Finally, I have pictures of my almost FO, Take a Bow, designed by Linda Cyr in Vogue Knitting Spring/Summer 2002.


I still have to finish one of the straps in the back. I've made the straps just a bit wider than the original pattern.

Next, on the project list is this shawl from Cast On Spring 2004. I've wanted to make a shawl for quite some time, but the thought of knitting with lace weight yarn has held me back. This pattern calls for Lion Brand's Homespun, and it only takes two skeins and size 11 needles. Hopefully, it will be a quick knit and will come in handy for those cool summer nights.

My shawl will be off-white, but if I like the pattern I plan on making another one in a color appropriate for blue jeans.

I had very good intentions of posting progress pics of my tank, but the batteries were dead in my camera. I was going to list some items on ebay, too. Phooey!

I've been very busy around the house now that the tax season is over. Last spring I bought some paint for the kitchen, but never got to that miserable job. Actually, if it was just the kitchen it wouldn't be bad, but I have to paint the dining room, hallway and laundry area all the same color. I ran out of paint on Friday and picked up two more gallons today. I still have the pantry and the hall closet to paint. Then I'm going to start the family room...

I bought a carpet cleaner and I tried it out on a small area; I think it did as good of a job as the steamers that you rent from the store. I've never hired someone to clean my carpets so I don't know how it compares to the job that they would do. Of course, all this means that as soon as the painting is done, the carpets are next.

It'a a bit windy here today!

Here's my swatch of Clip. This is 100% Egyptian cotton and so far it's been a pleasure to knit. Knitter's have given it good reviews at Wise Needle I've found a tank pattern in a back issue of Vogue Knitting, though I'll be making a few changes to the straps. I don't want skinny straps because I want to be able to wear this to work. The yarn is much too nice to make a tank for everyday wear.


While I was out and about yesterday, I looked at Lions Homespun because I've thought about making a shawl using the pattern in Knitting into the Mystery. I couldn't decide on a color; I think I would prefer something neutral to wear to church or a wedding. I left empty handed, but with my current UFOs, it's probably just as well I didn't buy any yarn.

I just got back from Grandma's, two and a half hour drive one way. By the time I get there I'm ready to come back home. I picked up lunch at Boston Market, Grandma was convinced that I made it myself and it's hopeless to try to convince her otherwise. As her dementia progresses, I wonder how much longer before she no longer recognizes me. She confuses a lot of things, today she spoke of my dad (her son) as being older than herself. Sometimes I see a glimpse of Grandma pre-dementia, but that doesn't happen very often anymore.

On my way home I stopped at Crafty Lady in Macomb and bought some cotton from the Klaus Koch Kollection called Clip. They had it knit up in a cute tank which I really liked and now wish I had purchased the pattern. I'm sure though, with all of my knitting magazines I will find something similar.

Then for fun I bought a skein of Bernat cottontots that I'm going to knit into a bucket hat.

Now that the tax season is over I hope to have more time to post, more importantly I hope I have more time to knit! I have alot of others things to do here at home, including painting the kitchen and the family room. I have started the day with repairing cracks and nail pops in the drywall.

My book order from amazon came today, included was Knitting into the Mystery

I read through the book very quickly last night. Though I would never be one to start a shawl ministry, I think knitting shawls for others is a wonderful way to show people you care and are praying for them. I think I might donate this book to the local library when I am done with it.

Woo Hoo 4 days until the tax season is over! I'm trying to decide what I want to knit next. I still have to finish my cabled turtleneck. I'm 1/2 sleeve away from sewing it together.

I have a pattern for a moebius scarf from Fiber Trends. I started it once with a sport weight acrylic yarn, but made a mistake somewhere in the lace pattern and ended up frogging the whole thing. This time I think I might use a lace weight yarn.

I've seen a few summer tops that I like, but can't decide if I want to make something with cotton. The only cotton yarn I've ever bought is still sitting on my shelf because I don't like knitting with it.

My main project after the tax season is to start painting the interior walls of my house. I've procrastinated for a year on that job because I have some drywall repairs to do first.

There's an important trial going on right now in New York involving the constitutionality of the partial birth abortion ban. Every day the American Center for Law and Justice is giving a report of the trial. Partial birth abortion is a barbaric procedure, the details explained in the trial are gruesome to read. If you're not familiar with what happens I urge you to read it, no civilized society should allow this to happen.

