Ending the Alphabet

I'm tired of this meme and so therefore, I have decided to end it early - for the rest of the letters, hold tight because here we go ~

U - uninspired... seems to be my mood when it comes to finishing this one single sweater but I will finish it because for as much as I am uninspired to work on it, I have a deeper desire to see Pokey wear it.

V - Vogue... they have come out with some rather interesting items this season... and they've also put up some classics for free on their site - I've downloaded several and can't wait to get started yarn shopping for them.

W - Weight Watchers... not knitting oriented but I did start their program last night so we'll see how that goes.  Don't worry, not turning this place into some health bit biz, just going to work on getting my jiggly bits under control.

X - I am a xanthocomic who is somewhat of a xenagogue with a deep sense of xenodocheionology and is overly xenodochial... that was fun.

Y - Yarnista - she's a goddess of wooly goodness.  If you don't know her or haven't heard of her, you should... go... now... say hi - you won't regret it.

Z - sing along with me...

and that is the end of that.  I just had enough but I couldn't simply quit... so this was the next best thing.  To keep up with the others, just go here and wander around.  Thanks for tagging along - now, on to bigger and brighter things!

T is for

Tired.

Don't worry, this isn't a "whoa is me" post but rather just a list of things that I am going to do what I can to change because I am simply tired of it... whatever "it" may be...

1. Working on my Hallow Pullover - goodness knows I want to be done already so I'm going to up my knitting time and see if I can't get it done before the month is out.
2. Of dishes getting forgotten about due to lack of a full washer - Perhaps hand washing should be reinstated.
3. Constant need to do laundry every day - this might be a twice a week attack for me on Wednesdays and Saturdays.  It will make it an all day affair but a change in routine just might be in order.
4. Ms. Stinky Britches ruining my library time.  She can take a long walk off a short pier.  I will keep reminding myself that I'm there for Hobbit - nothing more, nothing less.
5. This meme, honestly.  Initially it was a fun idea but now that I'm almost done, I just kind of want it to be over so I can "have my Mondays back".  It could just be my mood today but as I write this, I wish I could have been writing about something else... ya know what I mean?

That's enough quasi complaining for one day.  I need to go and get dressed, wake Hobbit, make our lunches and basically start our days.  I hope y'all have a beautiful Monday full of love and laughter - I know that's my goal because those are two things that I'll never tire of.

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S is for...

Settled.

There are a lot of things that will so been settled around here.  Routines.  Projects.  Goals.  Coming from a few months of being unsettled, settled is a wonderful word.

Hallows Pullover ingredients

School starts back tomorrow since today is a holiday here in the US.  That routine will be a life saver around here.  I go with Hobbit three days a week and it helps her a lot to have me there.  She loves that I am just around the corner and that we can have lunch together those days.

I am steadily working up the sleeve of my Hallows Pullover so that Pokey can have it in time for Christmas.  I have already warned him that this was going in a box so after he tries it on for me, he has to forget about it.  He laughed but promised - what, it's what my mama has always done with us when she made something.  I also have been doing well with my One A Day blanket.  I think if I just work these blanket squares during Hobbit's entire school year, I should have enough to make a Queen size bedspread for her.  My long term idea is to do one for each school year with different colors... we'll see how that pans out though.

Source

We've really got a good thing going now with Hobbit's chore chart.  It's broken down into subsections with daily and weekly goals.  She loves getting stickers and if she can stay on green all week plus goes to bed without issue for the entire week - she'll earn her very own Starbucks gift card.  It has $6 on it which is enough for her to get 4 Hobbit-sized hot chocolates and covers tax.  She has been begging for a gift card for years - and now, she can earn one.  Plus, we figure if she does well with this then we can always refill it for a reward or get her a new one.

A stupendous week ahead of us here but it's nice to have things finally settling in.

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R is for...

Rest.

