New for 2009

The back and two fronts of my vest are finished and have been joined by three-needle bind off at the shoulders. Today I will sew the side seams and begin knitting the band along the armhole edges. The job of seaming will be all the more fun using my new Gingher scissors adorned with cross-stitch fob. My neighbor gave these to me for Christmas and I love them!

The photo above is being featured today on my photo journal, One Snap. It's a blog based on Project 365. The idea is to take and post one photo, every day, for a year. One Snap will be my primary place to blog in 2009.

Posting here at Wool Windings will be sporadic and will most likely be about knitting only, perhaps only photos of finished objects with details posted on Ravelry. I'm still debating what I want to do.

I've considered using Ravelry exclusively as my knitting journal, but there is a part of me that's not ready to give up this blog entirely and that's because of all the friendships I've made here. So, I'll experiment with a couple of ideas until I find out which works best for using my time wisely--one of my goals for 2009.

Snippets

We found the perfect cards to send this year.


Thinking of you and sending the warmest greetings of the season.

Sums up our interests pretty well: birds, beach, shells, knitted scarves...all that's missing is a fish.

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I finished spinning the 1/2 pound of Fine Brown Shetland roving that I started back in September.



It turned out to be a light worsted weight yarn. There's a lot of it. Probably enough to knit a vest.

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Putting together jigsaw puzzles was a winter activity in my home growing up. That's why I always get the urge to start one this time of year.



We probably won't finish it before we need the table for Christmas dinner, so I'm glad we're using a puzzle mat.

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As for knitting, I'm trying to finish John's socks and I'm working on a quick garter stitch project.

The Little Things

This week I've been focusing all my attention on getting the house in order: cleaning, updating, rearranging. Through the process, I've noticed it's the little things that make me happy.

A fresh new curtain in the guest room.



Blue glass bottles in the window.



Sundial shells I picked up on the beach.



And the knowledge that in a week or two when all this housework is done, I can get back to knitting and spinning.

What little things around your house make you smile?

What Is This?

It measures 20.5 inches tall by 25 inches wide when set up like this.



My neighbor bought it at an antique store several years ago. It was labeled "yarn winder". Her intention was to use it to display towels on, but it ended up forgotten in her garage. She came across it the other day and gave it to me because she knows I like to knit.

At first glance it does appear that it could be a yarn winder, but the design is wrong. Even if it was mounted on a base, there is no way to slip the yarn off after it is wound.



There are some empty holes in a few of the "spokes" and by the looks of it, something used to be attached there.



The way the pieces are joined makes the thing somewhat collapsible. You can tell it has been stored in a different position than it is now.

I have no idea what the true purpose of this object is, but I'm hoping someone can help me figure it out or guide me to a source that will know.

The only thing I feel certain about is that it once belonged to R. Hartman.



And now it belongs to me.

Create a Craft Closet in Three "Easy" Steps

Step One: Empty out a closet, preferably one that's not being used by anyone.

I picked the walk-in closet in Robyn's old room. She went through it last summer and took all her stuff home with her, but we somehow managed to fill it up again.



Step Two: Go through the house and gather up yarn, fiber, pattern books and all things crafty. Store in bins and baskets. Arrange neatly in the closet and admire.



Doesn't it look neat and organized? All of my yarn is now in one place. The black stacking cart on the left holds all of my baby yarn. The blue woven basket on the floor is filled with sock yarn. The two canvas bins next to that hold wool for felting and worsted weight acrylic for charity knitting. The other six plastic bins on the shelves above contain the rest of my stash: cotton, wool and other natural fibers. The rest of the baskets are for sewing and craft supplies. I still have to dig out all of my embroidery stuff from my bedroom closet. I have a lot of that.



This side of the closet is for my spinning supplies. The two large bins are holding my fiber. I made sure there's still plenty of room to add more.

The white brick that is being used as a bookend is from the old part of Needville High School that burned down recently. The 60 year old bricks survived and they sold them to raise money for a charitable cause.

Step Three: Figure out what to do with all the junk you took out of the closet in step one.





Without a doubt, this is the hardest step. I'll deal with it tomorrow.

Celebration

Today Wool Windings celebrates two years of blogging and the first day of spring with photos of roses from my backyard.


Yellow Lady Banks'



Old Blush



Maggie



New Dawn

Thank you for two years of encouragement and friendship. This blog wouldn't be the same without you.

