The end of 09

I know people are thankful that this year is over or that it was a really bad year for some. For me it depends on how you look at it. To dwell on the negative yes it has been a crappy year but how I really look at it is even though there were bad times, we end this year all healthy warm and fed. We have a new year ahead with new possibilities.

I was looking over my little blog and I want to change somethings. Blogging more is always a good idea = ) I would also like to actually blog what I am doing. I made many things that never made it to the blog and since this is also a journal of what I have made well that doesn't work out too well now does it.

I also want to be more positive in everything. Yes there are things that have happened to me that really suck but to be negative about it really doesn't help much. Now that doesn't mean that I will not give into an occasional cry or pity party - those emotions need to come out and do not make one weak. Keeping things bottled up does not help anyone.

I also want to use more of what I have. The whole "cold sheeping" as it is called over at Ravelry. I did use or give away (to hubby's aunt) a good amount of yarn and have a lot more space but I still have a lot more to go. I am not totally ruling out buying but I want to use what I have first and only if i do not have anything then I may buy.

Which leads right into exactly how much did I use in 09. Well in yarn it was 19,575 yards which is a lot - problem is I bought 11,093 yards. So actually minus is actually 8,482 yards. Thankfully it is a negative amount.

I also used 1,137 yards of my handspun. I made 2,727 yards of handspun and reduced my fiber amount to 103 oz.

For kicks I kept track of how much fabric I used 33.5 yards. Mostly quilts were made. For an update I never got to finish the last two quilts. My machine broke and will cost more to fix then buy a new one. I had that machine for over 9 years. I got a lot of use out of it. I asked for a new one for my birthday. fingers crossed.

So to everyone out there - Have A Happy Healthy New Year!!!

Code-Man quilt

Skywalker's quilt

Made from his outgrown shirts that he loved

Boodee's

Yes I made it

4:30 I finished the last of my three kids quilts. About half an hour
ago I finished my stepsons. He should be here any second. I had about
three seconds to take really bad iPhone pictures. This is drama's and
was the one that has been done for about two months. Oh he is here
rest in a few minutes

8:30 christmas eve

Good news - I do not need to have 2 quilts done until after Christmas. So 4 need to be ready by tomorrow morning. 1 of those 4 is the finished one so that leaves 3 to be finished and the good news on that is all that is needed is the binding sewn on. The bad part of that is that for me is the slowest part. I see lots of coffee or soda in my future. I can do this I can do this I can do this.......

Update

Okay it is almost midnight and I have made some progress.
Quilt a is still done
Quilt b still needs the binding finished
Quilt c, d, and e are put together and basted. Just needs quilting and
binding

That's the good news. Bad news is I forgot one. There is a quilt f.
Top is about 80 percent done. The best part of all of this is I came
up with this great idea of making quilts back in May. So why did I
wait till now?

Break over back to work.

Sent from my iPhone

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Ok it is 2 days to Christmas. Knitting is 99% done. Sewing not even
close. I need 5 quilts done. 1 is done, 1 just needs the binding sewn
on, 1 top is done, 1 top half done and 1 isn't even started! Can I do
it? Better yet can my sewing machine handle it? Wish me luck! : )

Sent from my iPhone

20-24 inches

Is a lot of snow. The picture of our snow loving dog is in the front
yard. The wind knocked the snow down to about 16 inches. Later on we
all were in the back yard were Snick was having so much fun. She tried
to chase the kids but well the snow was to deep. After a step or two
they would fall. One drift in the backyard was to my hip and well I am
almost five ten people. This was snow like I had when I was a kid. We
had lots of fun. It was really really cold so we wer only out for
about 10 minutes before the kiddies were getting cold. Falling every
step didn't help. ( I say 24 inches The news channels were saying
either 20 or 24 for our area depending on which I was watching). : )

Call me Lemming

Now a while ago I saw a pattern for the cutest slippers I have seen. Thought about it but put it aside because it was the middle of the summer. Now the Yarn Harlot is blogging about them and knitters all over the place are making them. I wanted them then and I want them now. So I did it, bought the pattern, I have the yarn I want them. Now I have to finish gift knitting first but boy it is going to be hard. The pattern is French Press Felted Slippers - Ravelry Link. Non Ravelry link here.