I know, it's not really knitting oriented this time, is it.  It's all I could think of today because this transition of Peanut being away at college and Hobbit not handling it well at all has honestly worn me out.  I anticipated it being a bit weepy and mopy around here for a few days, possibly a week or but it has gone to new levels and I am at a loss.

I have been exploring different avenues and hopefully by this time next week, we will have found a way to bring some peace back this house... and rest.

Q is for...

Quixotic.

1. Today is Peanut's first day of college.  The air is crisp and the weather is apparently perfect for going outside and not return indoors until the light has left the sky.
2. Today is my first day of volunteering at Hobbit's school library.  The air is still and the weather is nowhere near as beautiful as it is in Peanut's part of the world.
3. I wish I was in Peanut's part of the world - for many reasons.

Many things about this day and my mood are extravagantly visionary, wildly romantic and completely impractical... and yet, my Quixote-esque mood persists.  C'est la vie.

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P is for...

 

Prat.

See...

Yep, you read that right... Prat... like a Smurf but completely different.  I have had my fair share of dealing with Prats this past week.  The "Know It All" Prat.  The "Passive Aggressive" Prat.  The "Drama Mama" Prat.  The "Hypochondriac" Prat.  The "Superior" Prat.  Oh yes, it was week full of Prats.  I am hoping that this week will be better... and it will, because I choose for it to be better.

The first two Prats were reported to the proper authorities for harassment and general neerdowell behavior.  The next two were removed from my family's inner circle of friends and confidants and the last one was a passing annoyance that hopefully will not have to be dealt with on a regular basis.

Depending on your mood, Prats can be great fun to laugh at but generally they are merely angry little souls with low self-esteem who can only feel better about themselves through the constant onslaught of ill will towards others.  If you yourself are a Prat, please realize that perhaps you would have a better outlook on life in general if you removed the obvious object from your Nether Region - it's difficult to be pleasant with something so large shoved up there.  Plus, it makes you walk funny.

I hope your upcoming week will be Prat-free but if it isn't ~

Source: etsy.com via Amy on Pinterest

... and you choose if you are going to have that happy life, nobody chooses for you. 

The best way that I have found to be happy when your world is full of Prats ~ make your own little space in the world, pull out your project and simply stitch your cares away.  I know that is what I do when it seems as though all the Prats of the universe have decided to congregate on my front stoop.  There is nothing that says I have to respond to the Prats and their constant yammering.  In fact, it's better if you don't because if you don't feed into it then they don't have their negative behavior reinforced.

So grab a nice cuppa joe, a couple of sticks and some luxurious string - enjoy your moment in self created Paradise because it is most definitely a Prat Free Zone.

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O is for...

One - as in One Skein Projects.

Those are my favorite types of projects to work up when I'm needing a break from my larger items.  Instant gratification is a real firecracker for me.  When things start to lull and I just get tired of working the same stockinette stitch over 200-something stitches, one skein wonders are just the trick to bring my brain back into working order.

Here are a few of my favorite ones - all links point back to Ravelry (like you didn't know, right)...

Mini Key Ring Purse by Kathy Sasser

Swirly Felted Glasses Case by Mary Keenan

Elefante by Susan B. Anderson

Smitten by Julie Weisenberger

TARDIS Socks by Kelandry Bonnett

I hope these little One Skein holidays help you get back your knitting mojo - I know they've helped me many a time.  Now, where did I put that sonic screwdriver?

N is for...

Nifty.

Punchinello Caps for Knitting Needles
via Interweave Knits

There are so many things about knitters that are nifty but I'm going to focus on their giving spirit.  Today, I woke up to find a free pattern in my email from Knitting Daily, Interweave Knitting's email.  You are going to love this pattern because it's sweet, festive, easy and part of the notions is a bottle of wine (well, a cork from a bottle of wine so you can work out the details on how to obtain one).  Just click on the link under the photo and make your own sweet little Punchinello set... it's my gift to you.


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M is for...

Motivation.