A friend is like a flower,
a rose to be exact,
Or maybe like a brand new gate
that never comes unlatched.
A friend is like an owl,
both beautiful and wise.
Or perhaps a friend is like a ghost,
whose spirit never dies.
A friend is like a heart that goes
strong until the end.
Where would we be in this world
if we didn't have a friend.

--Unknown

Change is Good

Have you noticed the new look here at Wool Windings? The biggest change is the new template. I was craving some color, but wanted to keep the clean simple look of the one I had before. I think this one works well. I enlarged the fonts to make it easier to read, because my eyes aren't as young as they used to be.

There are also two new buttons on my side bar:

007 Snap a Dozen Days

This is a photography group I've joined. The idea is to take a picture(s) for the current month and write something about what that month means to you. At the end of 2007, you will have a collection of twelve photos or sets of photos that represent the year. If all goes well, I'll have my January picture up next week.

Green Sock Knitalong

It just made sense to join this group, since I already have a green sock on the needles.

In other news, I'm still trying to finish Steam. I'm at the halfway point.

Virginia is patiently waiting in her travel bag for me to finish, but I know that won't last. Maybe I should join this group just to keep her happy.

Day of Remembrance

Remember those that lost their lives. Remember those that rushed to their aid. Remember to trust God and look to him for peace.

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

No More Excuses

Yesterday I did it. I quit making excuses and cleaned the house. The pile of magazines are gone, the sheets are clean, the floors are mopped, the throw rugs are washed and the ring in the tub is no more. I even cleaned up my desk. That's when I came across this poem that John wrote for me.

The Wool Winder

Fibers spun into a yarn
Sheep in meadow, field and barn

Birch-wood needles knit and purl
The ball winder's twist and whirl

Skein is stretched upon the swift
Row markers made just for a gift

Projects made to give away
Blessing someone day by day



It's a blessing to have a husband who supports my knitting obsession and doesn't mind if the house gets a little out of whack once in a while.

Off to Iowa tomorrow. Got to run some last minute errands and pack. There will be knitting time on the plane. I think I'll work on John's Trekking socks.

And because every post is better with a picture. Here's a totally unrelated one I took at Red Butte Garden in Salt Lake City last month.

No More Excuses

Yesterday I did it. I quit making excuses and cleaned the house. The pile of magazines are gone, the sheets are clean, the floors are mopped, the throw rugs are washed and the ring in the tub is no more. I even cleaned up my desk. That's when I came across this poem that John wrote for me.

The Wool Winder

Fibers spun into a yarn
Sheep in meadow, field and barn

Birch-wood needles knit and purl
The ball winder's twist and whirl

Skein is stretched upon the swift
Row markers made just for a gift

Projects made to give away
Blessing someone day by day



It's a blessing to have a husband who supports my knitting obsession and doesn't mind if the house gets a little out of whack once in a while.

Off to Iowa tomorrow. Got to run some last minute errands and pack. There will be knitting time on the plane. I think I'll work on John's Trekking socks.

And because every post is better with a picture. Here's a totally unrelated one I took at Red Butte Garden in Salt Lake City last month.

There's Something New In My Knitting Basket

It's official. I'm spoiled. I now own a pair of Brittany Black Walnut knitting needles (size 6.5mm), thanks to my husband. I've always admired these hard-to-find needles and wished for a pair, though I was never willing to pay the price for the ones I would see on ebay. John gave these to me as an anniversary gift, even though we had agreed we would not buy gifts this year, just go out for a nice dinner. After 22 years, I should have known better. He says they're not really a gift, just a tool. Of course, being the practical one, I stuck to our agreement and only gave him a card. Pitiful! The very least I can do now is to knit him some socks...out of Trekking (XXL)..and he can Trek Along With Me too.


(R-L) Color #115 and Color #113

Year One

The calendar says it's Spring and so does the weather here in Needville. If that's not the case where you live, it will be soon. Hang in there. The beginning of Spring has a special significance here at Wool Windings, because it means that this blog is now one year old. It's been a fun year and some good things have happened as a result of starting this blog. One good thing is that I learned about The Preemie Project and became a volunteer. If you are a regular visitor here, you know that knitting for the little babies is one of the joys of my life. Another good thing is that blogging has helped me develop my computer skills to the point that I am now able to work as a teacher for the Free Home Bible Study program. Before I started this blog, I didn't even know how to turn the computer on. Now I am using the computer to share the gospel with people all over the world. What a difference a year makes! And last but not least, I have developed some good friendships through this blog. This is a blessing I didn't expect. Thanks for taking the time to comment and encourage me through this first year.

