Uncle Leona's Day Camp

Tick, tick, tick

The Ikea trip is upon me--by this evening, I should have my new storage system ready to go.

That's all assuming I find it. I have theories right now, but I need to see the stuff to see if it really works.

Stay tuned...

As promised, Cables after Whiskey

Sorry to be so tardy. Had to mow the lawn to keep up with the neighbors.

And up close, to see how incredibly nuts this pattern is:

One of my nurses today commented that the sweater looked like I was seriously drunk while knitting it. Must be doing it right, then. The yarn is the fuschia stuff I got a while back from Beaverslide Dry Goods. This is some awesome wool, let me tell you. Soft as a baby's bottom when it knits up, and the color is spectacular. I may just partake of this company's product again.

That is, if I can ever get the craft room organized. Right now, I'm gearing toward Tuesday for the Ikea run. I think.

Life is appearing to be good....perhaps it's the full moon

The knee got its first true test last evening. Yep, I headed out to the golf course. The orthopedist said it was OK, so who am I to argue? Especially when it's 71 degrees and sunny. Turns out a semi-bum knee is good for a golf game: I shot a 39, which is the best I've ever shot on this particular 9 holes. Best thing was how I felt this morning: fine. Yay!

The bummer for the evening was that some asshole decided to walk off with a friend's golf clubs and cart as it was sitting outside the clubhouse. Sorta put a damper on the whole round. We're figuring the bag was worth around $500 or $600. Not to mention the car keys that were in her bag as well. Hopefully, the clubs will turn up today as someone realizes they grabbed the wrong bag. That's the optimist in me; the realist in me says she's screwed.

Thanks to all on the lovely comments about the top and the kind words about my knee. You'll all be happy to know that I put down the linen and picked up the wool this week. My hands needed a break. I have several inches now done on the Cables after Whiskey sweater. Photos to be uploaded later once I'm home.

Yep. I'm posting at work. It's good to be the boss.

Ikea, I beg of you, look to the poor, unorganized knitters in Cleveland

This stash I have accumulated is getting WAY out of control.

Yep. It's time to break down and figure out how to efficiently store this stuff before it officially obliterates the floor. I've found some nifty stuff on the Ikea web site, but, of course, that company has failed to recognize that those of us in Ohio don't necessarily like to travel the turnpike into Western Pennsylvania. However, because their shipping tends toward the extravagant, I may need to make the journey.

Yes, I will be shopping. It'll be rough, but I'll manage.

The trick is to most efficiently use the space I have available, which is a corner of my sewing/craft room that currently houses a small curio shelving unit (also from Ikea) that can easily be transformed into a cookbook shelf in my kitchen, thus opening up kitchen counter space.

Damn, I'm turning into Martha Stewart. If I start talking about ironing pillowcases, shoot me.

Anyhow, I'm anxious to get this done, but my schedule, the yardwork, and my knee may just have to come first.

I said, "may."

My knee hurts, it's pouring, and did I mention my knee?

Golf season has officially hit stride; I'm injured. Problem is, I don't have any idea what I may have done. My right knee has been sore since playing 10 days ago, but I don't remember tweaking it at all. My best medical guess is that I was fighting my balance in the spongy grass we were playing in, and in doing so strained a knee ligament somehow. Now it's raining, pouring actually, and my knee is just that much more achy.

Yeah, I'm old. Shut up.

So now that my mobility is shaky, I've baked a pound cake for strawberries, I have a pork roast in the slow cooker, and I'll soon be whipping up some baked beans. Those who can, do; those who can't, eat.

I've also been plugging along on a spring sweater. It's my first attempt at knitting side-to-side--very odd to get used to, but I think it's going to be OK. The pattern is from Vermont Fiber Designs, who I personally give mad props to for their sizing. Unlike certain pattern designers who are convinced an extra large chest measures 38 inches, the company has patterns for chests all the way up into the 50ish inch range.

God bless those who support a real woman's boobage.

Anyhow, here's where I'm at right now:

I'm using Blossom, an acrylic/viscose/cotton blend from Reynolds. It's so wonderfully yummy to knit with. It also comes in a truckload of colors.

As for the last sweater I knit, it is getting some use:

I have also finished up one more quilt top in an attempt to find the sewing table:

Yes, it is really that bright. Used up some fabric, though.

I would like to take the opportunity at this time to announce that Wendy is evil. Evil, I tell you. If it weren't for her and her incessant "I heart Cathay" commentary, I would have never known that Debbie Bliss Cathay even existed. Then I wouldn't have looked for it on eBay. And I wouldn't wind up with this:

It does feel real purty, though....

a quiz that speaks the truth

Your Inner European is Irish!

Sprited and boisterous! You drink everyone under the table.

Actually, I'm thinking I'm more Scottish. Pass me another stout and I'll think it over...

All hail the completed UFO!

Yes, the Pearl Pullover is complete:

The seams are not my best work, but with this yarn, no one will ever be able to tell. Suffice it to say, I'm ready for a yarn with no slubs, slips, or splits. It does look pretty decent on my not-so-decent body, though. No, I'm not modeling. Even in cyberspace, there are some things better left unseen.

So, you get a photo of something better:

The sun quilt is still in need of quilting. I think I'm going to ask my Mom, the Quilting Diva, for some suggestions. I just don't need to turn it into something that's too frou-frou-esque. Thanks to all of you for your nice comments on the quilts, by the way. I do have more in the queue--maybe I'll get going on another one this weekend.

Until then, it's time to decide upon the next warm weather top...stay tuned...

I promise not to get cold feet and hop a bus to New Mexico.

Good riddance, April

Ah, May. The time of the year when the birds are chirping, the trees are coming to life, flowers are blooming...

...and there's a freakin' chance of snow AGAIN tomorrow!!!

I've had it. My skin's Lake Erie Death Pallor has never looked so white. And I'm supposed to start golf league on Wednesday. Ugh.

So, I've been my little needlecrafty self. The Southwest Symbols wallhanging is done and on my bedroom wall:

Now, I know it took a while to get it to this state, but it took until today to find the correct machine quilting foot for my sewing machine. Turns out that the wise ol' marketing gurus at Bernina have completely changed around the shape of their proprietary feet; old model machines like mine have been left wonting for old feet. But thankfully, I managed to find a foot that did the job. It's now looking forward to finishing up this beauty:

I still need to add one more round of borders, then it's time to quilt the living crap out of the thing. Like my handspun, I have no idea what I'm going to do with this thing. It matches nothing in my home. I may just throw it outside to pretend it's spring.

The Pearl pullover is in sleeve mode--one down, one to go. Good thing. The new stuff from Knit Picks arrived today.