Promise

I promised myself about a week ago that I would update this blog on the first of every month at the least.  An update on things I’ve been up to, projects I’m working on or have completed.

I’m emotionally and physically exhausted after the events of this weekend, but I’m keeping that promise.  I’m hoping that doing my best to keep things “normal” will help me to heal.  I will try to post later this week with my 15 FOs since my last post and other updates, but for now, I need to sleep.

If you are not aware, I live in Wichita, Kansas.  We had what can only be referred to as a domestic terrorist assassinate a local man this weekend.  A man who was well-known for his compassion, empathy, caring, and courage.  A man who believed in women’s autonomy, and reproductive freedom.  He is a martyr for his cause and will not be forgotten.

FOs

I’ve had a heck of a last few weeks, thus the lack of posting.  But I have finished a few projects recently and wanted to share them.

Two Tiramisu baby blankets in Dream in Color Groovy.  One is Chinatown Apple, the other is Strange Harvest.  I don’t like the frilly edge in the pattern so I just do sc, ch3, sc in each stitch around the edge.

I love the Groovy so I decided to make a Funky Sock Monkey for Pax using it.  I used the pattern from Blue Moon, just shortened the limbs and tail, but otherwise followed the pattern (with think yarn and bigger needles, obviously).  This was my first experience with afterthought “heels” and it was far easier than I’d expected.

His name is Jeffrey.

I made a neck-warmer for a friend of mine.  Pax is modeling it.  I used Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk Aran.

Then, a few baby hats.  All out of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran.  The first is Woolywormhead’s Baby Jester Hat.  The others are just simple stockinette caps.  I found the cute buttons at a local shop.

With all the hats I’ve been turning out, Larry was feeling a little left out.  So, I made him a Cunning Hat in just his size.

We have winners!!!

First, I want to thank, again, every single one of you who helped me with this task. Dylan will have a great birthday and I’ll be able to put a decent amount into his college fund as well. I am overwhelmed by the generosity I’ve seen these past few weeks and don’t really have words to express how grateful I am.

Thank you.

Now – the winners!!

I created a list of every person who entered and assigned a number to each entry. I went to Random.org and asked it to give me five integers between 1 and the final number.

(Just to prevent any confusion: I have emailed the winners. I don’t want to post last names, so if you think you may have won, please check your email or email me. I will link to blogs/Rav profiles with permission of the winners.)

The winner of the “BIG LOT” is: Mallory C.!!

The winner of the “SOCK LOT” is: Carol L.!!

The winner of the “OTHER LOT” is: Natalie V.!!

The two others who will get ESK Yarn Lotto Tickets are: Daphne M. and Anna S.!!

CONGRATULAIONS!!!!!

Drawing!

I will be drawing winners at 7pm CST!

Good luck to all of you, and thank you to each and every person who donated. You are all amazing, generous people.

Thank you!!

A Raffle for Dylan

Hi, everyone!

Updates:  1/21/2009, 1/31/2009, and 2/6/2009 - see below.

Just to recap what this raffle is for:

On September 30, 2008, my sister Luci died unexpectedly.  She was a single mom who was working hard to give her 4 year old son Dylan a good life.  With Luci gone, Dylan’s grandmother and her husband stepped up to take on the challenege (and blessing!) of raising this little boy.  He’s a great kid, but kids are expensive and his grandparents weren’t expecting this new full-time responsibility.  While they can cover his basic needs, and some of his wants, I want to do more for him.  His fifth birthday is coming up on Valentine’s Day.  Luci always said it was appropriate that he was born then – because he was the love of her life.  I want to get him something big for his birthday (like a membership for him and his grandparents to the Zoo, or the local science museum, plus something fun like a new bike).  I would also like to add something to his college fund. 

And that is where you come in.

As a single mama myself, most funds coming into my home are allocated (dang those student loans!).  But I have amassed a bit of a stash over the years – a stash that I will never get around to using.  So I’m giving it away to you.  Yes, YOU!  Well, maybe to you – but you can’t win if you don’t play!

I have a few new additions to add to the list since my last post. 

I got my hands on another skein of Wollmeise 100% Sock in Krauterbeet (click for photo).  That means that TWO people will win skeins of Wollmeise! 

I asked the ever-amazing Erin over at Eat.Sleep.Knit if she’d be willing to donate a couple of her Yarn Lotto Tickets to the raffle, because, really.  The only thing that makes opening a box of yarn any better than it already is would be scratching a Yarn Lotto ticket (and winning!).  Each lotto ticket gives the scratcher the chance of winning awesome prizes like credits to ESK, a free skein of Smooshy, and other stuff.  She gladly agreed to send a few and then went even further.  She has donated three skeins of sock yarn to the raffle.  Her two top sellers!  A skein of Malabrigo Sock in Indiecita and 2 skeins of Yarn Love Elizabeth Bennet in Bayfield Apple!  How awesome is she?   Even if you don’t participate in the raffle, next time you’re looking to place an order for really awesome hand-dyed yarns - PLEASE keep Eat.Sleep.Knit in mind.  They clearly have the best customer service on Earth.

