Centeral Park Hoodie...

Is DONE!!!

Actually its been done for about a week...

There are some things that on the 'next' one I will do differently... (pattern tweeking...) but not much... add a little but more length, and add a bit more length in the hood... but it is super warm (yay for wool-ease 70 poly - 30 wool) and super comfy...

On another note the Renaissance Pleasure Faire starts on April 5th at Santa Fe Dam, in Irwindale CA... I'll be there teaching spinning, some knitting... and generally inflicting my form of fiber maddness on all that I met...

Soul Searching... ala light

You Are a Visionary Soul You are a curious person, always in a state of awareness.
Connected to all things spiritual, you are very connected to your soul.
You are wise and bright: able to reason and be reasonable.
Occasionally, you get quite depressed and have dark feelings.

You have great vision and can be very insightful.
In fact, you are often profound in a way that surprises yourself.
Visionary souls like you can be the best type of friend.
You are intuitive, understanding, sympathetic, and a good healer.

Souls you are most compatible with: Old Soul and Peacemaker Soul

what kind of soul are you quiz

cph

So... I had hoped to have the Central Park Hoodie done by the 25th... ha ha ha... it was close... had the back done, the right and left front done, and one of sleeves done... and said... hmm I think I need to try this on... toooooooooooooooooooo small... actually not tooooooooo toooooooo small, and I probably could have worn it the way it was, but yea... too small... so I've ripped it out ... again... and have cast on the back... again...

On another front... I will be at the Dickens Festival in Riverside Calif (depending on the weather) on Saturday and Sunday... working with 'no idle hands' with my spinning wheel, cards, and wool!

No it isn't

A friend of mine... decided that it was time to try to check out... whoever / whatever you believe in said no its not...

Right now I am angry at her... I understand the feeling but... getting attention that way is not the right way...

Suicide is Painless

(Theme from M*A*S*H*)

Through early morning fog I see,
Visions of the things to be,
The pains that are withheld for me,
I realize and I can see...

[REFRAIN]:

That suicide is painless.

It brings on many changes.

And I can take or leave it if I please.

I try to find a way to make,
All our little joys relate,
Without that ever-present hate,
But now I know that it's too late, and...

[REFRAIN]

The game of life is hard to play,
I'm gonna lose it anyway.
The losing card I'll someday lay,
So this is all I have to say.

[REFRAIN]

The only way to win is cheat,
And lay it down before I'm beat,
And to another give my seat,
For that's the only painless feat.

[REFRAIN]

The sword of time will pierce our skins.
It doesn't hurt when it begins.
But as it works its way on in,
The pain grows stronger...watch it grin, but...

[REFRAIN]

A brave man once requested me,
to answer questions that are key.
Is it to be or not to be?
And I replied 'Oh why ask me?'

[REFRAIN]

'Cause suicide is painless.

It brings on many changes.

And I can take or leave it if I please.

...And you can do the same thing if you choose.

Harp Music!

A few days ago, an artist on one of the groups that I belong to put up a blurb asking for 'reviewers' for his harp cd... I said that I would take a listen, and put something up on my meanderings...

The cd is In Faerie by Harpsidhe ... I was / am happily impressed... I haven't listened to alot of harp music, even tho I have Margaret Rose... the harp that was gifted to me by a fellow harpist... I find the music very relaxing, and my fingers want to find the strings and pluck along... Please give a listen to his snippets, and support him!

Production knitting...

I have a greater admiration for those who can do production knitting... I have found that I cannot... sigh...

And by production I mean sitting for hours and hours and hours and just knitting... I did that to my self this past weekend, working on the cph sweater, and on a pair of slipper sox I had been commissioned to do...

I found out that the 1st sleeve of the cph sweater was way off measurement wise, so I jumped into the frog pond and ripped back to where the 1st error was... put that part back onto the circular needle and continued working on the matching sleeve... I had already started the 2nd sleeve, and finished it yesterday... and hurray for being able to 'tweak' the pattern just a hair to fit me... and re-did the sleeve... after binding off that sleeve, I went back to the 1st sleeve, and have gotten to the 1st increase / cable...

I also finished the slipper sox for my building mate, remembered that I can do a sock (short 10 row cuff) in about 5 - 6 hours... I have done a pair of socks in 12 hours... working moderately non-stop, and again remember why my hands hurt so much after doing that!

Today... I swear on my bag o' knitting and my new magazines (spin-off and hand knits) that I will not touch the needles - except to put them away for a day or two or maybe even three!

Hurray for templates...

So... I've been working on the cph sweater... and have the back, and the left and right front done... I thought I had a sleeve done, but something just didn't feel right... I looked at the template, and the measurements... and yeppers... the sleeve is unhappy... sigh... so I've started the '2nd' sleeve, which will actually be the 1st sleeve, and will jump into the frog-pond and go rippity rippity and rip out the other one... not completely, just to where it's 'right'... (only 90% rip out instead of 100... as if that is any consolation!

mommie soup... and cph progress...

