Green Gloves for Lynn #41 and #42 Boxes with Buttons

Vlog From Canada!

A little chat from Niagara Falls Canada

Whole House Art Studio Tour~Don't Judge me Man

As an old woman I can finally say things are done MY WAY. Art studio spilling into every part of my house and no one can tell me it needs to be otherwise.

(For those of you wondering I made: Pulled Pork, Cottage Pie, Potato Salad, Vegetable Soup, Roasted Cauliflower, Cole Slaw with Home Made Dressing and Potato/Cauliflower Soup I should be set until next Tuesday.)

Birds on a Wire Cowl (Knitting Pressure Difused)

I never did finish Kathy's sweater. I did however make myself this cool cowl while I was house sitting. I have had this book out at the library off and on for weeks. Making a cloche hat from it now.

I am giving myself permission to quit stressing over the sweater. Deep breaths. You'll get it done eventually (she said not really believing it)

Me or Them? (Putting on the Pressure)

Thursday, January 16, 2014
Who puts the most pressure on you -- yourself or others?

Definitely me. You know what happens when other people pressure me? I walk away. I can't handle the stress and moreover at this point in my life I really don't want the drama.

But it's hard to walk away from yourself. So if there is pressure it comes from within.

Here's a nice Pressure conversion chart to ponder. I'll be over there knitting >>>>>>>

Doing the Un Doable (A Different Kind of Pressure)

Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Marge Piercy said: "A strong woman is a woman determined to do something others are determined not be done." Tell us about a time when you did what couldn't be done.

OK this is one stupid story, lol.

Once upon a time, when I lived in a green house in a cornfield, I took my knitting into town to show the old lady who lived in the green house in the cornfield before me. She took one look at my knitting and exclaimed "You can't do that! You can't mix wool and cotton and acrylic all in one piece!"

I looked at her and said "Mable, I got some news for ya sweetie. There are NO KNITTING POLICE and if I want to mix fibers in this shawl I will"

And I did.

The end.

Now you can do the same. Go gather up all your odds and ends of yarns and for the love of God Make Sure they are DIFFERENT Fibers!

Here's a free pattern to get you going

http://andra-asars.com/free_patterns/art_class_mixed_fiber_c_c_pat.htm

The Pressure is on for January (Dang you Pressure)

Wednesday, January 1, 2014Do you work well under pressure?

Actually, I do! Lot's of times if there's no pressure I can't motivate myself to get things done. It's sad when even money won't motivate me. Sad, sad, sad.

Right now I need to finish two sweaters and a fox cowl. That's knitting pressure folks! I have to help my boss get her 8a application finished and I have to get someone's QuickBooks finished so they can do their taxes. That's money pressure. And the ever present pressure to CLEAN MY ROOM! OMG will it never end??????????????

I'll get these things done. Maybe not cleaning my room but hey, no one is perfect.

Here's a little insight into dealing with pressure. Find a mindless video game. Use it to dispel pressure when needed.

Or take a trip back to the 80's, kick back and enjoy Queen and David Bowie signing about pressure. Even Better!

Creating Order from Chaos- The Unexpected Dishcloth Post

This past holiday season my friend, Laura, asked me a couple of times to make her some dishcloths in pastels to put in a bath type gift basket. I kept insisting that I didn't have those colors of cotton yarns but she could buy the yarn and I'd do it. I didn't hear back from her and the thought went the way of most things- right out of my mind.

I was cleaning/consolidating some of my craft supplies in anticipation of my big move to my own space (I'll miss my little pink room here but YAY! STUDIO!) when inspiration struck. Why not make my own dishcloth cotton yarn from the massive amount of crochet thread I bought over the summer? I was going to donate a bunch of it to the Yarn and Yak knitting group at the library but the more I looked at it the more I thought "This could work".

I ended up with a nice pile of dishcloth yarn, found an easily memorized pattern and made three lavender cloths in very short order. I got one big 30 gallon garbage bag of thread down to a 13 gallon bag (along with some owl hat yarn even). I still plan on donating another 13 gallon bag full to the knitting group. That still leaves me 362761473891643789154 skeins of yarn and balls of crochet thread so I think I'll be okay for a few months.

What I bought for $100 this summer

Pattern found at http://www.bestfreecrochet.com/2011/11/24/328-camo-print-dishcloth-maggie-weldon-maggies-crochet/

I still managed to let this thread and yarn go to the knitting group.

