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June's Socks are finished, a trip to Mountain Colors Yarn and Plans for July Knitting

June’s Socks are finished, a trip to Mountain Colors Yarn and Plans for July Knitting

I joined a Facebook/Instagram knit along in January. It is called the Comforting Socks Knit Along. It is a year long challenge to knit a pair of socks a month, and post pictures of your results. I finished my June socks late last night. I usually squeak in just under the deadline. June’s Socks. I knitted them out of Polka Dot Sheep’s Huckleberry colorway, and a beautiful amethyst color from…

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Memories and Perspectives

Look back in your past and choose a memory. Think of all the people that were part of that memory. Think of all of your friends and family members that should know all about that memory. Do they remember that memory the same way you do? If they were older or younger than you were, how would their perspective be different than yours? I have recently realized that not everyone remembers the same…

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Still Knitting- -Socks

An Instagram ‘friend’ started a sock knitting challenge in January. It is called the #ComfortingSocksKal. We knit a pair of socks in a month, and post photos of our finished socks. I have managed to keep up so far. So far, these are my attempts. Although, the socks I am wearing with my Birkensocks don’t really count. I started that pair in 2020. They are also the same socks in the middles of the…

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Recent Musings

I meet with several ladies via Zoom. We started meeting at the beginning of the pandemic, as a way of staying in touch. Recently, the moderator assigned the topic ‘Kindness’. We were to talk about an act of kindness we had performed, and how it made both me and the recipient of that kindness feel. I spent a lot of time that week thinking about showing kindness. I struggled with talking about it.…

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Upheaval In the Fiber World

Upheaval In the Fiber World

2020 started with so much hope. For me 2019 was not going to go down as a ‘very good’ year. It would rank as one of the worst. I ushered 2020 in with so much hope!

Those hopes were soon dashed, a global pandemic doesn’t meet my criteria for a good start this year. I have been effected by the pandemic, but as an essential employee, I have a job. Many aspects of my job have changed because…

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Returning to a WordPress page near you… After a 14 month hiatus, I am returning to writing. I have some stories to tell, some lessons I have learned, and much I have been thinking about. Stay tuned!

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Do you have a favorite crafting tool?

Which do you prefer when you craft: listening to a podcast or music, watching something on tv or silence?

Do you have a favorite designer that you’d like to recommend?

Most people have a favorite color, do you find you use it more than other colors? Is there a color you avoid? Why?

Have you experienced a crafting injury? If yes, what.

NothingButKnit  posted a Q & A on her blog.  I thought I would answer her questions, and add a few of my own.  Feel free to reply to my questions (and NothingButKnit’s questions) in my comment section, or in your own blog.  Just let me know, because I would love to read your answers, and answer any questions you might add.

NothingButKnit’s Q & A-my answers:

 A favorite crafting tool?   I would have to say it is whichever set of circular needles I am knitting with at the moment.  I use circular or DP’s only-never a straight needle  I am also very fond knitting project bags, and I have a great collection of them.  Most of them are full of a WIP or two.

Crafting preferences:  Well-depends on where and what I am knitting.  I will watch Netflix and knit, read my Kindle and knit (only if it is truly mindless knitting) or for more intense projects-listen to Audible on my iPod.  I knitted on my son’s Aran sweater and listened to ‘Victoria’ on Audible.

Favorite Designer:  I really don’t have a favorite designer.  I knit a lot of hats, and design my own.  I tend to make sure that whatever I am knitting has my creative input.  I follow the basic pattern, but make many of my own changes.

Favorite colors/avoiding colors.   I want to avoid most colors on the yellow side of the wheel.  I like purples, blues, pinks, greens, reds,grays, blacks, white-but not much for yellows, browns, oranges.  I am fighting this, because I want things I knit to reflect the wearer and not the knitter.

Injuries-actually I have the opposite.  My hands are starting to develop arthritis.  Knitting keeps my hands limber and less painful.  So…I knit to avoid injury.

Thank you for great questions.  I was surprised by some of my answers.

Now-my additions:

6.  If you both knit and crochet-which do you prefer?

7.  If you knit, which is your favorite-color knitting (Fair Isle, Norwegian or other patterns) or texture knitting (Aran, or Bavarian)?

8.  If you crochet, what is your favorite thing to crochet?

9.  Acrylics or Natural fibers?

10.  Do you have friends that share your love of crafts, or is it a solo hobby?

Knit or crochet?   I can do both, but have been a knitter for many years.  Crocheting hurts my hands, now.

Favorite type of knitting-I love color knitting- I love to knit Fair Isle hats, or Norwegian style hats.  I am tackling an Aran sweater (very slowly) and am learning to appreciate texture knitting.

When I used to crochet-I was granny squares all the way.

I will use acrylics, but I prefer natural fibers.  Wool being my favorite fiber to work with.

