Pass the Soap

%&^@(# = spinning silk = pass the soap. This is some gorgeous Tussah Silk in Raspberry Swirl I purchased from Franquemont Fibers last year some time. In real life I think it has a little more coral to it, but it could be wishful thinking on my part.

What's the best soap for a good mouth washing? No lava please.

Go Ahead - Make My Day

I have been so bad here lately about blogging. Tabitha wrote to make sure I wasn't caught in the web of all the lace KALs I'm taking part in. I think I have been. I have totally ignored reading my "Daily Haunts." I gotta get a grip. And I've been getting the urge to do some spinning. But I keep telling myself I don't have time for anything, I gotta get these KALs caught up. But then you know I got to thinking......why? Yeah, I'm sure I'll wake up tomorrow feeling differently, particularly since the next clue is due out on Friday for SOTSii and Dem Fischer Sin Fru. But, you know, for right now, just this moment I'm taking a breather.

Over the last week or so I've received two awards. They are the same award but I received it from two different people. I should have already acknowledged it, but......well you know. First the "You Make My Day Award" was bestowed upon me by Cat. We met each other through our mutual addiction - lace KALs. Secondly, Loribird gave me the same award. It truly warms my heart that these two thought of me. Someone in one of the KALs I'm a member of made a comment of how I am always making positive comments about the groups completed clues. You know, as knitters in a mainly non-knitter world we are sometimes thought to be rather odd. And if you spin - well, you are just flat out weird. We work so hard on our projects and if we blog on blogging about said projects, it is just nice when others take the time to acknowledge the efforts. I truly want to thank Cat & Lori for making my day!!!! And for all who read my blog. When I get a comment or when I look at the site map and see where everyone is from it makes me smile. Okay, enuf mush!!!! I now have the joy of bestowing the "You Make My Day Award" to others. This is so difficult. I want to give it to anyone who has ever read my blog - YOU MAKE MY DAY!!!! But, here goes.

Tabby, along with my oldest, Aaron, gave me one of the beings that makes my day every day, my little Emma Belle. She is an unbelievably wonderful mom, I am so thankful for her. And, I consider her a good friend.

Peggy - Peggy is one of the most gifted knitters I know. She is amazing.

Maple - Maple and I met through a spinning group last Spring. Any time she leaves a comment on my blog it brings me joy. And, you should see the roving she dyes up. Beautiful!!!!!! Look at what she did for me. :)

June - June befriended me last Spring when I first started spinning. She is a local girl via the Coast Guard. Her spinning makes me sick. :) I love you June!!!!

Opal - Well, just go look at her knitting and you will understand. One odd thing about Opal though. She lives in Hawaii but knits mittens like they are going out of style. :)

Roseanne - What can I say? She kicks out finished objects like nobody's business. Her spinning makes me as sick as June's.

Sonya - I met Sonya through Tabby. She is one wild and crazy knittin momma. Here in a couple weeks I spending the night with Tabby (really Emma Belle) and going to their knitters night. I can't wait.

Tracy - I can't forget my friend Tracy. She always says the sweetest things and she has two daughters, an Emma and a Bella!!!!! How wild is that!!!!!!

Oh, good grief!!!! I can't stand it. If you are reading this consider yourself awarded!!!!!! You have made my day.

I think Ima gonna do some spinnin!!!!!!! Addendum: I found some other gorgeous tussah silk in my stash I thought I'd spin up. this is the first I've spun pure silk. I think I'm gonna cry. I need help or someone to come wash my mouth out with soap.

My Special Recipe

Funny thing is, you don't answer any questions but it does fit. :)

The Recipe For peggy

3 parts Aspiration 2 parts Uniqueness 1 part Devilry Splash of Silliness Sip slowly on the beach

What's the Recipe for Your Personality?

F-R-E-E-D-O-M

A knitting friend of mine, Opal, shared her completion of a pair of gorgeous gloves with our A Loose Knit Group. She was elated to finish them as their completion was something constantly looming over her head. A monkey on her back. While commenting on her wonderful gloves, you gotta go look at 'em, I was shaken out of the lovely, lace fairy tale land I have been happily living in the last week.