Have you ever reached a point in a project where you were just "over it" and lost interest?  It happens to me on larger projects with boring stitch work.  The monotony of it all just makes my brain go numb.  I love the project, I want the finished product but the section that makes me drudge along has me pulling my hair out at times... and that is when I need motivation.

For me, motivation comes in a couple of tried and true forms.  There are times when I motivate myself by browsing the pattern section of Ravelry and seeing what everyone else's finished product looks like - that will spark daydreams of my own finished product and I'll get back to work.  Sometimes I motivate myself by looking for my next project or simply queuing things up on Ravelry so that I have something to look forward to when I'm done.  My last resort motivator is to actually take a break from the project and finish off something quick and easy.  A simple change of gears is enough to get me back on track for the larger project again.

Case in point - remember this one?

I have learned over the years that I'm only good for about one huge project a year.  I can generally make about three or four medium sized projects but I am an instant gratification kind of girl - socks, hats, gloves - and those little things make great distraction projects too.  What are your ways of motivating yourself?

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L is for...

Laughter.

Nothing cheers me up faster than the sound of my kids laughing.  Today, we spent five whole dollars on a simple contraption that had everyone giggling for hours.  It is nothing fancy but it is definitely priceless... as are the memories we made with it tonight.

The magic of a bubble machine.

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K is for...

Kids!

My kids finally came home from their holiday with their grandparents.  Also, I took these photos last night so they are technically "Sunday Snaps" but I wasn't able to (or willing to leave them in order to) upload them to the computer until today.  So here is what I have been waiting for all summer ~ Peanut and Hobbit finally home!!

Peanut and Hobbit modeling their skating hats - super huge hit with them.

Hobbit showing some love.

Peanut this morning with her bear from her box.  Yeah, I let her open it way early and yeah, she did cry.

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J is for...

Jypped.

I hate to say this because it is so negative but it is the first word that came to my mind today.  Y'all remember how excited I was last night to find a free pattern for the infamous "White Sheep/Black Sheep" sweater?  I was a million more times excited to get an email back this morning that was entitled "Here you are".

Gotta love the last line - shows how 80s it truly is

Oh happy day - the sweater pattern will be tucked nicely inside and I can check my stash to see if I have enough white for the all the sheep.  I was practically dancing in my chair - that was, until I opened it.  The pattern is a simple jpg.  Not a pdf, a jpg.  In order to get it to a size where I would be able to read it, the photograph breaks down into a very artistic pixelation which renders it illegible.

Bright side of it all - the "second page" is clear as a bell... as you can see.  Gift horse, please close your mouth now because your teeth are horrendous.

*UPDATE* ~ go on... click there!
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I is for...

Ingenuity.

source link

Many people are crafty, they just don't know it.  How many times have you fashioned something out of an object that was in no way meant to do what you used it for?  A simple example for girls would be using a pen/pencil to tie up their hair when it's hot.  I know I've done this trick many a time... even used a knitting needle a time or two.

Just the other day I read about how one of my favorite bloggers used a golf tee as a cable needle.  I would not have thought of that - although I have used a pencil before.  We make things because we see a need - we see that which others do not.  Who else but a crafty person would have come up with knitted reusable coffee cup cozies?  Who else but a crafty minded soul would have come up with taking two sticks and some yarn, make a few knots and boom, you've got a blanket?

Crafters are ingenious and ingenuity is fun.
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H is for...

Hobbies.

Hobbies are a great things for a person to have because it gives them an outlet.  If you have a bad day and want to blow off steam and unwind, pick up your hobby.  If you have a great day and want to remember it, pick up your hobby.  If your bored, can't sleep, anxious, nervous, relaxed or any other possible word you can imagine to describe a person's state of being... then pick up your hobby.

