Smurfette gone. Now What Am I Supposed to Do??

Smurfette – gone…..

Now it is just he and I again.  Everyone extraneous has moved out.  It is quiet here again, and more than that it is finally peaceful.  Peacefulness is priceless.  Don’t ever underestimate how much it is worth.

The other thing is:  It is mind boggling to enter the space around a teenager.  I never knew it could be that perplexing.  I could use lots of other words to describe the experience, but I don’t want to offend anyone.

Maybe it’s just because I’m “out of touch”?  i.e. too old to get it.  It’s sure not like any other world I’ve been in, including when I was that age, unless it really is that bad, and I just didn’t recognize it back then.  Oh my Lord.  Jesus help the teenagers get through those years!  It can make you or break you.

I think I put in my time of times these past two years.  I haven’t got too much to show for it, except for several knitting projects.  It’s really a shame, because I keep gathering fabric and patterns, and creating my own ideas for things, but not being able to accomplish them in the same time frame as before “they” came.

 I think though, that I will be making more of an effort this year to continue on my journey of dollmaking, quilt finishing, and starting on some new quilts.  Unfortunately, my cheerleaders have all passed away, so it’s up to me to motivate myself and get going on these ideas. 

Every holiday comes and goes so quickly.  If you’re not ready a year ahead of time, I say you’re not ready.  Look, it’s already past Easter, and I seriously have to solidly plan and execute Christmas projects.  I’m only 64 (!) but I think and hope I still have lots of time left to accomplish some things.  I really pray this virus stuff doesn’t cancel those plans.  I have my vaccinations.

Just want you all to know the Good Lord loves us ALL.  Don’t give up, no matter how bad it gets, because one thing I’ve learned is that whatever is going on, it Will pass.  Truly.  XXOO

How Bad Do You Want It?

 This is the last time I'm going to see this version of my Plover sweater.  I got all the way to where you separate the sleeves from the body.  Then my sweetheart doggie touched it with her paw and out came about 24 or more inches of a thread of yarn before I could catch her and get the yarn off her nail. !!!!

This is whats left after ripping out the mistake.

I have studied and tried to salvage the thing.  Now the stitch count doesnt coincide with any row in the directions.  

So how bad do I really want this sweater? I started it over once  before.  I started for the first time in June 2020.  Maybe its a jinx....

I still want my sweater.  I spent a lot on the many skeins of yarn.

No more doggie next to the knitting!

  

Sad - Ripping

Old Port hat

Sadly, I have come to the conclusion I must rip my stitches back to where they numbered 84. 

I am devastated.  I tried to adjust my knitting to a smaller number, which really gets complicated when doing the final decreases towards the top of the hat.  It's just a hat, I thought I could keep working with it.  But I realize I cant. 

I have a hard time believing no one else seems to have the same problems I have.  Projects on Ravelry just seem like such a breeze, even for beginners.  I am not a beginner,  but I guess I am challenged on one of my mental levels-- I'm aging.  It takes me longer to figure things out.

The good news is I love Brioche knitting, I like challenges, and it is only a hat. 

I have big dreams for myself and my knitting projects.  So many beautiful yarns and patterns from so many young, talented designers.  I' ll keep going, as long as I can hold the needles!

Oh and I love sheep!

Knitting As A Lifeline

"Literally holding my breath.  Waiting for the next thing to happen.  Not feeling a foundation underneath me."

That’s how I feel if I'm not knitting every spare moment.  Between projects, to let my hands heal a bit, makes me feel a bit like flotsam in the sea.  Tensions rise, bickering increases, boredom sets in. 

I used to be able to fill in the time with other productive things while not doing patchwork or knitting.  It was a break time to catch up with organizing, or cleaning, or just leaving the house.  Now, not so much.

  There’s been an increase in the amount of stress here in the last year, and it’s almost the anniversary now of all the beginning of that stress.  The year has pretty much flown by.  I still hope this coming year will be better and bring some relaxation and more happiness.  It’s not looking to promising right now.