My sweet little, warm, happy world quickly came to an abrupt halt. Now, I know she had no intention of this happening, so don't go blaming my little Hawaiian friend. Maybe it is guilt? Possibly self-condemnation. Could it be conviction? I don't know. However, I do know of one other time I felt the same deep hatred well up within. It was a time, not unlike the present, except for the fact I weighed a little more, had less gray and was almost 12 years younger.

Back in '96 my oldest two children, Aaron and Sara, and myself went to France and England with their High School French Club. It was a glorious time. We took the ferry from Cherbourg, France across the English Channel to Portsmouth, England. Although I had seen it before, I was pleased to find a viewing of Brave Heart being shown in the ferry theater. I'm sure some Englishmen/women would say it was French propaganda.

One of the locations we visited was Westminster Abbey. It is such a lovely place. As we walked around the site the tour guide gave us a history of the cathedral and its contents. My mind was somewhat wondering when I realized I was standing right next the the entombed remains of Edward "Longshanks." Yeah, THAT Edward "Longshanks." The one who sought William Wallace with a vengeance. As I stood there looking at the tomb with utter disgust I thought to myself, "Man, how I would like to spit on you." (I did bite my thumb at him)

That same feeling of total disgust came over me while looking at Opal's lovely gloves. I didn't want to spit on her gloves or her but, that #@%$@&*&# tomten. Who can deliver me from this body of death? Is there any worse plight known to knittingdom? Why, why, WHY did I ever start that stupid thing. I hate 'im. Henceforth he shall be known as Edward Longshanks, the oppressor of all that is beautiful and free. And he shall be relegated to living under the spinning wheel. LET FREEDOM RING!!!!!

I've completed Clue One of Dem Fischer Sin Fru - The Fisherman's Wife. I've dubbed this one "The Fisherman's Plaque." My dear friend, Peggy, brought it to my attention this should read "The Fisherman's Plague." I'm so glad I have friends. :) Read the story and you will understand why. It is a real joy to knit, however, as the pattern keeps increasing I have a feeling the wrong side purl rows are going to be monstrous by the time this baby is finished.

My Little Friends

I think, if you read my blog with any regularity, that you know I am kind of strange. Weird is a better word. If you have money you are eccentric, but, if you are like me, not much money you are just flat weird. Another embracing going on here. :)

When I was attending college, in the 90's, I had a little friend. Actually, I had several little friends. One of my little friends was an eraser. This wasn't just any ole eraser. It was one of those pink quadrilateral erasers. And not only was it one of those pink quadrilateral erasers, my oldest, Aaron, who was 15 at the time, had drawn on it and written his name. I do have quite a sentimental side. I kept this little friend with me for many of my higher education years. Finally, he went missing. It was a very sad day.

Another group of little friends I had was mechanical pencils. Has there been any greater a creation made by man? I think not. Now, we aren't talking about just any ole mechanical pencils. We are talking about refillable 0.9 lead mechanical pencils. I love these little babies. I wish I could say I still have the same ones I started off with, but alas, they too have gone the way of my little pink quadrilateral friend. Yet, you can always find me with one of these little fellers. When I substitute taught I had a mechanical pencil friend club with a group of sixth grade girls. It all started when one of them wanted to borrow my little friend. I told them of my deep emotional attachment to my friends and how devastated I would be should ill befall him. The next time I was in their school, they introduced me to their own little mechanical pencil friends. It was a great day in pencildom.

I said all that to say this. I have some little buddies I want to show to you. Way back when Sara was in Middle School the big thing was to own some boots called Ropers. At that time I couldn't really see paying $100 for a pair of shoes. That was '93 I think. So, I bought her some boots that looked something like Ropers without the little tassel thingys and were only around $50. Just as was expected that "country" phase was long gone once she had a different boyfriend and had started High School. As with any good mom, her rejects became my dailies. These little boots have become my best friends. It became evident a couple months ago that they were dying a slow death. I looked and looked to find a suitable replacement but could find none. Then I remembered we have a fella at church that used to be a cobbler. I had on my little friends last Wednesday and Mr. Cobbler was at church. He told me if I didn't get my little buddies to him pretty quick there would be nothing left to revive. I took them off right then and there, patted their little bottoms and told him to do what he could. This past Sunday I saw Mr. Cobbler, he boldly walked down the center aisle and handed me a bag. Inside were my little reborn bootsies. He put on a new sole, a new heel, dyed them, polished them and put in new shoestrings. (The strings that were in them were the originals, it kinda makes me sad to have lost them but they were tied in a couple knots and frayed.) I'd like to introduce you to my friends.

