Knitting Dragonflies

We are predicted to get storms tonight, so I thought I better take advantage of the day and photo some of my spring flowers before they get beat up. Knitting along on my hoodie, I had to rethink things, evidently watching basketball makes my gauge tighter. LOL I had to rip back to the arm pits and recalculate things. I managed to tinker around until I came up with the idea to add a single crochet boarder to the front edges (which will be a zipper closure). I like the look and think it will actually turn out better, not so plain. I lay the blame of the gauge problem on the Kansas/Davidson game. Worth it though.

Check this out ! I found it online, it appears to be free, and interesting. It is fun to go through. Have fun... Sometimes everyone's life is tough...

I think one of the nicest benefits of knitting is clearing the mind. There is nothing like trying to figure out a lace pattern, color work, or making a pattern up, that takes all of your thoughts of the random and chucks it out. The total concentration of the doing eliminates the mind from wandering off on a list of things to do, worry about etc... It's a lovely benefit that often I don't think about. Maybe that is why I feel the need to knit, after an especially stressful day. Sometimes I will tell my coworkers. Just need to knit. Unconsciously does our bodies/minds know that we need to detach and just be? Total immersion in the fiber, feel, motion and then being in the present moment. As that credit card commercial says...Priceless. Gotta Knit

I have never "rewarded" myself for cleaning and decluttering. So this morning I ordered the Laguna Sun hat from "One Fine Yarn" and a felted purse pattern. Technorati Tags: Wooden knitting needles , Laguna sun hat I haven't picked up my baby blanket and now I have at least 3 to make. EEEEEEE....due all around the same time. Good thing I have gone through all of my baby yarns and know what I have now. I need to get with it and make a plan. Babies, babies everywhere... If you haven't heard of these knitting needles they are great! I have some and recently ran across this review at Knitter's Review online .  I love to buy knitting needles, as I found out during my sewing/yarn room spring fling. I now have an entire flight bag full of needles. I need to get them all out and organize them. I'll put that on my list of things to do.

Yes I'm still trying to get organized. Here is some interesting blogs if you are de-cluttering along with me. 1. http://www.cluttercontrolfreak.com/ 2. http://www.clutter-cubed.com/ 3. http://www.declutterit.com/ 4. http://www.its-not-about-your-stuff.com/ 5.  http://psychologyofclutter.wordpress.com/ Yes less is more..... Technorati Tags: simplify blogs

I have enjoyed decluttering my sewing room so much, I have surprised myself. Now I often just go in to set and be peaceful. I am trying to find a color for the walls and decorating. The room "feels" so much better now. I have become interested in Feng shui, Keep places clear of clutter! One of the basics of Feng Shui is that everything should be kept in its place. Keep areas clear of clutter. Cluttered spaces will trap and slow down chi but will also give you a subconscious weighted down feeling. It sounds simple enough and it is! Clear off your desk, file those papers, go through that stack of books, etc. It will feel like a weight was lifted off your shoulders and you will find that you can think more clearly as there is less subconscious worries about needing to "get to that someday" - get to it today so you can move on! Check out some Feng Shui  here! With that said, check out Lime and Violet's podcast Episode 52: What's in YOUR Dump...

Coming along slowly on the Hoodie. Here are the sleeves sewn up and ready to join the body. Here we are all together and ready to start knitting up the shoulders. Close up of the underarm stitches (off needle). Here is a better look at the front. You know your hubby is sweet when he will hold all yarn products for pic's, during a basketball game. Technorati Tags: knitted hoodie progress

Still knitting. Here is the body, knit in one piece to the arms, bottom up. I am going to join the arms and make a saddle shoulder. All of that plain knitting sounded like a good idea but makes me a dull girl. Ok now how did the arms get too long? Last I checked before I folded them and put them in my bag I was worried they were too short and added some. Now I think I will be ripping o Technorati Tags: Knitted Hoodie ut at least an inch before joining to the body, Oh and since I thought I was making it flat when I started and then switched to the EZ method, I will sew up the arms, so I can join them in-the-round to the body. Pictures to follow. I have been investigating the EZ "Afterthought Pocket" the instructions are rather confusing. Has anyone used this method? It involves cutting one stitch on each side of the sweater. My goal is to have this done, by the end of the basketball games.

Duke falls to W. Virginia, on the edge of our seats, meanwhile I am knitting quickly on the body of my Hoodie, which I am knitting with some yarn I bought online at HandpaintedYarn.com . I bought 8 skeins of a yarn called Odds N Ends, a (Beautiful Merino Bulky 6 ply hand dyed yarn. Incredibly soft pure merino wool, ideal to use next to the skin and on baby clothing.Yardage: 165 yards per skein. Gauge: 4.5 stitches per inch with needle size 10 or 11.) According to the website. It is very soft and I love the colors. I originally thought I was going to make a cardiwrap with this, but discovered it was going to be to heavy and not hang the way I wanted it to. Frog that.....   Purdue loses to Xavier, Boo hoo, my brother's school. I am inching along, sleeves done, I am planning on joining these to the body, a la Elizabeth Zimmerman's method. The Seamless Raglan Sweater. And hopefully will be able to find a appropriate zipper for the front. West Virginia 73, Duke 67 , ...