I used to be a supporter of abortion, not that I would have one, because I was pregnant before I got married, so it was an option. Rather, I thought women should be able to make the choice for themselves. I must say though, that I didn't really think about abortion much, as far as what happens to the fetus or how it might affect the woman afterwards. It was only a seven years ago that my heart was changed about abortion.

Reading through the trial highlights brings to mind a situation in my family. My niece graduated a few years ago at the top of her class. She was named one of the best students in the state. She was attending college and dating a young man and became pregnant. Her parents pressured her to have an abortion, afterall she had a bright future ahead of her. Her mother especially was adament that this would be the best decision. My niece, bless her heart, was equally strong in her conviction that she would not have an abortion. Today she has a beautiful little girl, a child that has brought joy to my niece and to the child's grandparents.

I went to a baby shower today, but the baby blanket had to stay behind. I either have to tear out the edging or give it to my dog and I think my dog is going to be the lucky recipient. In the meantime, I've updated St. Francis since we finally have some crocus' in bloom.

The spring issue of knitty is online. Go check it out!

My BIL is going to allow me to try and sell some of my purses at his antique store. Most of the purses I've made so far have been copyrighted so I'll have to give those away, here is a photo of one of my own creations. I made this using Patons Classic Wool, which felts really well and doesn't show any stitches. Granted, an antique store may not be the best place to market a handcrafted purse, but this is mainly for fun and when I get tired of making purses I'm not obligated to continue to produce them.

If you're interested in checking out my auctions they have been posted here

Here's the photo of my newest felted purse.

My poor little blog just hasn't received the attention it deserves. My life is not so filled with interesting endeavors that I don't have time to post. Rather, I just haven't had any interesting knitting projects. I have knit another purse and it is in the washer being felted at this very moment. I'm using a free pattern on the net, called Alex's felted purple trapezoid clutch. I printed the pattern but I don't have the web address, so sorry. Pictures will be posted as soon as they are available. In the meantime, I have to go list some vintage knitting patterns on ebay.

I've made two more purses, I'm still looking for a button for the green one. I don't know what I'm going to do with them yet. Both of them were made with lamb's pride. The blue was one really shows the mohair.

I started the other baby blanket, but I don't have much enthusiasm for the project. I think that part of the problem is that I don't think the recipient will appreciate the work that will be going into it. She's invited 98 people to the shower and is registered at 3 different stores. She once told her mother that she didn't understand why people bought gifts that weren't listed on the registry.

Mother Nature has changed her mood. The snow has finally melted, but along with heavy rains there is a lot of flooding. This is our creek overflowing it's banks.

Thank heavens it's March! Spring is round the corner and Mother Nature is flirting with us right now. Work slows down abit this month and I can enjoy my life again.

I have almost finished the baby blanket. Now I have another baby shower coming up in April. I bought some yarn but I haven't decided on a pattern yet.

I forgot to mention this was made with Lamb's Pride in the color raspberry, The photo color is just a little brighter than the actual color.

The pattern is from Knitter's Winter 2003. I really like the purse and might actually make one for myself, except I haven't had a purse this small in ages. I normally carry my wallet, 2 checkbooks, a bottle of aspirin, a calculator, a couple of pens, two sets of keys and who knows what else and if there's any room left I use it to carry my lunch to work.

The felted purse is finished, except I haven't sewn the button on yet. I wasn't sure about using this button, for my other purse I knitted a bobble and felted it for the button.



Now I have to get back to the baby blanket, the shower is next weekend and I still want to make a hat and some booties or socks.

We had a beautiful hazy, frosty sunrise this morning.


We live four miles west of Lake Huron and I think that influences the colorful sunrises.

The little felted purse is almost knitted, probably no pics until the weekend after it comes out of the washer.

My poor abandoned cabled turtleneck.


This is the second sleeve and once it is done I just have to sew all the pieces together and then knit the turtleneck. But alas, it may be a couple of weeks before I get back to it.

Now I'm abandoning my baby blanket to work on a felted purse. My son is coming home from college this weekend and I said I'd make a purse for his girlfriend. I need to get it done so he can take it back with him.

It's been awhile since I've had 3 projects going at once.

Where'd the weekend go?

I started a mindless project.


This is a baby blanket from the Knit Baby Blankets pattern book. It's simple but I think it will be cute when it's done. The pattern is all stockinette stitch, alternating colors every two row. Hopefully, I will have enough yarn leftover to make a hat and booties to go with it.

Happily, the tax season is starting to slow down to a normal pace. I read the article referenced on Nanette's blog regarding introverts. Now, I know why I'm exhausted at the end of the day--too many people wear me out!