I have a very good ‘knitting buddy’.  We get together to knit at least once a month, and have done so for 30+ years.  I also have some online friends that we ‘talk’ knitting.  There is a craft group I attend sometimes, but I am also a solo knitter.

Please answer and share….

Happy Knitting.

Leg warmers for a co worker

NothingButKnit’s Q & A-My answers and Additional Questions. Do you have a favorite crafting tool? Which do you prefer when you craft: listening to a podcast or music, watching something on tv or silence?

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This post has been simmering for quite a while.  I have been entertaining a multitude of thoughts these last few weeks.  One of the purposes of this blog is to inspire me to take a closer look at my hometown.  I have lived in the same town for all of my life.  I haven’t done a lot of traveling.  I would love to travel, but free time and $$ curtail that.

I live in a lovely city in Montana.  We are in the Rocky Mountains.   I work in the service industry-as a motel desk clerk.  I meet many fascinating people.  So, people I have met, things I have seen fuel my meandering thought process.  Buckle in…

I have been noticing the ‘little’ things.  We have flower barrels at the motel.  We plant flowers there every year.  Flowers, particularly pansies, get the reputation of being delicate, weak, BUT they are anything but….the seeds fall, and they search out any place to grow.  They amaze me with their determination!

I also love to watch the birds.  Our town has many trees, and the birds nest in them.  They also nest in store signs, any part of building where they can sneak in and nest.  I am sure we have a nest in the overhang at the motel.  I can hear the birds singing, but that nest is well hidden.    Adaptability is a key to survival.  All of nature understands this, but why are some humans so reluctant to admit it? I look back at who I was in my 20’s, 30’s, and early 40’s….I like who I became (and am still becoming) in my later 40’s, 50’s & now early 60’s.

I had a bit of scare last week.  To begin the story, I have to go back to a clumsy fall I took.  I wasn’t hurt seriously, avoided a concussion, but I reawakened an old whiplash injury.  So…last week, I was driving home from work.  It had been a crazy, interesting, but not stressful night.  All of the sudden my left arm starts going totally numb.  I panic, pull over, adjust my seat belt and feel better.  Still in panic mode, I go home.  My heart rate is normal, I feel ok, and am setting down from the ebbing scare.   It happens the next morning when I buckle my seat belt.  The seat belt is pinching off a nerve.  I fix it, and now realize what happened the previous evening.  I decided then at there that I need to start taking a daily walk, to fight my mostly sedentary life style.  I challenged myself to take daily walks, and post photos to Instagram and Facebook.  My way of holding myself accountable.

I walking in my neighborhood, the new recreation fields, the downtown Saturday markets, I am staying in touch with my town, with people’s lives.  I am also enjoying books on Audible as I walk.  So…a win/win.

Some of my neighborhood walk photos…

And then they are doing massive additions to a complex of sporting fields.  They used to have a small walking trail, a few baseball diamonds and a tennis court. NOW….it has tripled or quadrupled in size.  It looks like great fun.  They have all kinds of new walking trails, several playgrounds, large picnic area.  I took a few photos.

I look forward to exploring this new area in the future.

I love the lavendar plant/herb.  I love the fragrance, use it to safeguard my wool yarn from moths, have a few plants growing in a pot.  I have discovered that many of my fellow townsfolk love the plant, and I have seen it growing in many gardens.  The bees love it also.  Many hives have lavender flavored honey.

Today’s walk was downtown.  We have bar that has been here for more years than I can count.  It is a working man’s place, and is known for its ‘brains & eggs’.  They also believe in beautifying the area outside of the bar.  I love to visit and see each year’s flower offerings.                                                                                                                                                           I am hoping to keep up this walking and observing habit.  Since sharing encourages me, I will be sharing some of my daily walks with you.

Potpourri This post has been simmering for quite a while.  I have been entertaining a multitude of thoughts these last few weeks. 

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I have been doing more knitting than writing.  My ‘bestie’, Denise, and I are planning for two winter 2018 craft fairs.  I am busily knitting inventory.  I have quite a few hats ready.  I am currently working on scrubby sponge/dish cloth sets, and knitted bags for groceries and farmer’s markets.  I have catnip toys and special body wash cloths planned, as well as hats and scarves.

I am posting some photos of the sponge sets and the one bag I have finished.

Happy knitting!

Knitting More than Writing I have been doing more knitting than writing.  My 'bestie', Denise, and I are planning for two winter 2018 craft fairs. 

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I don’t think I will go looking for it a second time.  It was an enormous project.  While I was knitting it, I kept worrying it wouldn’t really turn out to be a shawl.  I am so glad it did!  I knitted this for a very special girl, my future daughter-in-law.