Well...

This weekend... I got the call for 'mommie soup... and gathered up the ingredients for said animal for my sick girlies who are vegetarian... (If you wanted you could use a ham bone... left over chicken, what ever meat you wanted... )

1 pkg of multi-bean soup... 15 bean soup is grand, just don't use the seasoning packet
1 32 oz vegetable broth (I used the Swanson's broth, in a box...)
1 c rice
1 c barley
1 c split peas
1 pkg lentils

serves 6 with leftovers

I did the quick cook method for the beans...

bring the beans to a hard boil, and boil for 2 minutes... cover the pan, turn off the heat, and let it sit for an hour... dump the beans into a colander and rinse the beans well then place them back in the pot...

add the vegetable broth, then using the box, fill it with water and add that to the pot... 64 oz of fluid.

I seasoned with a bit of salt, pepper, thyme, saffron, curry, chili pepper flakes... you can add what every your heart desires...

bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally, then turn the heat down to medium low... and simmer for about an hour... adding water or more broth as needed...

add the rice, barley and lentels, and 3 more cups of water.

you will have a very thick hearty 'stoup' with enough leftover for freezing for later!

The other thing that I did was gather up yarns that have languished in my stash for way too long, and took them, and various other notions that I was gifted with a couple of weeks ago, to a friend who lives in Tustin... Hurray for de-stashing... (a little anyway - makes room for more... ) and spent the afternoon and evening watching videos, and knitting on the central park hoodie... I now have the back done, both the right front and left front done, and am about 90% done with one of the sleeves... I have enough yarn to do the other sleeve, and then I have to go to a shop such as Michaels... (somewhere that carries Lionbrand woolease) to get 2 more skeins... I know that the odds of finding skeins of the same dyelot are a gazillion to one... so I will settle for a different dye lot... but it will be fine! I think I will be finished with this by the 25th... maybe earlier!!!

A little of this... a little of that...

First off... Happy New Year!!!


I have finished the back, and the left side of the the CPH... and am about 1/3 of the way through the right side... and will post a pix 'later'...

For the holiday I gave my building mate a pair of slipper sox... on Monday (as we both had work to do) she said... could you please make me a 2nd pair of slipper sox so I have a pair for here and a pair for at home... I'll pay you... So... tonight I am off to a lys to get some yarn to make another pair of slipper sox!

Central park hoodie... (or what have I gotten myself into)

Well... after fits and starts, and more fits and starts I have a decent beginning (for me anyway) on the sweater... The pattern called for 4 inches of ribbing... being one to 'tweek' patterns, I've done 3 1/2 inches... and I have about 3 1/2 inches of the cable patterning... I'm usually not one for doing sweaters... I've knitted 2 others... but I get bored with the knitting after a time and it becomes drudgery... when will it ever end?????? Something that I am liking about this pattern is that there is cable work... and I have to keep track of where I am in the cable pattern...

on the needle part the 2nd...

I had to take a break in knitting the sweater... so that I could finish the slipper sox... they came out great... and my building mate made all the appropriate ooooooohs and ahhhhhhhhs... :-)

They are made from Lionbrand woolease, worsted weight... I cast on 40 stitches on size 8 dpn's.

The thing that I like about woolease... its washable... throw it in the washer... in the dryer... put them back on!!!

Knitting On

Well... its been a while... after working at Northern, I pretty much put down the needles... the hooks, and the spindles... pretty much just didn't want to do anything... I did go to Riverside Artwalk in November, and spent a few hours demonstrating spinning with a friend... but other than that... zip... until Dec. 8th...

I had a guild meeting for a group that does the Riverside Dickens Fair and decided to take some yarn with me... just because... and started these fingerless gloves... in a golden brown... and then finished them the next day at a non-guild meeting / brunch...

When I started knitting on the gloves I again realized how much I like to knit... an have spent the last several days finding patterns for things like scarves based on Orenberg patterns sweaters... more gloves... socks, socks and more socks...

On the needles currently are...

a pair of slipper socks for my building mate her part of the office is always cold... has tile flooring, and no rugs...

a cardigan style sweater from interweaveknits, the Central Park Hoodie (go to project 13)

and various other surprised for the Adult child who is moving to Michigan next month!

Local Yarn Shoppe...

For the past 5 weekends I've been working up at Northern Faire... at my own Local Yarn Shop... selling yarn, drop spindles, knitting needles and fiber for spinning... The yarns and fiber that I've been selling are from Royalehare.This is the last weekend for faire, and sales... and its been grand fun, but I don't think I am going to give up my day job for it... However, I think that I will be up for doing it again at the Southern Faire!

Friends

I have incredible friends...

I have awesome friends...

I have ... friends.

Some time back one of my friends bought new bicycles... she had an 'older' 18 speed mountain style bike... 'hey Margie, I have this bike that I'm not going to use... it has a slow leak but...