I got lucky in the last Sundara update so each winner will get a skein of Sundara Sock in either a Seasons or Limited Edition color!!!!!!!  I don’t know what the colors will be yet, as I don’t have the yarn in hand.  It will likely ship separately (if international, at my cost) from the other winnings.  It should be expected to arrive to you around the end of March.

So, here are the specifics.

I will draw winners on February 7, which will give me a full week to shop for Dylan’s present.

Each entry is $5, payable through Paypal (button below) or email me at lynleeweber [at] yahoo [dot] com to get my mailing address if you prefer to send a check or money order. 

For every $20 donation, you get a free entry (instead of 4 entries per $20, you get 5).

If you donate via Paypal, I will get an email that has your contact information.  However, if you use another email address more regularly, please feel free to email me and let me know!  If you win, I want you to know right away!

If you donate, and then post a link on your blog or website, you will get an extra entry.  Please put this information on your Paypal comments, or email me at lynleeweber [at] yahoo [dot] com.  You will get one more entry for every 3 people who tell me in their Paypal comments that they read about the raffle on your blog so be sure to let them know!

I will draw a winner for the “big lot” first.  This is the grand prize, if you will.  I will then draw “runner-up” winners for the “sock lot” and then for “the other lot”.   Please see bottom of post for specifics on lots.  I may add more as time goes on so check back!

I will ship to the US for free.  If you live internationally, I will split the shipping costs 50/50.  Still a great deal, regardless of which lot you win.

I have a non-smoking home.  We do have a hairless Sphynx cat, but she is kept away from the yarn (she doesn’t even like yarn, oddly enough).  However, if you have severe allergies, you might want to take this into consideration.

Here’s the donate button!  You can use cash funds, or e-check, or credit card.

 

I want to take this opportunity to give an advanced thank you to everyone who donates.  Together we can give this little boy, who has lost so much, a great birthday and a good start to his future.  And just to put a face to the name, here is a photo of Dylan with his mama.

 

Update, 1/21/2009:

I am so overwhelmed by the generosity of you crafters!  Thank you all for your donations and for all of the sweet notes.  You are amazing people and I only wish I had a stash to send to each and every one of you!

The package from Eat.Sleep.Knit. came yesterday.  Oh.  My.  Goodness.  I had yet to see/touch the Malabrigo Sock and EB from Yarn Love – but they’re both scrumptious!  I can totally understand why Indiecita is Erin’s most lusted after color of Malabrigo Sock.  It’s gorgeous. 

And the Elizabeth Bennet?  All I have to say is that it is so flipping soft that I can’t believe people put it on their feet!  I want bedsheets made out of the stuff!

More photos of these yarns on my Ravelry stash page – my username is PeaceSoup.

She also sent along some of those Yarn Lotto Tickets.  Each winner will get one or two and I think I’ll send a couple out to other winners as extra runner-up prizes.  She also sent some of her cards that have a handy chart on the back to help you keep track of what needle sizes you already have (you know how you go to the yarn store to pick up yarn for a project then can’t remember if you have the right needle size or not?  These business cards fit perfectly in the wallet so that it’s always handy!).  And some buttons, too!  Yay!  Thanks to my favorite KnitterMonkey, Erin, for the fantastic goodies!

Update, 1/31/2009:

And the awesomeness of crafters continues!

Darcy over at Darcy Knotty Knitter is having her own contest to win a silver bracelet and yarn needle (they’re gorgeous!).  To win, you donate to this raffle.   She’s drawing two winners on 2/14.  Thank you, Darcy!!!

Also, Dianne from Creatively Dyed Yarn has donated two skeins of her hand-dyed Calypso yarn!  All of her colors are simply stunning and I am giddy to check out which ones she sent!  I will update with a photo as soon as they arrive.  Thank you, Dianne!!!

Here are the photos, though they certainly do not do any justice at all to this yarn…  The base is beautiful (510 yards per skein!) and the colors are just. plain. awesome.  Two skeins in Marina Cay, still trying to decide which lots they’ll go in (maybe I’ll let it be a surprise!).

Update, 2/6/2009:

I got an email from Ruth at 5elementknitr.  She is generously donating a set of her Stitch Savers, including a custom-made one with the winner’s name!  I don’t know how many times a crochet hook has been used in this house to fix problems that are totally unrelated to fiber, but the idea of having one on my keychain, to go everywhere I go…  It makes me giddy.   Thank you, Ruth!!!