I am now knitting more sponges, and other small projects.  Denise and I are getting ready for a couple of craft fairs this fall.  So, I need to get my inventory up.  I am planning on the hats I have, a few more hats, catnip critters, and my scrubby sponges, and body scrubbies w/homemade soap.

I am glad to have finished the shawl, and overall I am pleased with how it turned out.  I am happy to get on to more knitting.

As always, working on my son’s Aran is a priority, also.  I hope when that sweater is finished I will feel I am a competent Aran knitter.

Happy Knitting!

I ‘Found My Fade’ I don't think I will go looking for it a second time.  It was an enormous project. 

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Hiatus

I have been involved in a massive photo scanning project, and have not been knitting as much as usual.  It is also getting busier at work, so no knitting at work til next fall.  I am still here, and will be picking up my needles soon.

When I do knit, I am still working on the shawl.  I am coming closer and closer to finishing it.  I will celebrate that day!

My scanning project involves scanning…

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I had a great cup of coffee and a wonderful chocolate treat at Drum Coffee yesterday.  Drum is a fun stop.  The Coffee shop is owned by a drummer for a well known band.  They play great music at both locations, but the emphasis is not on the owner, but on the shop.

I stopped at the premier location yesterday.  I hadn’t been by in a while. It was good to reconnect.  The shop is bright with natural light.  They also have a great patio for outdoor seating.  They take a unique look at the treats they serve. Shortbread with bits of Greek Olives, chocolate ‘beet’ cake, great salads and sandwiches.

When they opened their second location, which I will revisit soon, they installed a coffee roaster at that location.  They now serve their own roasted coffee, sell their whole beans, and are looking at other outlets to sell it.  I am so happy to see them growing and thriving.

They also believe in giving back to the community.  When you stop in and buy a cup of coffee you can take a wooden token.  There are three glass containers, each one has the name of a local charity on it.  You can then drop your token in the container of your choice.  At the end of the quarter, a portion of the profits is donated to each charity based on the number of tokens.  It is great fun to give a little back, somehow it makes your coffee taste better.  It is also a great way to learn about a charity you might previously been unaware of.

I didn’t have my knitting with me, but Drum is a great place to knit.  I chatted with the manager, enjoyed my coffee and read my Kindle.

I love the idea of local business, and they are my preferred places to support.  I will also stretch that local to my state.  If a business opened originally in another part of the state and opens a location here, I will make sure to try them out.

Local businesses help paint the portrait of your town.  They are unique, and should celebrate all the things that make your town yours.  Please patronize and celebrate your local places.

When I travel I love to go to the local places I can find.  They create great memories, and help me learn a bit about the town I am in.   If I had unlimited funds and time for travel, I would visit specific places and live like a citizen of the place for a few weeks or months.  I would explore and celebrate the places that make that city unique.

Celebrate uniqueness!  Celebrate differences!  Leave judgemental attitudes behind!

Here are few pictures.

Coffee, Coffee, Coffee-Drum Coffee South Ave. I had a great cup of coffee and a wonderful chocolate treat at Drum Coffee yesterday.  Drum is a fun stop. 

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Early in April a friend had a birthday.  I have known her since she was around 12.  When my second son was born, she adored him, and loved to be his big sister.  She is now a lovely woman, with a family of her own.  I wanted to find this photo so I could attach it to her Facebook page for her birthday.

That plan hatched an enormous project!   I couldn’t find that photo. I went through ALL of my photos and decided that this would never happen again!  I was going to scan all of my photos, so that I didn’t lose them again.  I did find that photo in one of the last places I looked.

This project is great fun.  I scan a few every day.  I save them to Google Photos so that I can share them.  My family has links to everything, and I think they are enjoying this project as much as I am.

If I am quiet here on WordPress, it’s because I am putting together my photo history.  I will share a few of the photos here.  These photos don’t show any of my family because I refuse to post pictures of them without their permission.  These photos are just various ones I have snapped-usually because it caught my attention.

Massive Project Early in April a friend had a birthday.  I have known her since she was around 12. 

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I am not a mall shopper, but I do stop by the mall once or twice a year.  I usually stop to make sure I till don’t want to shop there.  Today, I stopped by, and I still don’t want to shop there.  I did however get coffee and breakfast at Cafe Dolce.   We have two stores in Missoula.  I have already reported on the main store.  This one is in the mall.  It is smaller and they have a different menu.

It is nice to sit in the mall area and watch the shoppers.  That is usually what I do.  Saturday morning wasn’t super busy.  I am sure many shoppers were waiting for the afternoon.

I enjoyed the coffee, breakfast croissant and brownie.  It was a nice stop before errands, and before work.

I have been busy scanning photos to share with my family. That has kept me busy.  I have photos going back a ways, and it is an interesting project.  It stirs up lots of memories.  So, writing, knitting, scanning and organizing photos-I have been busy.

I am trying to decide on the next Coffee, Coffee, Coffee visit.  I am excited to share it with you.

