Not Self promotion...

http://www.NHKnittingMama.etsy.com
Go there, check out her stuff... Tell her I sent you, please.
I should ask if I can link her in my sideboard...

Alive and Spinning.

So, for those that are interested... Small one is doing much better. Back to normal breathing and not running scary temperatures anymore. There is a long story about a local child that actually passed away from complications of the same thing she had but I haven't wrapped my head around it fully yet.
On to the fiber related stuff. I am actually learning how to spin on a drop spindle and learning how to prepare fleece in both woolen and worsted methods. I have a wonderful teacher that I will ask if I can put her info up soon. She has been spinning for much of her life and teaching for about 30 years. I am so glad to have found her... Yet another good thing to have come from the county fair.
Since my brain was not allowing me to finish anything without major frustration and frogging I haven't made anything to sell this month. I hope to remedy that this week and put up stitch markers at least. I make markers for both knit and crochet and occasionally even use them myself.

This would be the first thing I made from the wonderful book that hunny ordered me for V-day. Mr. Funky's Super Crochet Wonderful. Small one has informed me that I need to make them all.

This has been in the "unfinished" drawer for months. I started him using a "basic amigurumi" pattern I found on Ravelry and improved the arms and legs. He also has Dreadlocks because I couldn't help myself.

Ha, a swatch! Attempting to get the working of lace in my brain so I can design a stole for Grace to knit... (= I am happy with how the pieces fit together and I will likely make a few more swatches before the pattern comes together for me. I used P&C cotton for this and finished the top edge with an i-cord bind off... My teacher thinks I could add beads and turn it into a necklace... What do y'all think?

And finally, this... It is a head warmer. Not a hat, just the ribbing for one. I went up 4 needle sizes and did some funky lace work at the top to create the fluffy bits. Felted it and viola. An anemone on my head. Small one stole it and it looks a whole lot better on her than me. This just means I have to make another one for me using my new Harmony needles from Knit-Picks. I got the circular and DPN's in size 10 because I didn't have DPN's in that size and I really wanted to have a fixed circular of that size. I have an old Boye set of interchangeable points that work for most things but the threads are starting to get loose so I have to keep an eye out to make sure they don't come off while I am working.
I an also hoping to someday try to manage the magic loop for socks because I think that if I could do it that way there might be a PAIR in my future.
On to the rest of the day with coffee.
And again, Thanks so much to those that have been with me through the last couple of weeks. You will likely never know how much it helped knowing there were people across the country that cared enough to look in on me. <3 to you all.

Appreciation and impatience.

Can I please have my life and my brain back now? First in a line of things that are making the world chaotic is the child having something called RSV. I think of it as Really Sucky Virus because there isn't a "treatment" that helps. She just gets REALLY sick for about a week and we get next to no real sleep because we are on the lookout for the spiking fever, vomit and discolored mucus that "might be" signs of *something else is wrong* so we are both covering the grumpys for her. Add to this the fact that I haven't been able to take my pain medication for 3 days because it makes me a bit fuzzy which I can't be in case of an emergency (at 3 am or any time) and you get an exhausted me.
We also had a surprise concerning the medieval torture device that I still have to wear. It costs $150 and the Doc didn't tell me this when he gave it to me. If I had known I could have gotten one elsewhere and not had to pay though th nose with money we didn't have at the time.
I don't have the brain to make anything for my shop and I don't have the patience to work on anything at all for more than 5 minutes or so. Getting the time to sit and read a few blogs is good enough right now.
On to the Appreciation part. I appreciate the blogs that I read for giving me a few minutes of "out" time. I want to let y'all know that I hope things get better fo you and that things don't keep you from sharing (even the not so happy) because it means a great deal to me. Yes, even though I rarely comment.
And thank you for looking in on me as well.

A little more brainless.

So because I have *so* much spare time... Taking spinning classes from a local woman with LOTS of teaching experience. Need to get things packed and sent away to various places. Need to *finish* about a dozen things to go on etsy within a week. I love to be busy. Oh yeah, my foot is still broken so I hobble around making things and swishing my cane at people. (= lovely mental image. *cackle*

Couple of things.

Finished... Slippers crocheted and book bound for person 1. Beads finished on *gift* for person 2. Beads applied to item for etsy. 5 more projects to finish before I can "relax" and do whatever strikes my fancy. TTFN

Chaos and Entropy

Due to Chaos and Entropy (and my own inability to judge time available) I will not be putting up pictures for a bit. The camera is hiding from me and I think I have just enough time in the next few days to finish half of the umpteen bazillion things going on. I just wanted to post this public service message to let those that have been paying attention (and commenting) know they are appreciated. I like to think that I am building a small group of friends through this medium and the journals that I read are wonderful windows into other peoples realities. Hopefully I haven't driven too many away with the outbursts of insanity that will continue at irregular intervals. (=
A happy beginning to a new year to all y'all

Requested Creations.

