Knitting Dragonflies

After almost 3 days we have our power back on. Many people here are still in temp. shelters, we are lucky to have our power. It is reassuring how people can help total strangers when in a terrible situation. I have seen many random acts of kindness. Here are a few pics of our house and street. This is all after snow got plowed. I had no before shots. We were too busy under layers of blankets and clearing limbs. Technorati Tags: ice storm of jan 09

I think I have spring fever. I have tore into the house with gusto. I have cleaned tossed and reorganized. So far I've gotten the kitchen done and the bathroom. No knitting, still in the middle of felted purse number two. It all started with the idea that I needed to declutter my sewing room. I still haven't gotten to that yet. Right now we are in the middle of a ice storm. Only a few inches of snow, but it fell on top of 3 inches of ice and sleet. It is sleeting right now and going to turn to snow (so they say). I am working all week so have had the fun of slogging around in it. I would rather be on the sofa with some popcorn and knitting. So far we are lucky and still have power. So I thought I would check in briefly before I start dinner. The dogs are perplexed, so disconcerting to find no grass when trying to answer natures call. Keep warm... May your knitting needles fly as fast as dragonflies... RoseWorks Jewelry I like this Etsy seller, she has a selection ...

Valentines Day is around the corner. Everyone needs a knitted heart or two, here are a variety of hearts from unusual to the traditional. Check out these links... Mochimochi blog , these adorable little hearts are perfect to leave anywhere. How about a knitted heart  pillow , this one is from unwind yarn.com Need a knitted dishcloth with hearts? Knits by Rachel has a cute one. Alison Grenier has a quirky Conversation Hearts scarf , this would be nice for any age to adult and fun. Who doesn't think of these little hearts we all can't resist reading and eating. I like this big red knitted heart from Knit One Pearl Too . From Kody May Knits blog, is a red hat heart pattern. Good for the bad boy in your life. I also like this idea from Amie Hirtes on Crochet Too, it is the Heartfelt Bicycle Seat cover, for those hot days. Here is a knitted felted heartfelt bag pattern from The Midnight Knitter . Soxie.com has a pattern for very cute socks , check out her ...

I've never felted a purse before, but I found out how fun it is! I used the Retro Bag by Shelly pattern , it was easy and well written. I did make it larger. I used a purse zipper, that I found at JoAnns, it is convenient. Two zips that close in the center. My next felted bag is the Kelly Bag Pattern, available in a free PDF here , from JCasa Handmade , check out her other patterns! She blogs here . I had some leftover Malabrigo yarn , and found some multicolor to match it. It looks camo here, but I didn't realize that until I started knitting. This pattern looks adorable and fast. Can't wait to see the results. Until later, check out some felted bag patterns and try one!! Here is a load of free felted patterns of all kinds, at Knittychick! May your needles fly as fast as Dragonflies.... Technorati Tags: felted bag pattern links , kelly bag knitted pattern link , knittychick , jcasa handmade knitted felted bag pattern link

I made on onto Lime N Violet's Daily Chum!! I love Lime N Violet, if you don't know them, they are a wacky, couple of rock n roll knitters, with an entire knitting empire now. You can check out their blog and podcast here. If you haven't heard one of their podcasts, it is worth a go. Loaded with lots of yarny info, and delivered in a Lucy and Ethel type comedic fashion. Warning....they are yarn enablers, after checking them out, you will be powerless to resist. Their Daily Chum is here.   Technorati Tags: limenviolet , daily chum

Five of Cups You may feel discouraged with your knitting this week. You may have many projects going and not enough time to finish them. Turn around and look at everything that you have accomplished this past year. Change your point of view, you can achieve what you desire. Don't fret over spilled milk, often comes to mind with this card. The lonely figure, draped in black (as if in sorrow) is looking at his 3 spilled cups, yet ignoring his 2 that are still standing. We simply have to look at the bridge in the background that can lead over the river to the castle to know that when we are ready there will be a way. The Tarot is a deck of cards that originated over 500 years ago in northern Italy. Although the Tarot was first used in a game called Triumphs , it was quickly adopted as a tool for divination, and popularized by occult societies such as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn . The early Tarot symbolism was deeply rooted in Medieval and Renaissance Europe. Today, the Tar...

I had trouble learning to spin on a spindle, I discovered years later why. Below I will list the tips I learned along the way: 1. Don't purchase a cheap spindle, like my mama taught me, 'you get what you pay for', many cheaper spindles are fine, but when learning, spend a little more money to get a nicer one. As a rule they are better balanced. 2. Top vs: bottom spindles , if you are not having much luck with one, try the other. It seems that most spinners prefer the top whorl spindles they are faster, but I was terribly awkward with one. Many years later I tried again with a bottom spindle and was successful. A bottom spindle allowed me to use it as a supported spindle, then I could get the feel of what my hands were doing. I also found the KnitWitch and bought one of her Spindle Bowls . Turkish spindles are harder to find but also give you the support option. (try looking at Jenkins Spindles ) 3. Fiber types- A longer fiber is much easier to learn on than a sh...

Paula the Quilter , I love reading her blog.  I have to live my quilting adventures though her. I hope you will enjoy the scarf!! I have finished knitting my purse and felted it, I think I will line it and am trying to decide if I need to add a zipper to close it. If my purse doesn't have a secure closure I am forever dumping it out. I did enlarge the pattern, Retro Bag by Shelly , I added 10 rows onto the bottom. The bottom is knitted first, back and forth, and then stitches are picked up around and a slow increase until you reach the top. I also added a crochet cotton string inside of the i-cord handles, for increase stability. I like to load my purse up. I'm not 100% sure about the fabric.. What do you think?? Do I need something a little more matchy?? May your knitting needles fly as fast as dragonflies.... Technorati Tags: Retro bag by Shelly , Scarf Drawing winner

I know it's after Christmas and even post New Year's Day, but here is my "herd of sheep" ornaments. Basic pattern from: Chicks with Sticks Guide to Crochet .   This is Syd, he likes to keep an eye on all yarny things... From the basic pattern the evolution was as follows: Body too fat, needs to be smaller... smaller but too long... Right size, but legs are not quite right... Ok now legs look good, my girlfriend was over (lives on a farm) and said where are their ears? Ears?? OK now they have ears.. Smiles....So I had plans to make around 20 ornaments to give away. Maybe next year, now that I have the pattern tweaked to my satisfaction... May your needles fly as fast as Dragonflies.... Technorati Tags: Sheep pattern evolution , Chicks with Sticks sheep pattern , Crochet sheep ornaments

It's New Years Day, and while I'm not sure I'm going to make any "official" resolutions. I am making this an all day knitting event. Confetti fills the sky at the New Year's eve festivities, Thursday, Jan. 1. 2009 in New York's Time's Square. (AP Photo/Stephen Cherrin) Michelle, a good friend of mine, who I had knitted a scarf for, last year. Needs a new one, her roommate decided to "wash" it, with her jeans etc....you can see where I'm going here. Wool and mohair blend, now felted, or I think it tried to felt, but with the jeans, socks etc... So I picked out a yarn that might hold up a little better for her. (translation, machine washable). On to the next project.... I had picked out a felted purse bag pattern for myself. I don't usually use, or wear anything that I knit. I picked out the Retro Bag by Shelley . I wasn't on the side of town with a "real" yarn shop so I decided that I would pick something out at Michaels...