Scatter seeds of kindness everywhere you go;
Scatter bits of courtesy
watch them grow and grow.
Gather buds of friendship;
Keep them till full-blown;
You will find more happiness
than you have ever known.
- Amy R Raabe

Some Days are Lucky

Lucky. That's how I felt when I opened my email on Saturday to learn I had won Margene's birthday contest. She put everything in the mail that day and look what arrived on Monday. There is sock yarn by Trekking and Opal and some Alpaca Cloud from Knit Picks. The great thing about these yarns is that I have never tried any of them before, but have always wanted to. Other goodies include a sheep shaped Post-it pad, yummy candy and a cuticle bar that was made by Margene's sister. And don't forget the Chibi. It's the one that comes with three sizes of straight needles. I never owned one of these until now. Margene, are you sure it's your birthday? It feels more like mine.

Click here for this week's birthday contest question. You might be the lucky winner this time.

Yarning

Saturday was the perfect day for yarning (aka shopping for yarn). Living in the Houston area, I'm lucky to have a choice of several shops, though none of them are very close to my house. But that doesn't stop me, especially when my husband is willing to drive me all over town. What started out as a trip to Spring to check out two shops I've never been to before, ended up with stops at total of five shops! I bought needles from here and yarn from here, but what I'm most excited about is the pom-pom maker I bought here. I make a lot of pom-poms for The Preemie Project hats I knit, but I never like the way they turn out. This little gadget is going to be a big help. It will make four sizes of pom-poms (1 1/4", 1 3/4", 2 1/4", 3 1/2"). The smallest size is just perfect for what I need. I took a break from my knitting today to test the pom-pom maker. I like the results! By the way, I'm knitting for myself this week. Here's a peek.

A Valentine Surprise

This is a Valentine's Day story written by my mother-in-law and published in the 1980 issue of Knitters World. It is a story of love.


A Valentine Surprise
By Mrs. M.H. Batchelder

There are a lot of ways to say "I love you". My friend's husband says whenever she bakes hot muffins for him on a dark and dreary day, he gets the message! My valentine surprise was a little different.

My mother taught my sisters and me to knit. I started around the junior high school years and dragged my knitting along where ever I went. The first real project I finished was a navy blue wool pullover for myself, knit on small needles. It was worn with a pair of old riding breeches. After this, I knit a dainty pink short sleeved job that unfortunately had such a small opening at the neck I could not get my head through it! That was soon remedied by more experienced hands.

The years went by and knitting continued...a wine colored pullover for Dad, a soft blue cardigan for Mother, then sweaters for a very special man in my life who later became my husband. He spent a good portion of his courting time sitting in our living room, holding skeins of yarn while I rolled it into balls. "Our song" was k2, p2.

After this came baby things for nieces and nephews followed by the seemingly endless chain of baby garments for our own children...tiny bootees, soft blankets, bright sweaters and caps. Soon I was making lots of mittens, scarves, hats, bigger sweaters, some with patterns of reindeer, stars, hearts, snowflakes and pine trees. I also made many pairs of argyle socks. Living in snow country, this is the way of life, dressing up to keep warm.

While the family kept growing and we needed more things, we looked for ways to earn extra money. One year, I knit ski caps (called "Fast Caps") for a ski lodge shop. These caps had ear flaps knit on and tied under the chin, with a swinging tassel on the top. I made the caps in every color of the rainbow and they sold as fast as I could get them done.

One other year, my husband gathered Christmas greens and made beautiful wreaths decorated with cones and red bows. He sold the wreaths to stores and inns. Meanwhile I knit many pairs of pastel bootees, packaged them in small plastic bags and sold them in lots to a large department store. That was a thrill!

The year of my valentine surprise, our family had grown to 13 children! We had a happy home, full of love and laughter with a lot of cooking and cleaning and every day tasks that made the days hurry by.

We had a friend who was a one woman knitting machine! This gal made dresses, coats, capes, skirts--you name it, she could knit it! She had an office job but knit during her free moments there and as soon as she got home. She would knit until meal time and continue late into the evening. She belonged to a knitting club and tried every new pattern and idea.

