2sticksandastring

Wow! It has been 8 months since I last posted anything. I can't believe I let my blog get away from me. It has been really busy and I haven't knitted all summer. I did decide to pick up the sticks and knitted 4 dish towels in 1 sitting though. I'm not too happy with them...why is it that the variegated yarn looks so good on the shelf, but not when you're trying to knit a pattern? I've learned my lesson and will stick to the solid colors from here on out.

Now, it's your turn. Talk to me. What have you been up to?

Do you feel you want to express yourself in a creative way?

Take away the troubles of the day and... 

pick up some needles and get to stitching. 

You'll be in awe of how you knit and purl to make a finished item. 

Knit on!

Photography by: Archer Photography, Kansas City, MO

 

I was cleaning out my email and came across this: http://ymib.com/daily-inspiration/family/articles/down-so...

Go check it out.

 Happy knitting!

Sometimes when people visit my site, I'm sure they wonder if I even knit at all. I've rarely been posting pictures, but as I promised that would change.

I wanted to knit my husband's friend, Tosha, an afghan for her new baby boy. I'd never met her 'til this week (I'm blogging from Kansas City, Missouri). The baby is the cutest - aren't most babies? I think he will snuggle well in to his new knitted afghan from moi.

Time to knit: 1 week

Yarn used: blue, to be updated (can't remember)

Size needles: 6

Pattern: Shells pattern (basic usage of lines 1-4 repeated)

I enjoyed knitting this afghan. The yarn was silky between my fingers and the finished product was like silk soy. I really liked the scalloped beginning edge. The ending did not end the same, disappointingly. Any tips on ending in the same scallopped edge? I thought it would end this way, but the ending directions just said to knit 6 rows and bind off knitwise.

 I've already started knitting my husband's socks that he has been patiently waiting for me to finish. I bought him some Lang's Jawoll Aktion superwash wool yarn. The colors are more on the army side, but I know my husband wouldn't like the fuschia-blend of blues and pinks.

 It took several attempts for me to get the gauge correct. Has it been that long since I've knitted socks?! Initially I casted on 60 stitches on sized 1 needles and it looked like it could have been for an infant. Just based on looks alone I cast on 130 stitches! For socks, people! Of course, that was too wide once I got my husband to try the prototype on and it was ALL the way up his leg. The Knitter's side of my brain started to settle in again and I decreased the numbers to 75, then finally to 65 stitches. This has me thinking that I need to knit more socks - that is the reason I started knitting anyway. I used to crank out 2 or more pairs a month, but have gotten used to knitting more free flowing items such as dishtowels and afghans. Now, I'm getting back in the swing of things. If I could just remember how to get ready for this heel. I had to go to the free sites and try to remember how to do a heel, too. Talk about knitter's amnesia. Sheesh. Did I mention how impatient I get with myself? I just want to walk away from me sometimes. Smile.

Since arriving in Austin, Texas I know my daughter has been having a ball! I'm glad for her and hope that she does well by the end of this weekend. You can find more information on Little Mo here.

 For my birthday I bought myself a real digital camera. I have to say real because the other one did not have clear pictures and was more toy-like. This one (Kodak Easy Share C743) is awesome and I can actually see what I've taken a picture of. It doesn't take much to please me, ya know...

'nough talk, more pictures. Okay, here are some Red Roof hotel pictures. We have to have our rest...

Doubles are fun, too!

This is Shachaamah and her teammate, Anastasha

I turned 31 yesterday!

I spent the day on the plane and getting settled in here in Austin, Texas (my daughter's tennis tournament for Little Mo). I said that one of these days I'll be on a cruise somewhere on my birthday, just not this year.

Beth, a fellow knitter and friend did remember a few days before and sent me a gift certificate to Knit Picks. Yummy. I love having knitting buddies like that.

Happy birthday to all the other October babies!!!!!

I turned 31 yesterday!