I have also decided to add a surprise to each box.  Yay!

I do want to mention that the donations from these lovely ladies and from Erin at ESK wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for Ravelry.  What an awesome resource and outstanding community of people.  I am completely at a loss for words to describe how much good this whole process has done for my heart.

Prize lots are as follows:

BIG LOT:

2 x Adriafil Carezza, color 01 black
2 x Alpaca with a Twist Big Baby, color 2014 (light purple)
1+ x Artful Yarns Jazz, color54 (blues, discontinued)
4 x Bernat Cotton Tots, Grape Berry
4+ x Bernat Cotton Tots, Wonder White
1 x Bernat Softy Chunky (hot pink)
2 x Berocco Comfort color 9727 Spanish Brown
2 x Berocco Comfort color 9781 Olive
2 x Berocco Comfort color 9734 Licorice
2 x Berocco Comfort color 9741 Bitter Sweet
2 x Berocco Comfort color 9721 Sprig
4 x Berocco Touche, Peeps
3+ x Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton, color 83 Sage
2 x Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton, color 82 Nut
2 x Bristol Yarn Gallery King George, color 302 (brown)
1 x Caron Bliss, Jade
9 x Cascade Pima Tencel, color 7013 Teal
1 x Cherry Tree Hill Orenburg Lace, 44g, Plum Pie
1 x Cherry Tree Hill Possum Laceweight, Misty Moor
2 x Classic Elite Beatrice, color 3285 Autumn Hillside
4 x Classic Elite Desert. color 2077 (blues/greys)
1 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2653 (pink)
1 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2617 (purple)
1 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2646 (blue)
1 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2695 (melon)
1 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2681 (lime green)
2 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2633 (yellow)
9 x Cleckheaton Merino Supreme, color 2205 (dark grey)
3 x Cleckheaton Merino Supreme, color 2202 (light grey)
8 x Cleckheaton Merino Supreme, color 2200 (white/cream)
2 x Crystal Palace Panda Cotton, Kiwi-Mango
1 x Dream in Color Baby, Beach Fog
1 x Dream in Color Baby, Cloud Jungle
2+ x Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool, color 32 (blue)
2 x FiberNatura Flax, color 09 Robin
1 x Fiber Natura Flax, color 12 Tarragon
1 x Handmaiden Fine Yarn Sea Silk, Smoke
1 x JaggerSpun Zephyr Wool-Silk 2/18, Admiral
2 x K1C2 2nd Time Cotton, Nantucket
2 x K1C2 2nd Time Cotton, Valencia
2 x Knit Picks Essential, Turtle Multi
2 x Knit Picks Telemark, Deep Navy
1 x Lang Mille Colori, color 697.0088 (blues/greys)
10 x Lily Sugar & Cream, various colors
1 x Lion Jiffy, Dusty Pink
2 x Lion Woolease Thick & Quick, Wheat
8 x Madil Eden, color 002 (black)
4 x Manos Del uruguay, color 48 Cherry
1 x Noro Cash Island, color 12
3 x Noro Kochoran, color 10
3 x Noro Kochoran, color 53
1 x Patons Classic Wool, Natural Mix
1 x Patons SWS, Natural Denim
3 x Patons SWS, Natural Plum
10 x Pisgah Yarn Peaches & Creme, various colors
1 x Pisgah Yarn Peaches & Creme 1 lb cone
4 x Plymouth Royal Bamboo, color 80 (white/cream)
3 x Plymouth Royal Llama Silk, color 1002 (grey)
1 x Rio De La Plata Multicolor Ply DK, lime green/ethereal blue/vibrant orange
1 x Shepherd Color 4 Me, color 4952 lime green
10 x Southwest Trading Co. Amerah, Oh Girl
2 x Southwest Trading Co. Phoenix, Purplexed
2 x Sublime Angora Merino, color 73 (black)
1 x Sundara Sock Yarn, Seasons or Limited Edition color (may ship separately)
4 x Twinkle Handknits Cruise, color 39 Periwinkle
6 x Unger Skol, color 205 (green)
2 x vintage wool, (blue/teal)
1 x Wollmeise Sock, Krauterbeet
Set of Stitch Savers from http://5elementknitr.etsy.com
1 x A Surprise!

SOCK LOT:

1 x The Alpaca Yarn Co. Paca-Peds, Green Gator
1 x Cherry Tree Hill Sockittome Potluck (bright blue & orange)
1 x Dream in Color Smooshy, Dusky Aurora
1 x Malabrigo Sock, Indiecita
1 x Pagewood Farms Alyeska, Crayon
1 x Prism Sake, Sierra
1 x Sundara Sock Yarn, Seasons or Limited Edition color (may ship separately)
1 x The Unique Sheep Tinsel Toes, Dusk
1 x Wollmeise Sock, Saami
2 x Yarn Love Elizabeth Bennet, Bayfield Apple
1 x A Surprise!

