golly, they are not pretty fish!
During our ride, I worked on Blossom and got her to the halfway point. Mom brought her knitting, too. She did a little needlepointing, crewel, and counted x-stitch but I don't remember her really knitting as I was 
growing up. Daddy said she made him a pair of argyle socks in college -- one turned out to be a crew sock and the other a knee sock!! Mom is left handed and some directions for handwork is not kind to lefties. Probably, the basic reason she enjoyed painting so much - it has no problems with lefties.
A group of ladies at Mom's church formed a knitting group a year or so ago and they meet regularly. They did Katrina squares for the hurricane victims (9 squares each for an afghan) and continue to knit T-sweaters. I believe the idea was printed in an issue of The Guidepost, if any of you are familiar with this publication. The T-sweaters are just that -- shaped like a T. You cast on and do some ribbing, stockinette stitch the body, then increase for one sleeve, knit across and increase for the other sleeve, work the sleeves and bind off the front. Then, you do the exact same thing for the back and then sew them together. The group has knit a ton of stuff! T-sweaters, Katrina squares, hats, and afghans for shut-ins in their church. They're still going strong!
Quote for the day: "You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation." --- Plato
Friday is here!!! Nothing special going on today. It's kind of cloudy here with the sun peeping out 
every now and again. It's an office day for me and I'm being serenaded by the birds at the feeder as I work. They are really carrying on!! There's a little wren that has built a nest right outside the window and she's tending to that today.
On the creative front, I need to make soap today and tomorrow. I also need to crank it up on poor Blossom who is not going to be finished by 08/22/06. My Plan B deadline for her is 09/05/06. My deadlines coincide with TNK meetings I'll be able to attend so I can show her off.
I found a great quote to share ---
"There are no days in life so memorable as those which vibrated to some stroke of the imagination." by Ralph Waldo Emerson
So, on that note, make sure today vibrates!!!