I have been requested to make a few things. First a pair of crocheted slippers like the crazy colored ones I made a while back. Second, a wallet out of this checkered fabric that looks kinda like country curtains to me. Third (and hardest), a pair of fingerless mitts out of the *sigh* bamboo yarn my sweet upstream pal sent me.
The first mitt is just over half finished, the slippers have to wait till I can find the right yarn and the wallet will likely get worked on tomorrow.
On top of these things are the things I have taken upon myself. Most of them happily.
There are two sets of puppy legwarmers in progress. There are multiple things to be hemmed or altered in minor ways. There is the gift I made for someone that is %95 finished, just some beading to be finished. The final package to send to my downstream pal , even though she has said she was satisfied with the packages she received. ( I still want to send out these few things anyways.)
Oh, and there has been major upheaval at my house. One of my presents was a re-organization of the house. I can now sit at my computer and look at my creative supplies without getting up. More incentive for me to get things made. I will leave the *planned* projects to another post.

Foot, and how it's Broken.

So about 6 months ago I twisted my foot in a really bad way then about a month and a half after that I twisted it again. Thinking that these were "just" sprains I wrapped and stayed off it as much as possible (ha ha) but the pain didn't magically go away and the funky lump on the outside of my foot made me curious. Finally going to the doctor about a month and a half ago I was given an opinion. An evulsion fracture on the inside of my foot. An x-ray was scheduled. The multitude of x-rays seemed to verify this opinion but an MRI was scheduled for further information. MRI was done and an appointment was scheduled with a podiatrist. The podiatrist looked at the x-rays, got a confused look and went to find the MRI results. After looking at those he came in and told me that I had broken my heel bone all the way through and that normally these kinds of breaks require surgery and screws in the foot. Notice I said normally. He told me that somehow my heel bone had been healing correctly and that hopefully we could get away with just immobilizing my foot for about a month. Thus I sit here typing away with my foot in a medieval torture device that is giving me horrid cramps in my calf. Yes, a BOOT. Why, I ask, do I need this beastly thing when I have been healing properly with what I had been doing. Because there is a possibility that I would step on a dust mote and re-break it. Because it makes hunny feel better. Because that crazy lady that I love so much got to laugh and think loudly that she told me so. Because I have to try to do things the right way once in a while.
But yeah, It's broken.

Internet and laziness

Since the past week has been made up of almost no Internet access I will have a few posts to put up soon. Hopefully within a couple of days. The topics are as follows... Foot, and how it's broken. The Presents I Loved. The *NOT* a sock. The Scarf Debacle and how it looked when over. Requested creations. Projects to come.
Yes there are a few pictures to go with these random seeming titles. I am also hoping to put together something I call "stitch patterns and their applications. I want to do an instructional series of posts on what you can use the basic stitches for and projects for practice. First up will likely be the garter stitch dish scrubber and a few variations thereof.
The house got re-arranged and I might be able to get to some of the million and one sewing projects that have been backing up. For now, I am just glad to be able to look at Ravelry and read the things that have been going on in everybody elses lives. More after I get some sleep.

What was I saying?

20 minutes ago I find out that I need to have 8 scarves made by 3:00 monday. Wish me luck and if I make it I will take pictures.
**edit: total is nine. 1 1/2 finished.**

Help?

I was gifted a sheep in a bag and I need to find some resources on how to clean and card wool. If any of you fine souls has a few links for me I would appreciate them greatly. I really want to play with it and see if I can teach myself how to use a drop spindle. Such a purty color. (=***

Attack Of the Monkeys!

Yesterday was the day of the MONKEYS. The day started with a plan. I planned to finish one thing that I had been working on for a couple of days so as to have it ready to give as a christmas present. Instead of doing that I made a pair of slipper socks, because I realized that I had worn a hole in the bottom of one of the last set.

Then I decided to start putting together a different present, a book that I am making for a dear friend. She knows about it so I can safely post without spoiling it. I got the pages cut, folded, marked punched and sewn together and got the outside of the covers finished...Then I put it down because the next step involves picking a button. Hard thing that.
Not long after that the final package from My pal arrived. Val, It was awesome. The adorable kitten was *immediately* absconded with and she slept with it last night.

I was insanely tempted to make things with the Yarn in this box. he hand spun, hand dyed alpaca merino is the most beeeeeeautiful shade of blue. So pretty it almost hurts my eyes to look at. And sooooft. But the *3* skeins of bamboo were nearly in bed with me last night. Outside cashmere I don't think I have held anything so pettable and squooshable.

There is a little kit to knit a little sheep...I maight just have to do this because, though she didn't know it, I was once associated with a local group that contains a few Scotsmen.Many jokes and good memories. (I wonder if I could dye the wool green?)