Coffee, Coffee, Coffee- Cafe Dolce in the Mall I am not a mall shopper, but I do stop by the mall once or twice a year. 

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I am still finding my fade.  I think I am approaching the end, but not sure.  This has been an adventure.  I am following the structural portion of the pattern.  I will post photos of the finished result.  I hope that day is coming soon.

My friend and I are planning for some winter craft fairs, and I need to get knitting on those.  I have some hats ready, and am working on a new idea.  I am duplicate knitting a pocket out of Shiny Scrubby and Scrubby yarns.  When it is big enough, I slide a sponge in there and close it up.  I am testing one of them in my kitchen.  I am going to add a hand knit dishcloth to the ‘set’ to sell.

I am also planning some other small things, so that is fun.  All of this planning makes it challenging to finish the shawl-and not wander off into new knitting territory.  I did knit a couple of the sponges.  I will show a photo.  Well-back to knitting!  Happy crafting, everyone.

Brief Report I am still finding my fade.  I think I am approaching the end, but not sure.  This has been an adventure. 

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I am still here.  I have been doing some cogitating.  You will probably be treated to the results of this cogitating when I get into legible thought.   I have also been sorting through photos, and learning how to scan and save.  Will share some of those photos, too.  They do fit into my thinking.

I haven’t visited a new coffee place yet.  I am trying to decide which one I want to visit next.

It is amazing what starts working in your heart and mind when viewing 50+ years of photos.  Some of those photos are of me, my growing up, my high school years, and most of them are of my kids, places we have been, events that have happened.

As usual, this started because a good friend had a birthday. I remembered a specific photo I wanted to share with her.  I started going through all of my photos. I never did find that photo, but I found so much more!  Little by little, those photos are being scanned into my computer.  I will then save most of them to flash drives for my kids.  I haven’t decided what I will do with the actual photos. In this day and age, it is good to have electronic copies of them, also.  Everything I save into my computer also goes into the cloud.

Saving photos and blogging fit into my desire to record life.  My life, life  going on around me.  Recording life, living life, enjoying life!

You will be hearing more from me about these photos, and I will be sharing some of them.  I am sharing some flower photos because in many parts of the US we are experiencing ‘The Winter that will not End!’   I live in a pocket of Montana where spring is trying harder than other places, but we aren’t there yet.  So, in hopes, sharing some color.  The large photo below is from just a few days ago.  It is lavendar.  I accidentally left the pot out last fall.  I went over to check on it, and the lavendar wintered over!  It is the first time I have been able to save it.  When I had a ‘real’ garden, it was never an issue, but with a flower pot garden, it has been.  I think my mistake was in trying to winter it over in the house.  This lavendar is alive and waiting for spring with the rest of us.

  Still Here-Cogitating I am still here.  I have been doing some cogitating.  You will probably be treated to the results of this cogitating when I get into legible thought.   

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As always, if I am on hiatus from posting, I am knitting.  I have been busy with multiple projects.  I like to ‘knit by mood’.   I had a friend request a ‘protest’ hat for a friend of hers, so I have been busy with that.  I found a good deal on a large pale pink skein of Red Heart, so I am using it.  I remember the days when I would take my pennies to the local Woolworth’s  to buy a skein of Red Heart.  Acryllic wasn’t a yarn in those days, and a skein of wool cost $1.25.  That was the year I knitted scarves for everyone I knew for Christmas.

Since those days, color choices and fiber content have grown and changed immensely.  I like the ‘good old days’ for price, but today for selection!  If I were buying yarn from those days, my stash would be tiny.

I have also been ‘inventing’ a kitchen item.  I have been using Red Heart Scrubby and Red Heart Scrubby Sparkly to knit a ‘sleeve’ to hold a sponge.  Once I have finished-I seal the sponge inside and we have something to clean dishes with.  I cast on an even number of stitches.  I knit one/slip one (yarn forward on the slip one)  turn and repeat.  On each row I am knitting the stitches that were slipped in the previous row and slipping the stitches that were knit in the previous row.  I know this has a name, but I can’t remember what it is.  Once I have it large enough to slip the sponge inside, I put the knitted stitches on one needle and the slipped stitches on the other.  I slide the sponge in the opening and then knit the stitches from the front and back together. Once I have two stitches knitted together, I bind off those stitches, knit the next two together, bind off, etc.

Now you know that there is a very good reason why I am not a pattern writer.

I have also been working on the second sock in my first pair of odd socks, and am at the heel.

I am working on the ‘Find your Fade’ shawl, and am a little over halfway through it.  I am finding my fade, and following along mostly blindly.  I am most interested in seeing how it all finishes.  Will post photos of the finished shawl.

Happy Knitting!

Knitting Report As always, if I am on hiatus from posting, I am knitting.  I have been busy with multiple projects.