THE OTHER LOT

1 x Learn to Spin Drop Spindle Kit from Naked Pines Ranch (contains drop spindle, instructions, and 40z. Romney wool roving)
1 x Bag of wool roving, 6 colors
1 x Sundara Sock Yarn, Seasons or Limited Edition color (may ship separately)
1 x pair of ChiaoGoo knitting needles, size 15
1 x Bohemia Soy Candle, your choice of scents (limited to their stock)
1 x A Surprise!

Raffle!!

Here is the list of yarns to be raffled.  For those of you on Ravelry, most (but not all) of these are listed in my Stash under the Sell/Trade tab. 

There will be a couple different lots.  One “big lot” and one “sock lot”.  There will be at least one other lot, but I’m still working on what all will go into it.  I will split these up later, but wanted to give everyone an idea of what is going to be up for grabs.  

Current count is 190 skeins! 

 

2 x Adriafil Carezza, color 01 black
2 x Alpaca with a Twist Big Baby, color 2014 (light purple)
1 x The Alpaca Yarn Co. Paca-Peds, Green Gator
1+ x Artful Yarns Jazz, color54 (blues, discontinued)
4 x Bernat Cotton Tots, Grape Berry
4+ x Bernat Cotton Tots, Wonder White
1 x Bernat Softy Chunky (hot pink)
2 x Berocco Comfort color 9727 Spanish Brown
2 x Berocco Comfort color 9781 Olive
2 x Berocco Comfort color 9734 Licorice
2 x Berocco Comfort color 9741 Bitter Sweet
2 x Berocco Comfort color 9721 Sprig
4 x Berocco Touche, Peeps
3+ x Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton, color 83 Sage
2 x Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton, color 82 Nut
2 x Bristol Yarn Gallery King George, color 302 (brown)
1 x Caron Bliss, Jade
9 x Cascade Pima Tencel, color 7013 Teal
1 x Cherry Tree Hill Orenburg Lace, 44g, Plum Pie
1 x Cherry Tree Hill Possum Laceweight, Misty Moor
1 x Cherry Tree Hill Sockittome Potluck (bright blue & orange)
2 x Classic Elite Beatrice, color 3285 Autumn Hillside
4 x Classic Elite Desert. color 2077 (blues/greys)
1 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2653 (pink)
1 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2617 (purple)
1 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2646 (blue)
1 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2695 (melon)
1 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2681 (lime green)
2 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2633 (yellow)
9 x Cleckheaton Merino Supreme, color 2205 (dark grey)
3 x Cleckheaton Merino Supreme, color 2202 (light grey)
8 x Cleckheaton Merino Supreme, color 2200 (white/cream)
2 x Crystal Palace Panda Cotton, Kiwi-Mango
1 x Dream in Color Baby, Beach Fog
1 x Dream in Color Baby, Cloud Jungle
1 x Dream in Color Smooshy, Dusky Aurora
2+ x Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool, color 32 (blue)
2 x FiberNatura Flax, color 09 Robin
1 x Fiber Natura Flax, color 12 Tarragon
1 x Handmaiden Fine Yarn Sea Silk, Smoke
1 x JaggerSpun Zephyr Wool-Silk 2/18, Admiral
2 x K1C2 2nd Time Cotton, Nantucket
2 x K1C2 2nd Time Cotton, Valencia
2 x Knit Picks Essential, Turtle Multi
2 x Knit Picks Telemark, Deep Navy
1 x Lang Mille Colori, color 697.0088 (blues/greys)
10 x Lily Sugar & Cream, various colors
1 x Lion Jiffy, Dusty Pink
2 x Lion Woolease Thick & Quick, Wheat
8 x Madil Eden, color 002 (black)
4 x Manos Del uruguay, color 48 Cherry
1 x Noro Cash Island, color 12
3 x Noro Kochoran, color 10
3 x Noro Kochoran, color 53
1 x Pagewood Farms Alyeska, Crayon
1 x Patons Classic Wool, Natural Mix
1 x Patons SWS, Natural Denim
3 x Patons SWS, Natural Plum
10 x Pisgah Yarn Peaches & Creme, various colors
1 x Pisgah Yarn Peaches & Creme 1 lb cone
4 x Plymouth Royal Bamboo, color 80 (white/cream)
3 x Plymouth Royal Llama Silk, color 1002 (grey)
1 x Prism Sake, Sierra
1 x Rio De La Plata Multicolor Ply DK, lime green/ethereal blue/vibrant orange
1 x Shepherd Color 4 Me, color 4952 lime green
10 x Southwest Trading Co. Amerah, Oh Girl
2 x Southwest Trading Co. Phoenix, Purplexed
2 x Sublime Angora Merino, color 73 (black)
4 x Twinkle Handknits Cruise, color 39 Periwinkle
6 x Unger Skol, color 205 (green)
1 x The Unique Sheep Tinsel Toes, Dusk
2 x vintage wool, (blue/teal)
1 x Wollmeise Sock, Saami

 

New Toys

I’ve gone on a couple of trips (kinda) recently and picked up some pretty new things, got a couple as gifts, and located some things online that I’ve had an eye out for for a while.

