Close Knit Weave

Winter's End

2011-03-23T16:51:00.000-07:00


Prayer Shawl Ministry Scarf for Graduate

It has been a rough few days this March. My knitting and crocheting has helped me keep on an even keel.
First the loss of my big sister. She had been ill for several years but it is always hard to let go. Then our preemie Great Granddaughter, Sophia, lost her battle to survive.

Butin Collars

Life goes on and I knit.

I have been trying several smaller projects such as the Butin Collars. I have really been enjoying working with beads. Either stringing them order knitting them into socks, etc.

Bob has a cousin undergoing chemo (losing his hair) and he requested a red, white and blue cap. Luckily I had enough yarn in those colors to make one for him and two more for his grandkids. It was time then to make him a Prayer Lap Robe in red, white and blue which I will be sending off soon.


Richard's Lap Robe

I am still knitting socks like crazy. I haven't had any legs from Socks For Soldiers lately but can't stop knitting socks. I love these purple Spiral Pattern socks.

For a quick change of pace I tried a bit of crochet and made Dew Drop Bracelet from Interweave Crochet.

Spring at last

2011-02-16T08:44:00.000-08:00

Spring seems to be coming on strong. Our almond is in full bloom, the daffodils are lovely too. It has been a rather gloomy winter and I just couldn't seem to get in the mood to write.

I did get a lot of knitting done and one of my favorite new sock patterns it a butterfly and blossoms beaded pattern. Also made several prayer shawls and scarves for graduates as well as socks and more socks.
This winter our kumquat tree really put on a load of delicious fruit. We are still enjoy them and also the limequats. I have been organinzing my photos and plan to do more blogging soon.

Lazy Days of Summer

2010-08-04T21:13:00.000-07:00

The summer has been and interesting one with loads of knitting going on.

I had a lot of fun knitting this lovely, lacy prayer shawl . Next came a baby blanket for a friend who was having her first child.

Beaded socks were big this summer also. I enjoyed both this pattern which had the beads strung and the one where they were added with a crochet hook.

Beaded Socks

Another fun prayer shawl was a modular shawl made from loads of odds and ends of socks yarns left from some of my many, many socks.

ABC's of Creative Pursuits Blog: New Stuff

2010-03-19T20:12:00.000-07:00

ABC's of Creative Pursuits Blog: New Stuff

Making Progress

2010-03-13T18:27:00.000-08:00

Making a lot of progress these lovely days . A new mixed yarn shawl for Prayer Shawl Ministry. A pair of beaded socks and I finished Warren Parker's blanket. I have been working on a number of interesting sock pattern. I especially enjoyed trying the beaded socks and may do another pair or two. Beadwrangler.is a great place to find beads.

Spring has Sprung

2010-02-23T21:05:00.000-08:00

Spring has sprung and the almond is in bloom. The grass is growing and the weather is so nice we spend some time out in the garden.

We have been having great weather. Rain interspersed with sun. Mild days and chilly nights.

I have completed several projects for the Prayer Shawl Ministry

and a few socks for family and Socks For Soldiers.

Got a lovely jacket done for EZ (Elizabeth Zimmerman) knitters. Still working on the forever table cloth, but only on occasion. My latest project is a pair of beaded socks in the works. As usual I have two pair of socks OTN (on the needles), a shawl in progress and a blanket for Warren Parker along with a little crocheted rabbit to go with the blanket.

Forever Projects

2009-09-20T07:05:00.000-07:00

Busy, busy, busy. The County Fair is fast approaching with fifteen entries.

At the same time I am in the process of trying to catch up on some of my forever projects. Those things that grow slowly and get put aside for months. I am attempting the Master Knitters program Level II and trying to finish some projects that have been in the works.

One is a lace tablecloth/shawl that was started more than a year ago. I really need to concentrate when I work on that and it gets done in small increments. At present I am working on the finishing edge. I seldom get more than one or two patterns completed at a sitting.

I have also started a baby blanket for the Prayer Shawl Ministry. Using a size F hook and baby yarn it seems to go on and on. Although the pattern said it took one skein of each color I find that half way through I need to buy a second skein of blue. I found one on E-bay and it should get here soon.

An always socks, socks, socks to get ready for the church Bazaar coming up in November.

Tough Spring

2009-06-29T16:16:00.001-07:00

Although our weather has been gorgeous it has been a rough spring. Injuring my shoulder really played havoc with my gardening and my knitting. The weather has given us some lovely roses and one artichoke that missed the cooking pot.

I was able to start knitting within a very short time after my injury and this helped to keep me going and to heal. Bob was in charge of planting the garden and did a good job. We are now picking generous amounts of cherry tomatoes, cukes, basil and tomatillos.

I am slowing down on some of my charity knitting since I have over done that. I am still making scarves and lap robes for the Prayer Shawl Ministry but I am pulling back on Socks For Soldiers. I have apparently overstepped on making team socks and need to give others a chance at this.

2009-05-25T11:11:00.000-07:00

Visitors Week

My latest cactus is blooming beautifully but this week has been a week for visitors!

We began with finding Eckoe as we finished our morning walk. We rushed her (?) home before my physical therapy and have been feeding and doctoring.

She is residing in the old rabbit cage until I am sure all the fleas are gone and she will use the litter box.

Then there was Petey the Pigeon. He landed on the porch and insisted on staying. We fed him a little flax seed, caught him and by going on line found a number to call. We gave them the numbers on his band and found we were talking to his owner who had released him the day before in Red Bluff heading for Simi Valley. He stayed overnight feasting on popcorn and head out Monday morning.

2009-02-20T14:48:00.000-08:00

Spring is just around the corner and the almond tree is in full bloom.

I have gotten busy with socks, socks, socks again.