Dryer my African Ringneck My happy parrot, in our sewing room! I am still decluttering. I just plug into my ipod and start going. It has become addictive. I have graduated to my closets. Still making ditty bags... My Big boy, Syd. My knitting is on hold. Hopefully not for too much longer.

My hubby talked me into taking a break and hiking a bit. The turtles are out and about. Of course I had to pack a ditty bag to work on. Still trying to simplify here. Until then, enjoy the pics.... Remember to get out and enjoy nature.

I have learned after going though enough clutter, the more I go through the more I can get rid of. I have donated, 4 truck loads of stuff, Oh the unlucky people that find the UFO's that I have recently amputated. The books I checked out are helpful. I did learn that Christopher Lowell is helpful, I thought his would be the most fu-fu. But it turns out he must be a clutterholic, be still my heart. I started reading his book with new zest. The 1000 best organizing tips, is just that, 1000, tips thrown at you willy, nilly, not much help. I feel like 50 different people are yelling tips at me, with no relation to where I am. Uncluttering your space has actually been helpful, Ann T. Sullivan, takes you by the hand and leads you through the process of purging. I guess we have already binged, since we are reading this book. I did have a friend give me Sink Reflections by Marla Cilly , this is an interesting book, accompanied by a Yahoo group , and a website, they call themselves Flybabie...

OK, it is getting better, I let myself go to Lowe's to look at rugs, paint etc...just to cheer myself up. Still at it. And for those of you that are wondering, no (thank goodness) the rest of my house does not look like this. This had become where all of the flotsam and jetsam ended up. Oh yeah the parrot is ecstatic!!

After a mass emptying of all drawers, closets, bags, etc.. of my sewing, Internet, yoga room, I have a big, big mess, after a overwhelming panic attack, I set off to the library, (need to save my money for more stash, paint, and I suspect maybe a few beers). Here is the books I choose: Unclutter your Home, Unclutter Your life by Christopher Lowell Looks pretty and he promises that there are Seven Layers of Organization. Hummmmm, only 7? OK   1000 Best quick and easy organizing secrets by Jamie Novak I like this, promises to be quick and easy. LOL   The complete Idiot's Guide to Decluttering We will see....   Uncluttering Your Space by Ann T. Sullivan Nice neat pictures on the front.   So if you are organizationally challenged like me, come along on a scary trip, I will try and let you know if any of these books helped me. Or I just "closed the door".   Hopefully I will transform this to a calm oasis of creativity and peac...

I have been trying to reorganize and declutter my sewing knitting room. I have made a few crochet bowls, that I am using as potted plant cozies. And of course a few more ditty bags. Here is one with a Southwestern look. I added the stitches afterward, it looked a little plain to me. Here is a small one for my camping husband. Anyone that has any declutter, organizational tips, websites, etc..pass them on to me. I have gotten everything out of where it was, and now am in the middle of a mess. HELP.. This is just a small part of my "project" LOL

Give the award to up to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel so happy about Blogland! Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so that they can pass it on. Thanks to Jo at Blissed out Knitting for giving me this!! How cool. I'm going to pass it along to: 1.Marie at Knitted Gems I think you have gotten this before, your great. Now don't let your head swell up, you won't be able to wear your knitted hats. 2 & 3. Lynn and her Mum at Colorjoy , two great gals. Check out her patterns, she has a new purse pattern I am drooling over. (The ZigBag) 4. The Knitting blog by Mr. Puffy the Dog I fell in love with Mr. Puffy and the knitting blog is great. 5. Paul at The Quilter she knits also. Lovely quilts, and use of color. Plus I want to live in her house. 6. Robbyn at The Yarnpath , check her blog out, I love her patterns, and she has a on line knitting chatter on Sat nights! 7. Joyful abode , Yummy stuff, organization, all kind...

Here is a blurry pic of the progress of my Hoodie. It's my TV knitting, thus the slow progress. Here is one of my little bags, this is turning out to be fast to knit. From The Yarnpath blog . pattern The Doggie bag. I am planning on lining it with fabric, making little pockets all of the way around. Hopefully it will work as a little pretty makeup bag on my vanity. Much nicer than the plastic basket I use now. I have gotten on a little bag kick. This is one with a southwestern flair, I am going to line this one also. Remains to be seen where it will end up. I think I could even use one of these in my backpack to put my toothbrush, sunscreen, and any other little girly hiking needs. Keep on Knitting....