First, I love shawl pins.  They are pretty and…  Well, they’re pretty.  Functional art.

This is a sterling silver number from Designs by Romi that I picked up in San Francisco (or somewhere near there, anyway – Aimee and I hit a bunch of yarn stores between SF and the wine country that day).

Green is my favorite color.  And so I like things associated with the color green.  Trees and plants and envy.  Okay, maybe not so much that last one, but when I saw this pin on the One Planet Yarn and Fiber site (and seeing as I had a coupon code), I had to have it.  It is pewter, with a wood stick from Perl Grey (who has several designs I love – currently working on Ana Bandana (see color in photo above) and have yarn – Dream in Color Classy in the new semi-solid Romeo Blue - for Imogen).  My only complaint with this pin is that the stick isn’t smooth, so it snagged the skein of yarn it was shipped with.  I’ll probably forego the stick it came with and put one of my ebony Lantern Moon Sox Stix to work (since I hate DPNs).

Oh, and don’t worry.  I have some of the DIC Classy in Shiny Moss, too.  I know you were worried when I said my favorite color is green and then showed you (incredibly beautiful) blue yarn.    I’m still debating a bit, but it will likely become a Central Park Hoodie.

I got this one from Lantern Moon on one of my trips to Los Angeles this summer, I think.  It is made from horn.  It’ll look great with Imogen, don’t you think?

Along with shawl pins, I also really, really like interesting bags.  I got this one (half off!) at the same store where I picked up the Romi pin.  A souvenir I’ll actually get some use out of, so it was excusable.  It is by Rebe.  I love the fabrics (all vintage, recycled, or organic), especially the inside, and I love the closure.  The size is perfect (one medium-to-large project or two small ones plus my travel notions pouch and a book).  I keep it packed with a couple small projects at any given time so that I can grab it on the way out the door if I have to go somewhere I’m going to have to wait a lot.  It has been to the hospital, doctor’s office, tag office, the-most-boring-class-in-history, and, of course, Stitch and Bitch.

For the Holidays, Pax went shopping at Twist, the best LYS in history.  Really.  I dropped off my kid and my debit card with Shelly, the best LYSO in history, and went next door to my acupuncturist’s shop to wait.  She came out a little while later with a couple paper bags, all stapled shut, and we went home.  On Christmas morning I opened them to find a really cool bag by a local artist, made from a recycled sweater (so it has been designated my sweater-in-progress bag).  It also came with a pretty stitch marker.  Pax also picked up a skein of Noro Kochoran and a pair of Kollage Square needles (in the right size for my current sweater project!).

Later that day at my mom’s, Pax gave me this vase/cup that she made (with the help of my sister).  I’ve been using it to display my shawl pins.  Isn’t it pretty?

Back to stitch markers, I’m a crocheter first.  I love crocheting.  I love knitting, too, but my confidence mostly lies in crochet.  It is my fall-back.  If I want to make a gift within a certain time-frame, it will very likely be crocheted.  However, this awesome craft is so terribly under-represented.  In the 5 years I’ve crocheted, if a pattern or project required a stitch marker, I almost always used a bit of scrap yarn – which I don’t like doing since they can get pulled out if one isn’t careful.  But the only stitch markers available at the Big Box craft stores were these plastic, split ring things that could lock together if you wanted.  They were terrible.  The molding process to make them left rough bits on a lot of them and the could/would snag the yarn.  So, back to yarn snippets I went running.  Then, once I discovered knitting and found all kinds of pretty, high quality stitchmarkers out there, I was sad.  But – Ravelry to save the day!  I happened upon a link to Hide and Sheep.  They had sterling silver crochet/removable stitch markers!  I quickly purchased a set of Large and a set of Small to try out (at $6/set and my enthusiasm, it’s shocking I didn’t end up with multiple sets of each).  I have tried them out (on a project that doesn’t even need stitch markers, but I was so excited) and they’re awesome.

I also decided to try out their “needle hugger” knitting stitch markers to use on my first lace.  Haven’t had a chance to test drive them yet since the lace is still in time out, but they are pretty, aren’t they?  I don’t like super-dangly ones so I have high hopes.  And all of their markers come in these cute little cans!  I got one for each set, combined my crochet markers, and repurposed the leftover one to hold all of my buttons.