I spent the day on the plane and getting settled in here in Austin, Texas (my daughter's tennis tournament for Little Mo). I said that one of these days I'll be on a cruise somewhere on my birthday, just not this year.

Beth, a fellow knitter and friend did remember a few days before and sent me a gift certificate to Knit Picks. Yummy. I love having knitting buddies like that.

Happy birthday to all the other October babies!!!!!

Yes, it has been that busy that I haven't had the time to post. Here is a quick list of some of the things that have happened in the past 2-3 months:

Shachaamah (my daughter) won the Little Mo' Tennis local and regionals (took place in Florida and Atlanta respectively) and is now the top 8 year old for this competition. We are now getting ready to head to Texas in October for the nationals.

I am the Event Coordinator at Michael's Arts & Crafts - and I will HAVE to fill you in on the juicy gossip and wonders of that place. I absolutely enjoy planning and organizing, so this job is great for me. I just never knew so many unhappy people existed in one place.

We are making improvements on our house.

My husband understands his niche in life and is finding his groove! Yay!

Here in Florida we have not had a direct scare or threat of our living being under water. I don't want to say this too loudly as the hurricane season is not over yet and does not end until November. Shhh...

I will soon be the owner of an apartment building or 2. I've always wanted to do this.

I may be the Editor of a newspaper called Tampa Bay Woman.

I learned how to knit entrelac and am making an afghan for myself.

I joined the online Yahoo! group, EZasPi.

I've knitted 2 bears for children in Africa.

I am currently in the middle of a mound of paperwork for a non-profit designed to aid single moms.

Okay, now its your turn. What have you been up to? Don't be a lurker, post and share.

As promised, some knitting projects...

This afghan grew between Beth and I. Both of us wanted to make an afghan and I'm not sure who suggested it but this is going to a single mom who is trying to move on and grow in her life. With the them of growth, Beth designed this great creation. Block by block we knit the Andinkra (sometimes Adinkra) signs and I sewed them together. Even though it took me since December, 2006 to get it together, here it is in all its finished glory: 

The Andinkra Afghan consists of the following squares:

Baobab tree (the brown one) - a symbol of endurance - especially with the hot conditions it thrives in in Africa

Twisting - b.k.a. nkyinkyim; a symbol of initiative, dynamism and versatility

Crocodile - b.k.a. denkyem; a symbol of adaptability . The crocodile lives in the water, yet breathes the air, demonstrating an ability to adapt to circumstances.

Paddles - b.k.a. tabono; a symbol represents strength and preseverence

When my daughter heard why we were knitting this, she started to work on a lanyard keychain to be included for the mom. 

The point of choosing these symbols was to encourage the mom toward growth and renewal. I think that we made great choices with the symbols as each one has its strengths - what is needed for a struggling mom and individual.

Knit with acrylic worsted weight yarn from Beth's stash, this afghan has 28 squares using the mosaic pattern of each symbol. I picked up and knitted the border in garter stitch by picking up one stitch at the beginning of each side. I cast on 4 more stitches and went all the way down the sides. Beth is such a great and inspirational knitter - this was her suggestion. Otherwise I would have picked up all 1000+ stitches and tried to knit it this way. Phew!

Here it is being modeled by one of my knitting students 

 I hope that she likes it!

 

 

 

Ahhhh!!!! That's what I said as I received a 3 hour all about me massage, facial, and sugar scrub session with aromatherapy at a local spa. My husband got this great gift for me and it was pure bliss. 

I half way snored through my facial because she was massaging my temples and sleep whispered "Come here." I did and laughed out loud when I awoke to the end of a snore.

So, now I'm back on the saddle, out on the road again and feeling rejuvenated and refreshed. I've cast off on some projects that were long overdue and begun others that make me feel good. I say that's what it's all about with my new outlook on life. I highly recommend everyone have one at least once a month - at least that's what I plan on doing. GRIN.

Stay tuned for knitting pictures. Are you getting ready for your local kip day?