Sunday, July 18, 2010

Just Another Week Around Here

Hard to believe it's been a week since I last posted my blog. We've stayed quite busy but I can't really tell you much of what we did because I don't think we did a lot. Michael seems to spend an awful lot of time tending his garden. And the tomatoes are producing. We had BLTs for dinner tonight. Our first ripe tomato! And it was delicious!! It was my first BLT in a couple years I believe. But bless his heart he's down there just whispering his little heart out to those jewels of tomatoes. There is nothing quite like a freshly picked, bright red tomato that sets our hearts aflutter. They have so much more flavor than store bought ones. Even the "on the vine" tomatoes that you pay an arm and a leg for can't hold a candle to home grown. I'm glad we tried one more year.

I got only 48 inches done on the charity afghan before I had to take it back to her. I felt bad that I couldn't finish it. Maybe if my attitude had been better early on, but it wasn't. But that just leaves her 20 inches to do on her own. And she was happy. I mean, she had thought that she had to knit the entire afghan by herself until we offered to help her out. But I do wish I had finished the panel I worked on.

I finished the scarf I was working on for my hair stylist's Christmas present. I think she will be really pleased. I used the light blue mohair yarn that came in all that yarn Charlene gave to our group. (I skimmed the good stuff for myself, before taking it down to the group. I know, shame on me, except that I think that's what Charlene intended for me to do. That was my understanding and I know that if it had been me, I would have wanted her to take all the yarn she needed before taking it to group.) Speaking of the group. We're just knitting our little hearts out. We've sort of moved beyond the helmet liners that everyone made for the Marines in Afghanistan. I think we got over 20 made up before people began dropping from the task. I admit I only knitted 1 liner. Others have knitted 2, 3, 4 or more. I felt I was lucky to get even 1 made as my heart wasn't in multiple liners. I mean, when Ani asked me to help with knitting the helmet liners I told her that I would knit one and so I lived up to my promise.

Then I began another scarf (good thing they make wonderful gifts!). I've had a ball of Palette "Iris Lavender" for over a year and I think I've finally found a use for it. The new book of 101 Designs for one-skein projects had a scarf in it that I thought would look really great for that yarn. So when I finished Linda's Christmas scarf I dug out my Palette yarn and went about making yet another scarf. Don't know who this one will be for. It's turning out really pretty although not as pretty as it would have been had I done it with the last of my mohair yarn. Only thing is that the yardage was way off. I'll need another full skein to finish it. According to the book, I should have been able to do the entire scarf using this one skein. I did change the weight and needle size so maybe that's what put it off. I should have had 50 yards left over after finishing the scarf according to their directions. But it isn't expensive yarn so I don't really mind. And I know there's no way a new skein would come from the same die lot as the old skein I've had for so long but I think if there's a difference I'll be able to live with it. LOL. So I broke down and placed a yarn order from KnitPicks. While I really only needed to order that one skein I couldn't resist the temptation to order more yarn for the other projects I've got lined up to knit. But they too are Christmas gifts so I try and justify my behavior with thoughts like "it's not for me!" Oh, I love to knit. Can you tell? LOL!!!

I sewed a few things last week. I got GD #1's placemat set half done now. And yesterday I sewed up another apron out of the left over fabric I had from her set. I don't think I'm going to give that one to her. I've already made her apron, it's the black one with hot pink pockets that she requested. So I'll use the last one as a gift for someone else.

I praise God that I have been able to make all these gifts for Christmas. I still have a ways to go before I have them all made but I've certainly made a significant dent in my lengthy list! God is so good. He gives me the talent, the time, and the money to do this. And the really neat thing about it is that he's provided for everything I make. What a great God we have!!!

It's been hot lately but not as hot as we got last year. Of course this year's heat isn't over with yet so we could still match (or top) last year's horrible high. So far 108 is as high as it's gotten this year.

I know this is short and I've done nothing but talk about knitting and sewing. Isn't it wonderful!! I think it's great that I'm so blessed and can share my blessings with you. For so many years I had no way to express myself. Now, thanks to God and my best friend Kathleen, I have things to do. I can be creative and express myself. I can do things that are fun. For the first time in my life I am really enjoying myself. So anyway, just me being me here for you and on that note I'll say goodnight until my next post. Good Night all.

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