Relaxing Sunday Morning

This past Sunday morning I dropped off dd at church and then headed home to a nice quiet house. Hubby had gone to his parent's house to help his nephew work on a truck, so I got some much need alone time to work on some hand-mades.

But alone time is pretty rare here and after a short bit I decided I needed a buddy to share the quiet with...

 

This little guy is named Cloud (it was storming when dd named him and his siblings. They were named Cloud, Thunder and Lightening:). This one is smaller than his siblings as he got sick late this summer and stopped growing for a time. He's all better now and catching up in size pretty quick!!

Cloud doesn't like to sit still!! We aren't suppost to bring cats in the house since we are all allergic to them, but dd and I sometimes like to sneak one in now and then. This one is usually the one we bring in, but since he gets into EVERYTHING, he can only stay in for a short time!!

 

You can see how helpful he was trying to be. :-/

 



 

I was working on some knitting and some stitching. One of the stitched pieces is mostly covered up since it's for an exchange partner. I'm not sure if she checks my blog or not, so I don't want to give too much away. 

Hope you are able to carve some peaceful crafting time into your schedule too:)

A Little Knitting Progress

There has been lots of running dd to different activities this year!! But this gives me a bit of extra time to bring along my knitting. Actually I bring along my stitching too, but the knitting is usually what is calling my name (the gym doesn't call my name nearly loud enough!!!). Here is my progress so far...

 

I've been working along on the red scarf (I put the dark blue scarf away for now so I can focus on getting at least ONE of the projects done:), but am getting close enough to needing to switch out yarn balls that I started thinking that I didn't even know how to do that!! So I gathered some small scraps of yarn I have and started a washcloth. I knew I would need to change from one ball of yarn to another in the middle, so this made a perfect trial on something that wouldn't matter. I had also only ever cast-off on a small practice piece, so that was something else I needed to do. I think it turned out okay. You can't see it in the pictures, but I can tell where I switched out, it's not too bad, but I think I will practice with another wash cloth before I have to do it on the scarf. Oh, my, ANOTHER project. How will I ever live with myself?!?! :0)



The scarf is only around 3 feet long right now and I would like it around 6 feet, so I still have a ways to go, but the process is starting to feel more natural and I'm learning how to fix little problems without having to take out row after row, so that is helpful.

 

I had mentioned on the last knitting post that I had found a video showing how to hold the yarn in the left hand instead of the right, and someone had asked if I would post the video. I'm sorry I didn't get back with you sooner!! I can't find the exact video I watched, but have learned in the meantime that this form of knitting is called 'Continental Knitting' and you can Google that and get lots of videos!! I'm still not sure I'm holding the yarn exactly like that either, but it's pretty close. :0)

 

The weather has turned frigid around here this week, so I'm off to work some more on my scarf, because now I really need it!!

Learning Something New

I tend to be one that is never satisfied with the projects I already have started. I always want to know more, do more and keep learning new things. This can be a great thing, but I do tend to want to move on to the next thing before ever really mastering what I have going on at the moment. Take crochet for example. I'm completely self-taught, and I taught myself just enough to be able to make blankets and scarves and the very popular wash cloth (popular because they are quick and easy!!). I can do a couple different patterns and have learned how to read the very basics of the crochet 'language'. But that is as far as I've gotten. Quilting is the same way. 

And I plan to continue to do more crochet and quilting, hoping that in time I will be able to build my skill in both. I love to cross stitch and have picked up other types of embroidery as well. But there is one more handiwork that has escaped my ability that I have long wanted to learn. And that is to knit:) 

I have tried a time or two. I have made a square or two, but they all turned out wonky and the process felt very awkward. About a month ago I decided to give it another try. As I watched yet another You-Tube video, I noticed that the 'instructor' held the yarn with her left hand instead of her right. She had been a crochet-er before learning to knit just like myself and found it more natural to hold the yarn like when you crochet. Well this worked wonders for me!! I will say that my knitting technique doesn't look pretty, more like someone trying to stab their yarn to death, it is at least making it to where I'm slowly learning to enjoy knitting:)

Here's what I've accomplished so far...

 



What will (eventually) be a scarf along with some knitting based reading:)

And of course I couldn't leave it at just one knitting project!! This blue yarn will also be a scarf, but using the pattern pictured below. 

Hopefully I'll get at least one of these done before it gets cold out!!