Lots of people say "I can't do that" or "I'm not creative" and that is just bull dinky.  Everyone is creative in their own unique way.  Sure, I don't knit as fast as mother or do all the really intricate color working that she does but that doesn't stop me from knitting.  My aunt might make the most beautiful crochet afghans but that doesn't stop me from going ga-ga over my granny squares.  Paula and Gordon might cook the most delicious food on the planet but that doesn't stop me from making a mess in the kitchen.  Andrew Prokos is a genius with a camera but that doesn't mean I stop being a shutterbug.  All these things do mean something though.  They mean that I have some great resources from which to learn and grow in my chosen hobbies.

So I urge everyone - find something, explore everything and embrace a hobby.  You'll be so glad you did!  Here are a few of my favorite hobbies, once again...

My latest completed knitting project

One of my crochet granny squares

A fabulous supper that I need to make again soon - recipe is here.

Yep, even I follow my dreams - you can see them here.  I do update the tabs often so please, be sure to visit.

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G is for...

A Good Yarn!

Yep, that's right - A Good Yarn, located in Sarasota, is definitely the best definition for the letter "G" that I can think of on any given day... and today, I went for a visit.  Sure, it's was a two hour drive but what is two hours when you can be, well, at A Good Yarn?  I'll let the photos do the talking - because this was a dream come true for me.  The girls in the shop were wonderful, helpful and the sweetest people known to man.  The yarn on the walls was completely scrumptious.  The group of women gathered around the table that morning were a hoot and if I lived closer, I'd be a regular there as well.

If you are ever in the Sarasota area, be sure to stop and see them.  You will never regret it - even Pokey had fun running around in circles with me, touching all the yarnie yummy goodness!  He even impressed the ladies with his use of knitting lingo - like "colorway" and "sock form".  Got to love a man who will spend his wedding anniversary going to a yarn shop simply because his wife made a comment that "one day" she would like to go and see it in person.  Just another blessing for me to count.

Three Irish Girls - exclusive colorways for the store

A snuggly oasis in the front of the store

Yummy yarnie goodness was as far as the eye could see

Every section had items worked up so you could see and touch it.

A Good Yarn in Sarasota is definitely a bit of a knitters heaven on Earth

F is for...

Fastidious.

There.  I've said it.  I'm a fastidious knitter.  If I can't get it right, I frog it and try again.  I'm not one who can look at an error, no matter how minute, and simply let it pass.  I have to work back and fix it.  The reason being - it will be the only thing I see.

I try to tell myself that every beautiful, gorgeous and inspiring Persian rug has a flaw.  You would think that would make me feel better, right?  Wrong.  If it is placed on purpose because they believe that only God can make perfect things, then by placing the agreed upon imperfection, the rug is therefore perfect.  See, circular logic can be frustrating and fun all at the same time!

It's okay though.  I enjoy being a fastidious knitter.  It challenges me to be better, to try harder and to never give less than my best - a gift my parents gave me at a young age and one for which I am most grateful.  So go ahead, call me fussy, OCD, perfectionist or fastidious if you like - I know my work will be all the better for it.

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E is for...

Enjoyment.

I love everything about playing with yarn.  The process of creating something beautiful out of a piece of string with nothing but a few simple knots made with a simple stick - ranging in quantity from 1 to 5.  The rhythmic movement is calming and meditative.  The feeling of joy as you watch the item grow from one loop to finished object is irreplaceable.

The only thing better is the joy that you give to others when they receive your knotted string - knowing that each knot was made with love.

This is a series started by An Accidental Knitter .  Click here for more information or to join in the fun.

D is for...

Design.

This is part of the knitting trifecta for me.  Design, fibre and fit.  If the design is wrong, the whole thing falls apart.  It is the tray upon which the other two rest, the foundation of the item being created.

Hobbit's Bunny Hat

I  have designed several things, mostly kid hats and dog sweaters.  I stumbled into designing by accident.  The first original design that comes to mind was Hobbit's Bunny Hat.  She wanted a hat the looked like a bunny and I was searching all over the place.  The only things I could find were for newborns - a size that wouldn't work for a her since she was 5 at the time.  So, since there wasn't one out there, I set out to make my own.  It wasn't too terribly difficult and the end result was adorable.  It was quickly followed by Peanut's Bella Beanie, a plea to take her cat to college that resulted in a black cat hat for her.