My husband asked this lady to knit me a sweater as a surprise. On Valentine's Day, she arrived at our house with the gift box under her arm. I assumed it was for the children. "No, this is a gift for you from your husband", she said, while he sat there with a big grin on his face. I opened the box, to find a beautiful scarlet cardigan sweater with a pretty collar and little white flowers embroidered all over it. Here it was, hot off the needles. I am sure our friend finished it just in time!
I really was surprised! I love that sweater (sure, I still have it). It is warm and bright and the romance of that lovely, snowy Valentines's Day is still warming my heart. For, when someone you love says "I love you", that is the best thing in the world.


Two years ago when my mother-in-law died, we found this sweater in her closet. It was the only hand knitted item she had, though she knit her whole life. At the time, I didn't know the story behind the sweater, but I could tell it was something special. It was well cared for, having been mended in a few places with a slightly different shade of red yarn and lost buttons replaced with as close as possible matches. Later I learned the history of this sweater and realized she had saved it for over thiry years. It was more than a sweater to wear for warmth, it was a gift of love for a knitter who rarely knit for herself and a remembrance of a Valentine's Day long ago.

Yarn Shopping

Well, I haven't cast on the second Embossed Leaves Sock yet. Instead, I've been working on hats and booties for The Preemie Project. Soon I'll be setting up the sewing machine to make little blankets. Our donation deadline is coming up in a couple of weeks and I want to be sure to get a few more things completed by then. I also keep looking at this...

It's some of the goodies I bought with the gift certificate my sister gave me for Christmas. The book is called Sarah Dallas Knitting. The yarn is for a couple of projects in the book--mittens and slippers. I'm very tempted to start these now. I also picked up this book...

Knitters', Crocheters', Weavers' & Spinners' Travel Guide 2006
It lists literally thousands of yarn shops across the United States and includes information like addresses, phone numbers and websites--all organized by states. I've had fun just reading the names of the stores. Some names are really reaching to be cute. I thought about sharing a few that made me laugh, but that wouldn't be very nice. You'll just have to get a book and check it out for yourself. One thing I know, this book is coming with me on my next trip, because yarn is the best
souvenir. I'm sure you agree!

Pretty Picture

While looking through my photos, I came across this picture I took last summer in Estes Park, Colorado. It reminded me to thank God for the rain he sent to us last night and brought to mind this scripture from Revelation 4:11.

You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power,for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.

Just wanted to share.

I Saw A Hummingbird Today

And a butterfly.


And peppers growing in the garden.


And flowers everywhere.





I thought it was supposed to be winter?

Pictures of finished objects coming soon.

A New Year

It's a good day! The first day of the week and the first day of a new year. A good time to reflect on the year just passed and plan for the year to come. Looking back, I realize I fell short of several goals. I can do better. However, I did accomplish some of what I had hoped to. Last year it was on my heart to find a way to help those in need; to find a way to serve others. Little did I know last January that I would be able to serve others through my knitting. But, last spring I read about The Preemie Project and decided to become a volunteer. Working for the little babies has been a blessing in my life. I know it is a way I can serve others for many years to come.

This year, I have a strong desire to share the Bible with others in a way I haven't done before. I have taught Sunday school classes (3 year olds) for about 15 years. I have truly enjoyed sharing the Bible with this age group. And yes, they really are old enough to learn of God's love. But, now I would like to help adults learn more about the Bible. To start with, I'm going to work with the Free Home Bible Study ministry. I'm excited to see what God has in store for me with this work.

I would also like to become more faithful in my Bible reading and to read the whole Bible in 2006. It's easier to do than you might think. There are many reading schedules available and Bibles set up just for that purpose. I'm reading from the One Year Bible which is divided into 365 daily readings. Each day there is a portion of the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs. This way works best for me. Last year I tried reading from a chronological set up, but got bogged down somewhere in Leviticus or Numbers. I'm not going to do that again this year.

I have knitting goals too. I want to try some Fair-Isle knitting and try to figure out spinning with a drop spindle. I definitely will continue to knit for The Preemie Project. The needles are empty and open to all kinds of possibilities!

Who can say what 2006 will bring? Joy? Sorrow? I'm glad I don't know. There are sure to be big changes in my life this year with my youngest graduating and heading for college. I will try to take each day as it comes. As Jesus said, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself." Matthew 6:34

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas Everyone

This pillow is a gift from my neighbor. She does such beautiful work. I love it!

Well, tomorrow is the big day. The tree is decorated, the presents wrapped and all is ready. Only one little hitch--I have the flu. I'll be doing my best not to share this with my family this Christmas. My daughter and her husband made it in from Arkansas very early this morning. Having them here is a gift in itself. So, even though I'm sick, I'm sure to have a great Christmas and I hope you do too.