Then to the heart of the matter. COFFEE and a mug and an awesome cup cozy! The mug, while not entirely in my taste range (though very cool for a holiday theme), will definately be kept for my mother to use. She is over for coffee often and appreciates a good mug. I don't know if I will be sharing the three coffee sample sizes though. I might have to hide them. The mug cozy is happily being used on my all time favorite coffee mug, a jelly jar mug.

After the Joy was had at the opening of a *super* present I went on to work on 4 other things I am working on for various people that i can't put pictures up of yet.In between all this there was a phone call from the school we have been trying to get the Creature into. She will be starting in january and I can't tell her yet because she will get MAJORLY excited and ask fifteen million times a day if school is tomorrow. Then I *knit* this thing that I will choose to call a trivet. I will be felting it today to see if it does what I want it to. The colors kind of remind me of chocolate mint icecream...I think I'll keep it, maybe, if it turns out how I think.

While doing this I was thinking about some of the other crafts that I should be working on and putting up on etsy. Being all kinds of happy because of the 3 orders I have mailed out. Yippee.

Then there was the making of dinner. I decided to make Chicken cordon bleu and scalloped potatos, from scratch. So I did. And The Creature was a *big* help. I let her layer the potato slices in the pan while I was prepping the chicken and she did a wonderful job. After this there was the brushing of the teeth and the stories (she reads me bedtime stories now) and the *many* songs till she passed out.

Cleaning up dinner and trying to find the happy relaxed place before I go to sleep, I finally got some more work done on the thing I started my day wanting to work on. Now I am only a few rows from finished....Think I can finish it today without the monkeys in my head spoiling it?

Look ma, No hives.

So for the first time this week I didn't wake up with something swollen and itchy. I might be actually recovering. Due to this and the making of several last minute present things there will not be an update to my store until friday night at the earliest. I will have a few "new things as well as a couple more Ear hats going up. Yayayayayayayay. My first sale happened. I am so thrilled to think that something I made will be going to someone else as a present. Kinda feel like I got a present too. I might have more "content" later but right now I am just reveling in the fact that I can type without hurting.

Just a few words.

I will not be putting up more stuff on my etsy site till I am finished with this current medical issue.
HIVES suck! I am now officially allergic to shellfish. Waking up covered from head to foot with hives is NOT the way to start a good week. I'll post more when the backs of my hands aren't covered with spots.

Rambling and whining.

So, if I whine and say "It's not fair" enough, will the Goblin King come and take *me* away to the Escher castle?

FUZZY purple (almost raspberry) hat for Mom... To go with the scarf that I was too lazy to get a picture of.

No, that is not the toe of a sock! It is an experiment in dollhouse furniture. No, I do not have the other sock on a second set of needles. It is a knot I am trying to untangle.

But seriously, you can't really consider something made with double strands of acrylic worsted weight on size 8 dpns with a total of 36 stitches per round to be a sock. More of an experiment in trying to figure out why people would spend *weeks* making socks. As an *instant gratification* type I tend toward quick crochet projects, but I had to try it out... Might be something to try again in a few years. I'll let ya'll know *if* I finish them.

Next post will be more pictures than I should post... Be warned.

Update and more.

Etsy store updated again... (pimping myself, I have no shame.) http://mystarfalling.etsy.com
I will be putting up pictures of my small creature "helping" with T-day and might even have one of the lost tooth grin. If I have a brain I will try to get up some pictures of what I am actually working on. The sock had to die but everything else (and more) is still in progress. I might actually get near my sewing machine this afternoon to make that thing for my pal...Bad me. Hoping she won't be mad at me for being horribly late due to MESS. I can crochet because I keep my yarn next to my desk in my room...Sewing is a trial. There are also some serious issues going on with hunny's work and some people that I have recently met. Grumble. There are reasons I don't leave the house much.
A huge and public THANK YOU to lalabob for making that thing and is there some way I can pay you back?
More when the brain is better caffienated.

Urp, scuse me...