Monday I heard thru the grapevine that the transit system I use on a daily basis may be going on strike... I can understand why the drivers want to strike... I went to my friend and said... If the offer still stands for the bike, I'll take it... we got some stop leak stuff, pumped the tires... and rode the bike to work yesterday morning... almost 8 miles... in an hour... good exercise!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday morning I also got a call from another friend of mine... "I can't take both cars, and I have been blessed beyond measure... I want to pass on the blessings... would you take the volvo... I now have a 1988 volvo wagon I am blessed... beyond measure!

New Pix!!!

I've been learning more and more about my camera... the endish of December, beginning of January, I bought myself a Canon a540 digital camera... which goes with me most everywhere... some of my pix can be seen here...

Life has been life... good, bad, up, down... I'm working at Northern Renaissance Faire again and info for it can be found at this site.

Knitting projects... Lots and lots of socks have been done, including a pair for one of my guild mistresses... I had avoided doing much of anything for her as lots of folks will 'do' for her in the hopes of being 'noticed... and gaining favor... ' I had found some yarn from royalehare that looked like something that she would like... and asked her if I could make some socks for her... she said yes... and was happy to get the socks!

I'm still working at the scale... and am feeling very comfortable with the job that I do... and 'o.k.' with my 'anal-ness' as far as things being 'right'...

The Arch Angel

www.okcupid.com/tests/take

You scored 25 alien-ness, 65 mythical-ness, 42 angelic-ness, and 34 regal-ness!

Arch Angel, there are few who will make it to this catagory. As an Arch Angel you had the power to create and destroy anything anywhere in the universe, you answered prayers, took lives, brought the sun or the rain. It's a bit of a come down to be on the earth in human form. Why are you here? Is is to prove yourself after some disobedience or to accomplish some great and serious mission? You need to figure that out. At your best you were just, gentle, wise and majestic. At your worst you were arrogant, biased, destructive and oblivious. With love your fellow man and animal alike you can achieve miraculous things this lifetime. You just have tofgure out exactly what!

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 99% on alien-ness

You scored higher than 99% on mythical-ness

You scored higher than 99% on angelic-ness

You scored higher than 99% on regal-ness

Back in December I bought myself a digital camera... and I've been having lots and lots of fun using it...

Here is a link to the pix... I'll be adding more albums as time goes...

pix

Musings

Well...

It has been a while!!!

Lets see...

Faire started and I turned 55 in April... so far its be a grand faire... I am not "working" working... at faire... I 'work' with my guild... but this year ... for the first time in many years I am not working at a job job there! The only thing that I "have" to do is guild stuff... like sitting with my spinning wheel... or my Inkle Loom... or... walking in a parade!!!

Other things in my life...

I was gifted a gift that left me blathering... a friend gave me a Celtic lap harp... 25 strings... I can play... Mary had a little lamb... but have aspirations to play more...

May 2nd was my 1 year 'jobiversary' (as my daughter put it)... I made a year here at the scale... and I still am liking the job... its great 95% of the time... yes I have the drivers who I wonder how they got their liscenses... (can they read at all... can they see the exit sign... ) and the ones who getting information from them is interesting at best... but... I'm not dreading coming to work which is an important factor in any job!

Today... I had an aha moment! Being an obsessive knitter I tend to knit things that catch my eye... but... I've avoided toe-up socks, as I didn't want to do the heels... and tube socks just aren't my thing!! However... today in reading Wendy knits she had a link for a pair of socks that are done toe-up... and I could 'see' how it was done!!!

Your Life Path Number is 8

Your purpose in life is to help others succeed You are both a natural leader and a natural success. You are also a great judge of character. You have a head for business and finance. You know how to make money. A great visionary, you can see gold where other people see nothing. In love, you are very generous - with gifts, time, and guidance. You love to inspire people, but it can be frustrating when they don't understand your vision. Great success comes easily for you. But so does great failure, as you are very reckless. You are confident, and sometimes this confidence borders on arrogance.

What Is Your Life Path Number?

projects...

In February, I participated at the Dickens Festival, in Riverside, CA... a friend of mine had some beautiful bright yarn that she called "Rose Garden" that she had spun and dyed... I saw the yarn, and saw a pair of socks... These are the socks!! They were great fun to do, and I had several friends watching the progress as they 'grew'...

My next projects are...
a) a pair of gloves in handspun Merino, and
b) finishing a pair of California Mutant Red, and
c) a pair of socks from this pattern... probably in a burgandy (but I'm not sure yet...)

Work has been... work... I am still loving the job, after 10 1/2 months, and for the most part (97% of the time) it is great!

I am also gearing up for Faire this year again at Irwindale... We open April 7th at Santa Fe Dam... I will be demonstrating spinning with my guild, St. Cuthberts, and playing some with the mongers... I'm going to be the garlic lady...