That’s it for the new crafty toys.  Hope you’ve enjoyed it and maybe found some new places to shop!

I do want to give a big shout-out, though.

It goes to Kindel at Kindelsgarden on Etsy.  Miss Kindel is an acquaintance of mine (a lifelong friend of one of my closest friends).  She came to visit a few years ago and watching her knit made me want to try (I thought I failed and gave up for a year or so then tried again).  She also makes quilts. 

I had thought I’d try my hand at quilting a few years ago when a friend gave me an old Bernina (built in 1979 – the people I have service it always swear it is the best model ever made – all I know is that it makes really lovely straight lines ).  I wanted to make a quilt for Pax out of her baby/toddler clothes.  Well, after cutting out all of the seams and stains, the inside of my right thumb went numb for well over a year (it still feels different than the left, but at least I can feel it again!).  That made me never want to make a quilt and the clothes sat for a few years.  When my friend said something about Kindel making quilts – I knew I wanted her to make Pax’s.

Kindel is a gentle yet vibrant soul who just oozes good energy.  And anything my kid spends that much time with needs lots of good energy.  So, I asked Heather to ask Kindel if she would make the quilt.  She agreed.  I shipped off a huge box of cut-up baby clothes and some receiving blankets.  Pax had picked out a backing and some other fabric.  I had mentioned to Kindel that Pax has been collecting peace signs and she said she had an idea.  I trusted her. 

Well, this is what I got back a little while later.

This might be hard to see, but there are peace signs (and flowers and diamonds) hand-quilted into each square.  I had just assumed that it would be machine-quilted… 

I got teary-eyed when I saw this quilt.  I couldn’t believe (especially for what I paid) that she spent so much time making this for my daughter, personalizing it for her, and putting so much of her own creative energy into it.  Pax loves it, too.  She had to do a project in school where she had to draw the items she would bring in her one suitcase if she had to immigrate to a new country.  I think her drawing says it all.  Anything on the same level as her teddy Seamus and her favorite globe (she also collects those) is very much treasured.

That’s all for today, folks.  I’m hoping to get the raffle stuff photographed and posted this weekend.  I’ve got some exciting stuff to announce when I do, so check back!

Take care, drive safely, and have a wonderful day!

Raffle Update

Currently at 170+ skeins! One of which will be Wollmeise!

A Great Idea!

I love the Yarnathon at ESK, and I was reading Rav this morning where someone questioned how many miles of yarn were stashed by Ravelites. And I thought to myself, “I wonder how many miles I could crochet/knit this year?”

One mile is 1760 yards. I have 57,712 yards of yarn in my stash currently (in my regular stash – not in my trade/sell stash and this number may go down as I reevaluate if I want to put any more in the raffle). That is 32.79 miles of yarn!

I want to make a concerted effort this year to crochet/knit as much stash as possible. Now, a lot of these yards are dishcloth cotton, which I don’t really count as stash. The yarn will keep for years, one needs a variety of colors for various gift-giving events, and, well, it’s cheap. So I don’t worry too much about it. I have three sweaters-worth quantities in there, two long skirts-worth, and three adult-sized afghans-worth. And I don’t want to count how many skeins of lace-weight that I just fell in love with… So I don’t think it is quite as bad as it sounds. LOL!

But, I do want to make 2009 the Year of Handmade. I’m going to make a committment to crafting away 10 miles of the yarn in my stash.

And I think I’ve got enough projects in my stash that I shouldn’t need to buy new yarn for at least 6 months (with an exception for 4 skeins that are being special ordered). Ouch. 6 months! But I’m going to do it this year. I was horrible with the “craft from stash” resolution last year because it became apparent that I just didn’t have project-based yarn amounts. Therefore, I amended my resolution and I only bought for a project in 2008 so I’m all set.

Who is with me?? How many miles are you going to craft this year?

ETA:  I have created a Page to keep track of my progress.  View it here. Or my clicking “2009 Challenge at the top of the screen.

2008 in the Rear-view

It’s been a long year, but I can’t believe that it’s over so soon!

I start out every January, just as everything is settling back down after the Holidays, by turning another year older.  Or is it another year closer to having to renew my driver’s license?  Anyway…

I turned 26 whole years old in 2008.  It wasn’t quite the crisis that 25 was for me.  Yes, I had a 25-year crisis.  Leave me alone.

In February, I lost one of the people I loved most on this planet.  My grandfather passed away.  He was 92 years old.  His was the first funeral that my daughter attended.  She loved her Great-Grandpa so completely and I’m thankful that she has so many good memories of him.  My aunt, who lived with my grandpa, passed grandpa’s set of Dominoes on to Pax, which meant a lot to her.  She and grandpa spent hours playing Dominoes together when we took care of him.  We still miss him, but we know he was ready to go and accept that.  He won’t be forgotten.