So, I still need my lifeline - knitting - to carry me through.  I can take it with me like a security blanket small enough to fit in my purse, but now I have project bags that are easy to carry.  I can sit with it in any room, and keep my mind occupied no matter what’s going on around me.  I have something pretty to look at and concentrate on too.  I can shut out what ever is going on, but still be present and aware of what’s happening.  Or I can just totally shut everyone out, even if they try to get my attention.

After all that’s happened in the last year, I feel like I just want to be alone.  That’s not going to happen for a while either.  And probably when it does happen, I won’t like it very much.  Then I’ll be craving for the chaos.  It’s either is going to rain, or it’s going to pour.

  I never know what’s going to happen anymore and I realize more now than ever that my plans don’t mean much.  I can’t predict with any certainty what ‘s going to happen next.  So, should I throw caution to the wind??  No I think I will just try to make myself as happy as possible and not care too much what other people think of me, and just continue to do my thing, no matter what that is.......

14 Peonystreet Project Bag - New!

One of my favorite words is "new".

And one of my favorite quotes is 

"Necessity is the mother of invention".

Introducing the 14 Peonystreet Project Bag!

I've been doing LOTS of knitting in the last year, due to 

my world being turned upside down.  

I looked at a lot of patterns for bags, but I'm hardly ever satisfied with someone else's design.  So I made my own.  It has a fabric divider on the inside, to hold two balls of yarn, for knitting brioche patterns or socks.

Finished it yesterday, taking residence on my knitting chair today!

Isn't she cute??!

Here's the sock I'm working on.  It's the Fluorite Sock by Andrea Mowry of Drea Renee Knits.  I'm using a self striping/varigated sock yarn, instead of the fade technique.

It's a toe up pattern.  The sock is reversed (inside out) when finished.  I already have a taker when it's finished, but they're going to have to wait til Christmas!

This is on a rainy day, here on the farm.  It's only snowed frosting once about a month ago, so far.  It's technically not winter yet.  

It's been an entirely too long year, very tiring.

Hope yours has been better than mine.

Take care, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Progress

 This is my "Rose Cottage", which is how I made my house in the Fig Tree quilts Nantucket BOM Mystery Quilt.

 Some beets were canned in the filming of this progress...

 I love the way the picket fence looks-it's also easier than it looks.

 Some Dill Pickles and Bread and Butter Pickles were also canned.

 Another section of the Nantucket Bom quilt.

And last, but not least, the Baubles shawl.  Going into the last brioche section, the most difficult.  Challenging and engaging.

Adios, my friends.

I've Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy, Down in My Heart!....and then there's Brioche Knitting......

 O- yes I do!  I got good news from a friend of mine, who's breast cancer tumor is shrinking!
Can you believe that?  You CAN have breast cancer and survive.  My friends letter was so joyous, I cried!  With happiness, at how God heals.  He really helps me with my problems too.  I just "deliver a letter"  to Jesus, and let Him have my worries and wants and concerns, and leave it in the mail box!  I try not to take it out- ever- but If I find myself worrying about the same things I've just asked Him help for, I remind myself of the letter box.  Once something is in that mailbox, you can not take it out-- it's gone!   So I am now joyfully awaiting to see how He will answer my "letters"!

This is the progress of my Baubles shawl by Drea Renee Knits.  I think I have ripped out my repeated attempts at Brioche knitting probably about 50 times, and have discarded yarn twice for that spot, because it felted from being reused so many times  (aggggh).  For some reason, my brain is having a real hard time getting this pattern.  I am not giving up, however.  I keep thinking of ways to conquer it.

 Everglades fabric:  It's still on the table, but I sure do enjoy looking at it!!  So many bright and wonderful colors.  I want to breathe them in, or eat them in ice cream.

 AND YES,  I did buy the "Time of Flowers" cross stitch kit from Posie Gets Cozy.  

I LOVE IT!!  THE COLORS ARE BEAUTIFUL.  

and I love the color of the background fabric.