I branched out, as it were, and designed sweaters for Ramsay.  He was too small for the smallest dog sweater on the market.  I really needed to make him something because it was unusually cold here this past winter.  I got out my pencil, paper and tape measure so I could sketch out what I wanted to make.  This was a first.  I had never sketched anything out before since I had mainly been designing hats.  This would have been my first item that required measurements, decreasing, increasing and general shaping.  My first attempt was alright - plain and simple - but my second had a bit of flair to it because I had grown bolder.

The Cat's Meow

With a few bits and bobs along the way, I am now designing my first shrug.  Sure, I've done wraps and things but this is an honest to goodness sweater.  I have been working on this project for about a month.  I have the pattern all written out and I am just now starting the test knitting phase.  I have the banding done and have begun the underarm shaping.  I hope to get back to it soon - currently I seem to be obsessed with my new trick of creating Granny Squares.

D is definitely for design - delicious, delectable, delightful design.

This is a new series started by An Accidental Knitter that I thought would be fun so every Monday, we'll be learning our ABCs together!  Click here for more information or to join in the fun.

C is for...

concentration... most definitely concentration.

Most everything around here lately has been requiring my full concentration - keeping it together for Peanut's graduation, knitting patterns, blog posts, photography projects, baking and a myriad of other bits and bobs... the challenge is that I can barely keep focus to accomplish the mundane things.  Shoot, just yesterday I almost let Hobbit go to school without shoes!

Perhaps it is nerves, worries or just general ennui but whatever it is, my concentration is shot.  My coffee consumption could probably be increased but given the astronomical amount that I naturally drink, I'm not sure that would be a fabulous solution.  I could get more sleep but since I've taken to having a 45 minute nap every afternoon, I'm sure that's not a great solution either.  I just don't know.

What I do know is that in about three weeks time, I will have my concentration back but for now it appears to be available in fits and starts so best take it while it's there.

This is a new series started by An Accidental Knitter that I thought would be fun so every Monday, we'll be learning our ABCs together!  Click here for more information or to join in the fun.

B is for...

Books.  Lots and lots of books.  Stitch dictionaries.  Pattern books.  Novels with bonus patterns inside.  Big books.  Little books.  Lots and lots of books.

I have a cute little collection of knitting books started and I think that I will start checking out estate sales and markets for vintage patterns and books.  My mama found a couple great ones at a craft fair once.  That season doesn't start until October around here but I am going to keep my eyes out for them.

Knitting Library - another WiP for me

So far, I just have this one bottom shelf and I have lofty aspirations of making it the whole bookshelf one day.  There have been a couple snags in my plan.  The first one is that I haven't found a great pattern book in almost a year.  I don't care for what's out there or it's not in my size.  I won't spend money on a book that would require me altering everything.

The second is that the price of these books keeps going up while the quality of the patterns is either stagnant or going down.  There is one designer who seems to be recycling their previously released patterns under new names but nothing has been done to dictate the title "new" to her patterns.  It was rather insulting to see her latest book and have a sneaking suspicion that I have already seen these works - and then validate it by finding them in other volumes.

Lastly, since there seems to be nothing new and what is around is either too garish, slutty or small, I have taken to designing my own knits.  It's a new endeavor and we'll see how well it goes.  I've created little trinkets, bits and bobs... even a few articles for Lil' Chef Ramsay but I've not done something original for me... well, not until I started this shrug.  If it all works out well, who knows, perhaps the next book that will go on my knitting shelf will be my own.

This is a new series started by An Accidental Knitter that I thought would be fun so every Monday, we'll be learning our ABCs together!  Click here for more information or to join in the fun.