Aren't they just the most special little things you ever did see? I hope you have some friends like mine in your life. Are you still my friend?




I finished Jordan's gloves:









And I went ahead and finished Clue 1 of SOTSII. I should have finished Clue 3 of SSS, particularly since Clue 4 comes out tomorrow. But I couldn't stand it. SOTSI was such a joy to knit I couldn't wait to get started.







Dem-Fischer-Sin-Fru, The Fisherman's Wife, KAL starts Friday I think. I gotta get that baby swatched.

I've Been Tagged

As a child I never liked playing tag, I can't stand to be chased. However, a friend, Gail in Chattanooga, just tagged me so I thought I'd play along.

4 Jobs I've Had:

Data Transcriber for CID (Criminal Investigative Division), Fort Knox, KY
Missions Department Secretary for Chaplain at Oral Roberts University
Subsitute Teacher - probably my favorite job
Store Manager for a Cellular Company

4 Movies I Watch Over and Over

All Harry Potter
Hamlet w/Mel Gibson
Crimes of the Heart
Gone With The Wind

4 Places I Have Been

Port O'Prince, Haiti
Paris, France
Uppsala, Sweden
London, England

4 Places I Have Lived

Miami, FL
Tulsa, OK
Ekron, KY
Bowling Green, KY

4 TV Shows I Watch

I don't watch a lot of "shows", so I'm listing my favorites when I did/do get to see 'em.

Fox News
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Highlander
Angel

4 People Who E-mail Me Regularly

Hmmmmmmmm, mainly my on-line knitting buddies

4 Favorite Foods

Lobster, but I think I could dip bologna in clarified butter and love it. :)
Crab legs
Oatmeal
Breads

4 Places I Would Rather Be

France
Praque
Ireland
Scotland

4 Things I'm Looking Forward To

More grandbabies
Getting caught up on KALs
Going to see Wicked, AGAIN
A warm house. :)

4 People to tag

I don't know, wanna play?

Embracing Me

I'm a little behind in the Spring Shawl Surprice KAL. Clue 3 came out this past Tuesday, I finally finished Clue 2 tonight. That is okay. I'm learning to embrace who I am. I, my friends, am a lace knitter. Not only that, but I am an addicted to KALs lace knitter. And you know what, that is okay. I've come face to face with the monster and I can deal with it. I don't care how old you are, you can always learn new things about yourself. Clint Eastwood said, "A man's gotta know his limitations." Well, I don't know all my limitations, hopefully I never will. Hopefully I'll continue learning the rest of my life. But, there comes a time where we have to recognize our strengths. As stated before, I am not a great lace knitter, (you can tell that if you look closely) but apparently it is a passion.

Embracing who I am is helping me to cope with the fact that I have between now, Thursday evening, and next Tuesday to complete Clue 3 before Clue 4 comes out. AND Secret of the Stole II, "The Secret Is In the Mist", begins tomorrow. But, that is okay. I am "THE LACE KNITTER."

Somebody Stop Me!!!!!

I said I wasn't going to do it. I even put my foot down hard and bit my lip. I think I need a serious intervention. (But don't call Dr. Phil, please).

It isn't my fault. This time it is Anna's fault, the old Knit & Knag!!! I got an email from her stating she was going to be hosting another KAL starting in March. She is the designer of the gorgeous Mystic Waters Shawl. The new one, Mystic Light, will take in various elements of light. It is sure to turn out just as gorgeous as Mystic Waters. With Mystic Waters turning out so beautiful, how could I resist? Maybe knitting lace is my calling, my purpose in life.

Oh, come on, you know you want to do it!!!!! Everybody is doing it!!!!!!