It is so appropriate for right now, because the trees and early spring flowers are blooming right now, and it's getting warmer, but not tooo warm.  

I like it cool!

The stitches are two threads over two threads, so I'm just going to bear with it.  I can actually see what I'm doing without a magnifying glass.

 And to leave with you with a happy thought:  Here is the former Catwalk.  These are kittens out of the first litter of kittens born here after we moved here.  They were tame, so I could play with them.  The one that is second from the back was one of my favorites.  His name was "Squirt".  He was the runt of that litter, but he was scrappy!  He would not hesitate to get in a tangle with his siblings.  I helped him out when he was smaller-- fed him because he was pushed away by the others, but he fought back.  Unfortunately he, along with my George, must have been poisoned, or got into something that poisoned them, and they both died.  My heart broke over those two.  I have had a hard time attaching myself to any other cat(s).  They are also buried in my pet cemetary.  Not all animals get that honor.  Love you Squirt-- You are not forgotten!

Good, Bad, Sad and Glad

Perry sweater pattern by Michele Wang, Brooklyn Tweed

Got my sweater done:)  Just in time for colder weather- maybe!

Just a brief history of time here folks.

Christmas and New Years are over now, which were some good, bad and sad and now I'm GLAD they are over.

Sometimes the major holidays can really get me down.  

They we'ren't as bad as some previous years. 

I love the ordinary days more than anything.

However, I love Christmas colors and decorations.

I love snow.

Of which now it's back-ordered.

We will get some more back in stock soon!!

Rainy Day Chat

Welcome to the Banter!  It's a rainy day here in the mountains, and with the rain and drizzle comes the fog... so typical for the fall and spring here.

Speaking of fall, its about at it's peak here, colorwise.  It is beautiful.  The leaves are clearing out though, and they'll soon all be gone.

Which doesn't bother me much at all, because, next is Winter!!  I love winter.  I think people think I am crazy-- who loves the cold??  I do, because I get to wear sweaters, and thick socks and warm pants and coats and knitted hats and gloves.

And, speaking of sweaters!!   I'm knitting one for myself.  This is the first sweater I've ever made for myself.  I think it's coming along well.  I made some mistakes, but corrected them all before going further.  I had to knit several swatches first, and learned the pattern quite well, as I had to start over and over.  My brain just doesn't want to work with me in counting, unless I do it over and over, and over again.  So it is quite a challenge for me.  This is the back of the sweater, it is going to be seamed, which frequent makers on the internet comment that they really hate seaming.  But I have to do it for the experience.  There is more on my Ravelry page which you can link to HERE. (click on the word "here").

The three pictures above are part of my BEE HAPPY quilt project organization.  I'll be cutting the 10 inch stack today, then hopefully start at the machine very soon.

 This is my foyer.  I've never had one before, but I think it looks okay.  It's really not done yet, it's always  a work in progress around here.

 Some mums for you!

And here's my Good Bye Girl.  I decided to put her on display in my glass case.  She's too fine to keep in the shadows.

I hope your day is fine.  I love the rainy fall days.  I've made some chocolate chip cookies and am ready to cut some fabric!!!!     XXOO,   Bebe

Knitted Mitts- Getting Ready for Winter (!)

 I made mitts!!

My first pair of mitts!

I used the Tante Ehm pattern for Camp Out Fingerless Mitts that I found the pattern, FOR FREE, on Ravelry.

For my project, I used Freia, fine handpaints, refined yarn: 70% Merino, 30% silk, in Lichen (color).  It's an ombre yarn, in worsted weight (4 Medium).  I also used size 5 needles.  I increased the cuff stitch number from 10 to 18 sts., and the total length from 9.5 inches long to 10.5 inches long.

This is the right mitt. . . . 

Left mitt. . . . . 

. . . .and the left mitt, uncuffed.

I made the finger section longer than required so I could cover more of my fingers while outside.  I didn't do a perfect job, but it will do.  I find, in knitting, there are LOTS of ways to put things together.

So FUN!!  Knitting is a skill worth learning.