March was better.  My 4th surrogate baby made her appearance on the 20th.  She weighed 6lbs 12oz and was more beautiful than any of us could have imagined.  And I was once again amazed at how much bigger one’s heart can get when you add a new member to your family.  I will never stop being in awe of what an incredible experience surrogacy is. 

April and May passed rather uneventfully.  Pax and I went out to LA in late May/early June to visit my surro-babe and her dads.  We had a lot of fun, and I visited too many yarn stores.  Nah, just brought too much of them home!  A trip to one started my new love affair with lace-weight yarn, even though I’ve yet to complete a lace-weight project…  But I digress.

In July I took classes and started a new job as the Surrogate Advocate Representative for New Life Agency.  They specialize in insurance policies for Assisted Reproduction (egg donation, surrogacy).  It’s been a lot of fun and I enjoy getting to talk to our surrogates and support them in their journeys.   Even if all of my new-found knowledge of the insurance system in this country make me want to run away to some foreign land with Socialized medicine.

July 11th, my darling daughter turned 7 years old.  I think she’s growing too fast.  Anyone know a way to make that stop? 

August and September were spent trying to juggle a full load at school and a full-time job.  And somehow I managed.

I also managed a quick trip out to Vegas where my friend was getting married.  My friend is transgendered and was participating in a documentary which aired 12/28/08.  It is titled Born in the Wrong Body: Tying the Knot.  This clip shows me helping the bride get ready and showcases my mad crochet skillz.  Pax had a great time.  I never want to go to Vegas ever again.  That city will kill a person!

At the end of September, I got a phone call letting me know that Luci had died. My sister.  She had a 4 year old son, who she loved more than anything else.  Luci was only a year older than me.  It was hard to understand how she could just go to bed one night and not wake up in the morning.  Tragic, would be an appropriate, if cliche, word.  Our family was heartbroken.  I was heartbroken.  Friends who knew Luci were heartbroken.  And I think we always will be.  Her death was so unnecessary.  Her son is currently being raised by Luci’s mother and her husband.  I know that is where Luci would want her son to be.  They go to court soon to get permanent custody (perhaps to legally adopt him, but I’m not certain about that).  Any positive energy or prayers you could spare for that to happen would be greatly appreciated.  I won’t bad-mouth people I do not personally know here, but everything I do know about his father and other grandparents only confirms that her son is right where he should be.

In late October, my cousin from California and her partner came to visit for the first time in about 25 years.  After my last surrogate baby was born, I mentioned to my mom that my intended father hadn’t told his grandmother he was gay and now had to tell grandma that he was gay and had a baby (Grandma has since found out and totally accepting – Go, Grandma!).  My mom then told me that my cousin (who I think I’d met once when I was about 4 years old) had written to my grandmother wanting to come visit with her partner.  She never came, so, my mother explained, she could only assume that my grandmother wasn’t particularly kind.  I took it on as a project.  My cousin had moved to CA with her mom and sister shortly after her father died.  I lost my father when I was fairly young and couldn’t imagine growing up without knowing all of the stories of his hijinx and being around the people who loved him.  I decided that if my grandmother was going to be a cow about her being gay, then I was going to find her and let her know that we weren’t all of the bovine persuasion.  I eventually tracked her down on Facebook (yes, with all of it’s evils, it can be good for something!).  I explained to her who I was, why I decided to write to her (hello, my support of the gay community clearly goes to the extreme), and let her know that if she wanted to come visit that the rest of the family would be happy to have her here.  So, they came.  My grandmother was even on her best behavior.

Pax was a moon for Halloween.  Sometimes, I don’t understand that kid.  I think she just likes to see if I can actually creat the costume ideas she comes up with.  But it was awesome.  And everyone who asked was seriously impressed that a kid her age could come up with something creative!  So, I walked my moon about amongst all of the Hannah Montanas, Disney Princesses, and Transformers, secretly giddy with pride.

Just as we were all recovering from Luci’s passing and getting back into the swing of things in our regular lives, Tom, a dear family friend of many years, was found in his home by his girlfriend.  He’d taken his rifle out of storage on Halloween and sat down to clean it for an upcoming hunting trip that weekend.  Apparently the rifle was still loaded from his last trip and he didn’t realize it.  He shot himself through the heart.  It took a couple of days to discover his body – but it was apparent that something was wrong when he didn’t show up to take his 8 year old daughter Trick-or-Treating as he had promised (she lives in another town with her mom so they were unable to go check, and apparently it took the police a couple days to go into the house).  Tom was a kind man who loved his daughter (and mine).  He and his (now ex) wife lived next door to my mom for 8 years.  They had their daughter just two weeks after I’d found out I was pregnant with Pax.  Our girls have grown up together.  I still remember Tom coming to the house a couple days after Pax was born, looking me directly in the eye, and saying with all sincerity, “She is a gift from God.”  While I’m not terribly religious, I understood the meaning.  And I’ve always been convinced of the fact that Pax was meant to be with me.  Tom just realized it, too.  I took Pax to his funeral because his daughter asked her to come.  I think it was a comfort to her to have her friend there with her.  I know it was a comfort to me when my father passed to have my friends come.