Yeah, I'm thankful. Whats it to ya.
Some of the things that make it so I can wake up and not go maniacally homicidal.
My Daughter... For every day she gives me one smile.
My Mother... For only saying "I told you so" once in a while.
My Husband... Glad I didn't settle for second best and glad that when the best came around I knew what to do. And his mom for being just a little NUTS. (=
My Brother (and his wife)... He's off doing his duty to keep us all free, and I am jealous cause he gets to be in Germany for a year.
My Uncle and Auncle... For just being the coolest.
My house... Pit though it may be some days, it is still mine.
*My pretty pretty stove*... Gas and black enamel. Loverly, and it does what I tell it to.
*My laundry machines*... Never realized how much I appreciate them till I had to do a months laundry at $1.50 to wash and dry a single load.
*My sewing machines*... I can't hand sew worth a darn, pun intended.
My town... I may hate it with a passion sometimes but the fact that there is no random gunfire and a low rate of homicide makes it home.
My Friend(s)... The one that has listened to the "mack truck make-out" whine. The new ones that are becoming more and more worth my time. The ones that I spend *hours* a day reading about on-line.
My Yarn obsession... I really would be in the nut house if I didn't fondle the fiber. It is my method of mental relaxation since I don't drink more than a couple single drinks a year and drugs are way too distracting and expensive. Can't have things taking my attention from the yarn, I mean child and housework.
My new favorite doctor... She READ MY FILE before offering me random prescriptions to fix me. Whee, all for doctors that can read.
COFFEE, COFFEE, COFFEE.
I am thankful for so many little things as well as the big ones that I am surprised I don't explode from thankfulness, Oh wait... That's the turkey.

Ambitious much...

Announcement 1... I just put up a few more things on my Etsy page. Please go look. http://Mystarfalling.etsy.com


Announcement 2... Ha, pictures.

A crocheted twisted cable scarf that I have been working on. Loverly wool. Hoping to felt it a bit once it is finished to tighten up the cables. Done with front and back post double crochet. If you want me to lay out the "pattern" let me know.

A cotton dish scrubbie that I have been designing also with front/back post doubles. I will be typing this up for the benefit of the "cloth crew" within a week-ish.

A huge scarf that I started last night to use some cotton that had been yelling at me. The first section is solid black held together with grey. The second section is a variegated with the grey and the third section will be white. I have about decided that it will go to someone special that lives with "Shades of Grey" which is what I have decided to call this.

Uh, so I am trying to not let the sock kill me. I am stuck in the middle of the heel for now but when it is done I will have warm tootsies. Using baby yarn so as to not KILL the beautiful Opal that My pal sent me recently. Practice...

And the knitting. Working on a 1x1 ribbed scarf in grey wool for hunny. I am about half way done with it.
On top of all this I am heading towards the cleaning of the craft table because I HAVE to get in there withing the week to make my DS pal her pressies. I have the plan, I have the materials and tools I just don't have the clear space in front of my sewing machine. Small creature sometimes gets her craft on at my table and forgets to clean it up...The pile ensues.
More soon, I hope.

New pattern coming soon...and stuff.

So, I am working out issues with a skein of cotton and front and back post double crochet. I made a couple of dish scrubbies in junk acrylic and found one that works really nicely. Now I am trying a variation on the theme with cotton cause I had it on hand...I was going to make a bath puff for hunny but that didn't work out so well. I am going to put up a picture or three and the text of the pattern once it is done.
Now the "stuff"
Tonight will be the second meeting of a local group of fiber enthusiasts. I will be bringing my works in progress and enough other stuff to demonstrate with. Those that are coming should bring their projects and questions. Once things have gotten going we can discuss what I will need to post for edification.
Mouse still on the loose but hopefully not for long.
Two packages will be going out today... One to my downstream pal and one to my***upstream*** pal. I found out that my upstream pal has been having difficulty getting any communication from her upstream and feel like sending her a hug. The person ignoring her should have more *&$%#^@& care for the obligations. I have been happily spoiled by someone that has been given next to no reason to play her part. I truly am blessed by that. (and even if I had guessed who she was, I would keep my mouth shut...) Hopefully, she will read this and know how much I appreciate her efforts.
MORE STUFF...
Why do I seem to be running out of yarn? I have yarn....really. I just can't seem to figure out what it wants to be right now. I guess there will be more Watchum Pockets coming than I had thought....Soon I will be down to the *good* stuff and then I will suffer. The nagging feeling that I should be making something "better" with the yarn.
OK, done with my whining for now.

AAAAAAARGH!

I want to find the hole that they are coming in and plug it! This time there was a mousie in my pantry. Luckily I had already used the stuff that was important to make things for pal type people but the little beastie ATE my last bag of reeses peanut butter chips, ALL of my daughters favorite oatmeal and my bags of easy cook pasta with sauce. So, I had to throw away money and clean out the cabinets on top of having to set traps. I hate having to set traps. I hate having furry invaders.
Oh, yeah. There is supposed to be some fiber content to my rantings. Working on... Heather grey k1p1 rib scarf for hunny, who has finally succumbed to my griping about him not wearing a scarf. Scarf for (might be me, might be my mom...We'll see when it's done) in a twisted
quasi-cable pattern that I am improv-ing from front post and back post double crochet. Watchum Pockets from random acrylics to be added to the storefront. Finishings on other things to go there too...Bags with buttons and such.
Other than being too busy cleaning up mouse poo to take decent pictures, That's the life and times of me for now....Wait though, the weather might change.