Aren't they adorable!
= )

Are you blogging? He asked

Sure Code-man hold still. What is on his head is part of his Christmas
gift. Yes he knows about it because he dyed the yarn for it. I will
have better pictures when it is done. He was busy killing zombies with
Hubby to really pose. : )

The Sun is out!!!

Not sure for how long. There were clouds in the sky and our forecast for the past few days was mostly sunny and we were cloudy. Now it is calling for mostly sunny. I take any sun at this point.

So here is the Secret Project. Scowl by Samantha Roshak - That is the Rav link. Non Ravelry link here


(close up)

The construction is different and that is a good thing. Honestly I do not like knitting scarves but this one kept my attention.I could watch tv and knit away. It would have been completed in way less time but well mean old RA decided to flare on me as I was just starting this. I did finish by the deadline so there RA!


(Drama wearing it like a scarf)

The Scowl is a scarf and cowl in one. Add a pin and ta da cowl!


(Boodee wearing it as a cowl)

I think it is a great idea. I like long scarves but they get in the way more often then not. So as a short scarf it is a nice length to wrap around and as a cowl it is wonderful.

Pattern details: Yarn is Artyarns Ultra Merino 4 (it is a sportweight yarn) I used a full skein plus about 25 yards from the second
Needles: 3 sets of size 4 (yes 3 sets, It can be a little clumsy in the beginning but really is is easy)

I really liked knitting this and in fact I want to knit another one.

So there is the secret knitting. I am currently working on a pair of socks. Which is surprising since I have not knitted a sock in about 6 months! It was kinda funny when I was at the point to turn a heel and instead of turn it I added a short row heal! Yeah it was kinda funny looking. I of course didn't notice until I was almost done with the gusset decreases. I actually had to look up how to turn a heel! Of course as soon as I saw the pictures I was all DUH! I couldn't believe I forgot. Oh well. Sock 1 is almost finished and I can not show you because well the socks are a Christmas present. I will have something else to show soon.

=)

It is like she knows

That something is wrong. She has been more my shadow then normal. She
does this really cute thing of resting her head on me like she saying
I here for you. I know this my sound strange to some but for someone
who has always had animals around, there is a connection that is
there. Snick is always watching over me it seems and lately even more
so.
Oh and pictures are coming I promise. I am just waiting for some
freaking sunlight. I have tried flash and well ew comes to mind. : )

Yeah..

I know it has been 11 days with no posting and believe it or not I feel bad about it. I do have reasons and updates.

Gift making has been going steady and I have made progress. So much so that I even gifted one gift. Plus I totally forgot to take pictures. I will hopefully remember. (or Mom wanna take a picture for me? )

Thanksgiving was great! My Mom came down here to Long Island for Thanksgiving and stayed overnight. She is the best and I miss her very much.

Os-Karina decided she wanted to be like Nemo. Woke up to the filter making weird noises and hardly any water coming out. Oscars are curious and well if you have seen the movie.... The thing I can not figure out is how a fish that big made 2 90 degree turns and went through a very small opening. Hubby had to take care of that cleaning job.

My girls did something that I am very proud of. They both wanted their hair cut and have been annoying me, i mean asking me, about it for a few weeks. Well friday was the day (and my mom was here). Over 14 inches of their hair is now gone. Why so much? Part of the reason is the wanted to give it to little girls who do not have hair. 2 Ponytails of hair will be going to Locks Of Love. I am very proud of them for this. I told them about Locks of Love (I have donated in the past) and that was all they needed. They actually asked because we were watching a re run of Extreme Makeover House Edition and they did a little fundraiser of hair in the episode. They asked, I explained and thinking back that is when they really wanted to get their hair cut. I am one Proud Mama.

Okay here is the reason part of this post. I wasn't even sure I was going to post this. Some of you know I have RA. I was in remission for almost a year. Notice past tense. About 2 weeks ago I noticed some signs of a flare starting and well promptly ignored them. Denial baby! Well it got to a point were it could not be ignored. So I found a new RA doctor (my old one decided to move to be closer to her family) and I am testing away. This is not fun people. Personally I hate it. I almost forgot I had it, with hope that it would never come back. I am a little down about it but I am trying to be cheerful as much as I can. Funny one of the first things I thought about was that the flaring was going to mess with my gift making.

So to the family out there, Your gift may be a little late. Think of it as spreading Christmas out longer = )

=)

Yes I know no pictures. They are coming as soon as the battery charges.