It Was A Wicked Time

A "Wicked" time was had by all. As most of you know, if you read my blog regularly, Saturday we headed up to Cincinnati to see the touring Wicked. It was as awesome as ever. The girl that played Elphaba was the same one we saw in Chicago. It was amazing. Ya gotta go see it!!!!! Here are a couple pictures. My little Elphaba's (Emma Belle) fingers got smashed in the window on the way up. Her makeup isn't waterproof so there was some green lost in the tears. :( This picture is from left to right: Sara, Tabitha (Emma Belle's Mommy) and Emma Belle.










And my Elphie outside the theater.

Now the question is.....Where am I going to go to see it next?

I've been working on the projects for A Loose Knit Group. I've finished one of Jordan's gloves and one of the mitts using the Fetching pattern. I'm behind in my Spring Shawl Surprice KAL because I just want to do gloves/mittens. I'm spending today only knitting on the KAL though.












As many of you know, I'm big into lace shawl/stole KALs. I am no professional by any means. However, I have gained some experience and I thought I'd share with you how I approach lace knitting and charts. It takes a little more time, but I color code the chart with colored pencils. Typically what I do is color each set of ten squares on the chart in vertical columns. I also use a metal sheet, mine originated from my old cross stitch days, and magnetic strips. With these I mark the row I am presently on with a piece of the strip and I mark the column I'm on with another piece. With this particular chart shown in the photo below I color coded the 7 stitches on the right and left hand border, the next 14 stitches are coded to mark an inside border and from there it has been marked to signify the pattern repeats. As the pattern changes these have to be adjusted but it is a good way to keep track of the pattern and the number of stitches which helps me know if I've missed a yo or whatever immediately instead of getting all the way to the end and having to tink back.

Once I have successfully completed a row I use a highlighter to mark the completed row. As you see in the photo I place markers along the knitting to mark the columns as well. Another tool, pain in the butt, but important is lifelines. You can put a lifeline in at any point but I usually just put one in at the end of each clue. A lifeline is waste yarn that I pull through the row with a darning needle. These have truly saved the life of my shawl/stole many times. If you just really flub up you can frog back to the lifeline, which holds the stitches and start over at that point instead of having to start all over. Hmmmmmmm, I hope this helps. It is probably as clear as mud.

Are You Going To Go My Way?

I've been a bad, bad girl. Yesterday I went to my local cellular store and upgraded my phone. I got a Blackberry. I am a tech/gadget junkie. I love all that stuff. However, I spent the majority of yesterday afternoon and today playing (fighting) with the thing. Getting it to sync with my laptop, adding all my contacts, appointments, etc. I downloaded an e-reader for it so I can read books on it, particularly handy with a Bible on it. Then I don't have to lug one to church or just sit there not reading along with the stud muffin of a Pastor we have. (my husband) :)

Anyways, I can't do any more with it until I get a microsd memory chip. That way I can put more stuff on it. A huge biggee is music. And a gargantuan thing is to be able to use some of the Wicked songs as my ringtones. Yeah, I know, I bet you are sick, sick, sick of hearing about Wicked. Well..............hmmm.................tuff. This Saturday myself, Sara, Emma Belle and her mother, Tabitha are all trekking off to Cincinnati to see the touring Wicked. Can't wait!!!! Emma Belle will be wearing her Elphaba dress I made her for when we saw Wicked in Chicago. And yes, she will be wearing her green makeup. I know, I'm a Wicked freak!!!!!

Since I've been playing around with my new gadget I haven't gotten very much knitting done. For shame, for shame!!!! Monday evening I did get quite a bit done on the first glove for LBD (Little Baby Donna aka Jordan). Don't you think the glove is quoting Lenny Kravitz saying "Are You Going To Go My Way?" Maybe I'll finish it tonight and get the second cast on. I'm planning on getting a good deal done on Clue 2 of Spring Shawl Surpice tomorrow.

Sha LingALing (my new way of saying goodbye)

Yippy Pippy!!!!!

I believe I have the ole knitting mojo back, I think. I've had a couple of false starts. I began a set of Mermaid Gloves out of some of my hand spun but after working them for about four inches they just weren't happening. You know how I feel about unaffectionate items, they weren't very unaffectionate at all. I will eventually make them but out of different yarn and probably size 0's. I wanna be hugged when I put these babies on.