Knitting a dishcloth takes sooooooooooo much longer than crocheting one.

I took some yarn to my new place. Still have the bag of 100% wool here and whatever else is out in the shed. I plan on treasure hunting after lunch.

Super Sale and Can Knitting and Crocheting Burn Out be Far Behind?

OMG how much knitting and crocheting can one person do? Me thinks it might be time for a change in creative outlets. But I still have miles and miles of yarn and crochet thread. I guess I'll keep going until the first of the year and then decide. Here are a few things I have finished lately that are now for sale in my Artfire shop. (You DO NOT have to join Artfire to buy items there...just sayin) Oh and BTW I have a Coupon Sale going on there....Just enter DANCESWITHPITBULLS at checkout for a whopping 40% off!

Zombies are Crap at Knitting 223/365

Thanks Judy!

The Color I Can't Get Enough Of 177/365

 It's everywhere for me. I can't get enough. Wait until I finish the big quilt. You'll see.

Embroidering the Ugy Brown So-Called Afghan 164/365

I inherited this blanket from someone who pretends to be knitter but gives up before actually finishing stuff. I thought it need some blue flowers to set if off. When it's done I will donate it to videoknitter for a tree yarn bomb somewhere.

Slogging Along 107/365

I have been working at the whole stash busting thing I swear I have! Too bad I actually had to do the domestic thing yesterday. I swept, cleaned the fridge, did laundry, sorted out my closet (I made a few really CUTE outfits from stuff I had packed away...love it!), and vacuumed. I sewed a block for Block of the Month at Quilt Guild. And of course I knit a bit.

 I have these things close by me when I'm watching TV...

I was going to use the yarn for a shawl but I thought I should do socks since I threw several pairs away after fighting the holes yet again. And OMG isn't the beaded bag coming along nicely?!?

The plastic marker is at the middle row. It's going faster now. I haven't worked on the pink one at all because I am having too much fun with this one.

I was afraid I was going to run out of darker beads since I used some on the Steampunk Altoid Tin (which I donated to the Steampunk Ball benefit). However since I am on the back side and moving fast I know I'll be OK.

Slacker That I Am 95/365

I missed some photo ops today because I managed to leave my camera in the wrong purse. Time was I would NEVER do that! I went to knit group with videoknitter and Leslie at the Yarn Outlet then to Mill Outlet for shiny threads, metallic needles and to look at boning for a corset and then to see a gal from quilt guild who actually made my stash look like it could fit in a suitcase! I have fabric envy. Serious fabric envy.

But I have no pictures.

 My bad.

At least I can show you the progress on my knitted/beaded bags.Almost halfway done on the grey one and on the 4 bead row on the pink one. I bought a size 000 24" circular for the next one, which will probably be green. The small needle will probably encourage blindness but if that happens I have decided to be like Jose Feliciano and play guitar and listen to audio books all day.

Knitting with Beads 90/365

In a valiant effort to combine the using up of knitting materials and beads I am having a go at knitting a Civil War Era type purse. if it doesn't drive me insane it should come out quite fetching.

It's not as hard as it first appeared to be, just tedious. I am using size 1 needles because I didn't have 000s and cotton crochet thread because I don't have silk and five colors of beads because I don't have enough of any one color. Other than that...LOL!

Dale is a GENIUS!!! 79/365

Dale has begged for a skully hat for quite some time. Her turn finally came up and she asked for one with gray,black and white to match a shawl she made.....hmmmmmmmmm...I only use two colors. How will this work?

Turns out it worked very very well! I now declare Dale...the GENIUS of RANKIN!

Baby Alpaca Shawlette 75/365

I love love love baby alpaca yarn. When I can buy yarn again I am going to definitely buy me a bunch. This little mini shawl, or shawlette if you will, is so soft! The pattern is called 197 Yards of Heaven and is free on Ravelry.com

Nothing Left to Add to Stash 59/365

It finally happened. Someone wanted a hat and insisted on buying the yarn for it.

It all worked out in the end. There was only about 5 inches of yarn left LOL! NO stash adding for me!

Thick and Quick Checked Hat 58/365

Finished this awhile ago, just forgot to show everyone.

Temptations Abound 54/365

Went to knit at the Yarn Outlet. I managed to not buy yarn somehow. I did get a wee 12" circular needle to do a baby skully hat though. I didn't say I wasn't buying knitting needles....back off, lol!