November and December had lots more family events.  My cousin Michael and his beautiful bride Maida came from Brazil to visit for Thanksgiving and it is always a pleasure to see them.  Michael’s brother, Matt, came from California as well.  It was nice to see him, too. 

A couple weeks later, my friend Heather and I took the last two kittens I had to sell down to the buyer in Oklahoma.  I think they’ve found themselves a wonderful home.  We took our daughters as well and on our way back from meeting the buyer we went to the Omniplex Science Museum in OKC.  The kids had a blast and since Heather and I were such awesome moms all day, we stopped off in Guthrie on the way home.  They were having some sort of winter festival and they have a pretty nice yarn store.  I figured we deserved it.

The next day was my mother’s family’s Holiday gathering and I had a nice time chatting with the few people in the family I like (it seems there are a few to like and many to be indifferent about).  I had our immediate family’s Holiday party at the clubhouse at my complex, which went well, a week later.  Christmas Eve, Pax and I loaded up and headed South to a Holiday Fiesta at Luci’s mother’s house.  My little brother, Drew, had called to invite us.  It is always a pleasure to hang out with Drew since he is one of my favorite people.  Pax and I did our thing on Christmas morning (she wins Best Kid Ever award this year) and then went to Mom’s for breakfast. 

We were invited to my aunt’s house for Christmas dinner (which in Kansas means lunch).  We went.  And she pulled out a couple of boxes of my grandfather’s things for us to go through and see if there was anything we wanted.  I found my grandpa’s copy of the Key of Heaven, a Catholic prayer book.  I have my father’s copy, which he gave me one day for no reason and I sat aside (I’m not, nor have I ever been, Catholic).  I’d come across it one day just shy of the 10 year anniversary of his death and had the cross on the front tattooed on my foot.  So it was really nice to also be able to have my grandfather’s copy as well.  They’re currently sitting on the bookshelf, side-by-side, oddly right next to my small Goddess Blessing Bowl that holds the first rock my child ever picked up off the ground and gave to me as a “present”.  I figure they’d be okay with that.

So, all of this has contributed to the lack of blogging since I started this one.  Well, that, and I’m far more used to the more personal approach to blogging and less a topic-based blogger.  But I’m trying.

Here are my Resolutions for the 2009 in regards to fibery-crafts:

Reduce stash by at least 75% (all yarn for one project counts as 1 – and I don’t think it will be as hard as it sounds.  I’m going to have a raffle to give my sister’s son a big birthday and the rest will go to his college fund!  Stay tuned for details!)

Make at least one item out of each book I own that I have not yet used.

Finish my first sweater, make at least one more.

Make a hand-made item for each of my surrogate kids.

Write and publish (here for free) the 3 patterns I’ve created.

Blog more often.

Go to Twist, the LYS, for Stitch and Bitch at least 2x per month.

Start/finish at least 2 lace projects – a shawl/stole and Hemlock Ring

Finish or frog all current Works-in-progress.

 

I have been doing some crafting lately, but, um, I’m also easily distracted.

I did finish one hat.  It was a test-knit for Twist.  Shelly, the owner, wants to sell it as kits.  The handspun for the top is super cool and it is Pax’s new favorite hat ever.

I made myself a scarf and finished my mom’s as a birthday present from last year a couple days ago (her birthday was yesterday and I gave it to her – along with something else for this year, don’t worry!).  But I forgot to get pictures of both.  And the rest are just WIPs.  I’ve given myself some deadlines, though, so hopefully there will be much more to blog about soon!  Including some photos of my first foray into knitting lace.  And, no, I don’t think I picked a particularly easy pattern, but that’s the way I roll.  And, hey!  It involves Sundara FSM.  Delicious, no?

Oh, speaking of FSM, I do want to give a quick shout out to Erin over at Eat.Sleep.Knit.  She sent me a small ball of FSM to test-drive recently (before I’d gotten any and was trying to decide if Iwanted to get any of the Year in Color).  It was lovely!  How many yarn store owners enable their customers with yarn they don’t carry?  Not too many, I’d say, which makes her all the more awesome.  She does carry tons of amazing yarns, though, so if you are in need of a yarn fix, I highly recommend ESK.  But beware the Yarnathon…  It’s basically more addictive than heroin or really good wine.

Next post sometime this week.  So stay tuned.  I’m gonna show off some of the new “toys” I’ve picked up recently.