Knitting Dragonflies

This is my Aran Shrug!!!! Back!! Front!!! Almost done, just have to cast off and finish the ends. I will say I was very disappointed in the Rowan Big Wool Ice Blue. Color and feel of the yarn very nice, but in EVERY ball there was at least one piece that was cut half way through, definitely cut! Some balls had more than one, and also every ball had a knot in it. Just a warning. Also..I always loved to shop on ETSY now I am selling. But I am going to have Etsy Wed., every Wed I will feature a seller that I love. Of course I will confess I do love yarn and all things yarnish. Check it out!! I have a stash of yarn of various colors frogged from a pyramid sweater gone bad. I am checking out various things to knit with it. I keep coming back to this pattern, pinwheel sweater , but combining the colors in a more random pattern, I seem to be drawn to shrug patterns. Love to wear them. But I am still looking, so I guess that means I am not totally sold on this, I have been picking up more misc...

As you all can tell by now, I love a free pattern. I am a nut when buying knitting books and magazines. But nothing gives me the thrill of finding a great free pattern. With that in mind, here are a few of my favorite places online to search for that perfect pattern. 1. Knitting pattern central 2. The Daily Knitter 3. Crystal Palace Yarns 4. Knitty this should have been #1, I love this online mag!! 5. Knitpicks 6. Lion brand yarn does have alot of free knitting patterns, the ones I have picked out have had mistakes in them, and it is irritating to have to keep signing in. But maybe I have just had bad luck with my picks. 7. Chicknits 8. Woolworks 9. Craftbits 10. Helloyarn These are just a few. There are so many out there. I will pay any amount of money on yarn, but for some reason, if I have a free pattern, I'm a happy girl. Keep on knitting....

For Christmas I received the gift of fire, a magnesium fire starter. Remember how important fire is to mankind....before fire, we were cold, ate raw food, probably grumpy, due to being skinny and cold. Logically, of course, we may assume there was once a time when man had no fire, but very early he must have become acquainted with fire derived from natural sources, and made use of it; for no remains of man's art show him without fire as his companion. Many of the legends or myths relating to the origin of fire are vivid and dramatic, and while they vary in detail there appears to be a similarity in many of the episodes that form the fire-origin story in all countries of the world. Stealing fire from the Gods seems to be a popular theory, so when this is taken into account. This was a grand gift indeed. Of course water ranks right up there with fire, but I already had water...... (We are avid hikers and primitive campers, my husband more primitive than I, LOL, but nothing is less e...

Happy Holidays!! Christmas Eve Moon.

Merry Christmas!! The Elf got the Penguin done!! Although he looks like he may have gotten a bunion on one of his feet from the long trek from the north pole. Remember I've got needles and I'm not afraid to use them!

Yes it is Christmas Eve and here is our sorry Penguin, I have to crochet a foot, two flippers, and possibly a tail (a cheat on my part to make him stand by himself). My supposed 12 inch tall Penguin is 20 inches tall. I had to enlarge the white spot on the front and the bow tie, feet look OK. I'm pretty sure I will have to make the flippers larger. I keep crocheting and crocheting...... And still.... I am reminded of the classic cult film, Night of the Living Dead.... They move slow, but they are dead and they are all messed up. (great quote) LOL Reporter: Chief, if I were surrounded by eight or ten of these things, would I stand a chance with them? Sheriff: Well, there's no problem. If you have a gun, shoot 'em in the head. That's a sure way to kill 'em. If you don't, get yourself a club or a torch. Beat 'em or burn 'em. They go up pretty easy. Johnny: They're coming to get you, Barbara, there's one of them now! Ditch your tuna sandwich! Johnny:...

I started making a pair of penguins for my great niece and nephew. So far it has been really fun. Of course they live about 5 hours away from me and I am planning on mailing them. Well I always say, "if it is a handmade gift, you have a grace period to get it done and deliver it" now sometimes this "grace period" is quite a bit longer than other times. I have invoked it for up to a year once. Hopefully this time will be only several days. After all it is fun to get gifts after Christmas also. Right? I did alter the beak sightly, I made 2 rows of sc after the initial increases, I thought the picture looked a little "Mr. Magooish" I am hoping to get the pair of these done fairly quickly and am shopping for a penguin book to go with it, for them, after all if I'm late after all..... Pattern follows..... Since I am not an expert crocheter at all, and usually knit, I did loosly interpret these directions, I like the knitting way of increase 7 stiches over t...