Also trying a new (old) technique of double knitting. I made a little pad for the newest great grandchild just to try out this type of knitting.

I love the sock yarn and patterns I have been getting from Joslyn's Fiber Farm Sock of the Month. I added a scallop to this really jazzy pattern in red and purple.

OD socks for soldiers and a couple of beanies for SFS.

The shawls for my Prayer Shawl Ministry have suffered a bit.

The latest one came out quite long but I like the color combinations.

As usual knitting is often my salvation and keeps me busy on those days it is too cold to work out in the garden.

2009-02-06T09:32:00.000-08:00

We finally have rain and our sad old wooden fence blew down.
The year has begun with a lot of new projects. I am receiving a Sock of the Month from Joslyn's Fiber Farms again. Love the yarn and the patterns are interesting. Just finished the December Harlequin Socks.

I am also working on EZ Fans which works from Elizabeth Zimmerman's "Knitters Almanac" with a different project for each month of the year.

I started an Aran sweater (January) but it has been put aside temporarily while I tackled the February Square Blanket. I made a small one just to try it out and I love the pattern. May try it again in a larger version.

I tried a crochet afghan for Warren Parker, our newest great grandson, but I am not sure I like it for him.... to girly. Did enjoy the pattern however. Will probably donate it to Prayer Shawl Ministry.

My latest project is also Elizabeth Zimmerman for February a double knit pad for Warren Parker.

2009-01-23T16:20:00.001-08:00

The year moves along and summer works it way into fall. I continue to knit and crochet all kinds of critters. I loved this little guy and he sold at the bazaar. I also made a turtle and a piglet.

I had a brief fling with purses. Not too popular, but they were fun to make and used up some of the stash of oddball yarns.

And then there were the shawls, and lap robes for Prayer Shawl Ministry and for gifts to family. I especially enjoyed making the lacy pink beaded shawl.

Then there are always the socks, socks, sock mostly going to Socks For Soldiers.

2008-03-07T07:08:00.000-08:00

The hat craze has continued. I was so thrilled to sell one of my hats to a chuch member, who had been admiring the ones I wear, that I went to town on some of my stash of 100% wool. She has asked for one in white so I have made two white hats, a cloche and one with a brim. I also crochet a beanie from some Thick & Quick yarn and made another large brimed blue hat.

The lovely Beaded Wrap, that I took a class on from ABC's of Creative Knitting, was completed this week also. It is spectacular and I may save it to enter in the County Fair.

I almost ran out of beads because TC (our cat) decided that the tiny bag of beads had something good in it. I found most of the beads but I think a few disappeared into the rug.

2008-02-23T16:43:00.000-08:00

I am in a hat mood this week. Kathrine from church so admired my hat that I offered to make one for her. This one was made with double strand of Noro Kureyon and a Cascade Heather. It did not shrink enough to fit her needs.

The first one I made was a single strand of Cascade with contrast of Knit Picks Wool of the Andes. It should be a perfect size.

I continue to work on socks, a pair of mismatched blcks socks (the two partial skeins looked the same before they were knit) and a pair of BBS for Socks For Soldiers. I also made a couple of Prayer Shawls from donated and left over project yarns.

2008-01-30T12:37:00.000-08:00

Knitting for Socks For Soldiers has slowed only slightly. I sent off a package to Kim early in the month. I have several pairs ready to go in February as soon as I complete a pair of BBS (legs by Michelle K.)

Highlight of the month was a visit to our LYS (ABC's of Creative Pursuits) by Maria Hart, our moderator for Socks For Soldiers. Karen, the owner, and I got a chance to visit with Maria and talk socks, sock machines, yarn and the group. This has been a very inspiring group for me and for a lot of us. A small chance to contribute.

2007-10-28T13:40:00.001-07:00

One of the highlights of my trip to see my sister in South Carolina was our wide swing into Ohio with a quick stop to see Kim. She is just as she sounds in her e-mails. Such energy. She was most worried that the place was a mess. It looked wonderful to me. So much getting done.

There were boxes and boxes of goodies and socks ready to send off. I am amazed and don't know how she manages to keep it all under control.

I was able to present to her the socks that took first place at our county fair for the USA division of needlework.

Another wonderful surprise when I got home was a plaque for "Best of Show" in the USA division. I will be mailing off two more pair BBS that I was able to complete on the road.

2007-09-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

I tried something new this year and entered several of my plants in the county fair. I was so pleased to received a ribbon on each of my entries. The weather was great this year. We had warm, not hot days with some clouds and breeze. Made for great walking around weather. We even got some early rain, but it held off until late evening so as not to spoil any of the fun.

2007-09-07T14:17:00.001-07:00

Knitting continues with another prayer shawl, my 30th pair of leisure socks and my 12 pair of Big Black Socks. I really struggled with this pair of leisure socks. Frogging it numerous time until my tired brain figured out the mistake that was causing me to add stitches.

It really doesn't pay to start a project when you are over tired. I did get the socks finished and got a whole slew of projects entered in the Kern County Fair.

2007-09-04T19:11:00.000-07:00

These late days of summer have brought clouds, wind and heat. We still take our morning walks but try to get out early to beat the heat. Mandy is very dissapointed if we miss our walk. She keeps us trekking.

2007-09-03T19:19:00.000-07:00

I spend many hours with my passion, knitting. Socks are what I knit the most. Most of my socks these days go to SockForSoldiers .

There are always new yarns to try and new patterns to learn. Relaxation and frustration all rolled into one.

I especially liked this one. It was a lot of pattern but really brought out the colors in the sock.
Each month a bundle of socks goes our to Socks For Soldiers. Leisure socks and especially Big Black Socks which are the standard socks the soldiers wear on duty.