I also started Jordan's gloves out of the yarn our friends sent me. Noppie, not gonna work. The yarn is worsted but still just a tad too bulky for what I want. Then, low and behold, I was looking through various pictures on Ravelry for Fetching gloves and came across some made of Noro Silk Garden and remember I had some in the basement. When I went down to fetch the Fetching yarn I found other worsted weight yarns I had forgotten about. Some of which is a lovely grey tweed leftover from a scarf I had made Jorge aka Jordan a couple of years ago. I think it will be perfect. And there is a bunch of other wonderful yarns as well. How cool!!!!!!

#1, best thing, I finished Clue One of Spring Shawl Surprice. It is so lovely and since I am not a "pink" person, this is not pink it is Cassis. :) Clue Two comes out tomorrow. :)

I forgot to show you the scarf I started on New Year's Eve. We were going to some friends house and I wanted some "mindless" knitting to take with me so I started this scarf out of some handspun. The pattern is Enjoyable-Rib Scarf. It is indeed an enjoyable knit. Presently this is my in the car and Sunday School knitting.

What Are Friends For?

For a few days I kinda hit a snag in the area of knitting interest. I was really getting quite concerned about myself. Everything I picked up to knit got on my nerves, I just wasn't a happy knitter. I thought that maybe I had KAL'd myself to an early knitting death. And, for real, who do you call? Where do you go for help? I've yet to see a shrink or counselor advertise services geared toward the depressed knitter. Depression yes, but not specializing in knitting depression. You know, you can purchase various drugs that increase the serotonin in your brain, creating a happier feeling. Or you can get help in the area of sexual energy. But, what do you take to increase your knitting enjoyment if or when it becomes lack luster? I even went to my LYS with my daughter, Sara, to help her pick out some scarf yarn. I walked out with nothing!!!!! The owner asked if I was still into the lace KALs. When I told her I thought maybe I was KAL'd out, she just tssked and shook her head. If ANYONE could offer help you would think it would be her.

Thursday I headed up home to take my sister to the grocery. The 2 hour trip up there and back was spent screaming at the top of my lungs. Well, I call it singing. I tried to escape my knitting frustration by throwing myself into the songs of Wicked. But, there is no escape. As soon as I got back home and walked in the door I felt the same dark blanket of fiber disillusion fall upon me. I got to thinking, "Is this how non-knitters feel all the time?" "How do they stand it?" "What is to become of me? I have my own wool room, what is wrong with me???????"

I got me a cup of coffee and trudged up the stairs to "the room." There lay that stupid tomten, the beginnings of the Spring Shawl Surprice KAL, along with various other UFOs. I sat down in my little chair and punched the button to check my Ravelry messages. Low a behold, an angel appeared right there in the inbox. This angel's name is Arlene in Northern NJ. I read her message and thought about how sweet it was for her to say such nice things and to take the time to encourage me. As the evening progressed her message continued to ring in my ears and before long I found myself picking the SSS KAL up and I was knitting away. Some times we just need a little angel shove to get us up and running. Arlene's message was that little shove I needed. Here is her message:

"Peggy, I see your shawl has become an UGH. Is it just your yarn or something else? I know you are in a bunch of other KALs and were becoming overwhelmed, but I wanted to give you some encouragement with this shawl. So far, its actually not hard at all, and the reverse row work is all purls except for the faggoting in the 6 end sts at either side. You are always on the group giving everyone else a positive word, so I thought you might need the same! I know you have the skills to do this shawl!"

Here is the picture of one half of the first clue finished. Personally I think you can see the various moon stages along the border. It looks to become a very beautiful stole.

We have some good friends that are missionaries to Ecuador. They know of my love of yarn/fiber. This week they sent me four skeins of yarn made there. This was an great encouragement as well. With the cold snap we had this past week my baby, Jordan-23, said he didn't have any gloves. I said, "Well, if I was any kind of knitting mom I would take care of that." I mean, it isn't like I don't have enough yarn, but all the worsted I have is already spoken for by various patterns. And I am really going to try not to purchase anymore yarn for a long time. I had thought about spinning the yarn myself, however, I am wanting to get them done this month, not next year. :) After all, January is glove/mitten month for A Loose Knit Group.

So, thanks to Arlene and the McDonald's I am back on my game. What friends are for!!!!