It Is In The Mail!

OK - I overpowered the FOF (see earlier posts for explanation) and took *Andrea's Knit Sweater to the P.O. today. She should receive it this time next week. I'll be in Mexico!! I may hide there!

I'm excited about the next project with my sisters, and anyone else who wants to jump in to the class. I'm hoping to start filming YouTube "how-to" classes any day. I'm going to really start with the basics and cover the bumbling errors I always make. If it's too simple, there are other how-to films out there.

*Check out older posts for pictures of the finished project.

OK - Moving on to "Prayer Shawl Ministry"

Littlesis got her book.
Let's do the conference phone call from our favorite craft stores Thursday or Friday this week. Tomorrow I ride my motorcycle to Tucson for an evening service, back to Phoenix on Thursday, so Thursday evening, or Friday day will work for me, unless Saturday is better. Let's get started. When you choose a pattern, don't worry about color, these yarns come in many choices.

This is a bold step!

My finished work. Not the best pics. But I'm not claiming to be a photographer.

This is about to go in the mail to our Daughter-in-Law ... Andrea, we call her super-mom, and what-a-wife, because she really is amazing. I would brag on the grandkids here, but this is about her. I gave Aven, our first Granddaughter, a sweater that I knit, for Christmas. Andrea said she wanted me to knit one for her. Aven's sweater was my first real piece of clothing. I gave Andrea some choices of patterns, she chose this one. This is my finished piece.

Does it look like the pattern??? Please say yes, or my FOF (see other posts) will take over!!!!

IT IS FINISHED!!

Andrea's sweater is finished. If I get up the nerve, I'll take some pictures tomorrow to post on the site, before I pop it in the mail.

NEXT STEP - Let's get started on some Prayer Shawl's. If you don't have your books yet, they are guaranteed delivery by the 28th. When they arrive we'll do a conference call from Michaels, or Hobby Lobby (I don't have one of those close). We'll be looking at Lion Brand Yarn and a circular needle size 13. I was really worried about learning to use a circular needle. Now it's a breeze.

Let me know when the books arrive.

OK Panic Set In (FoF)

I actually have two sleeves to set into the sweater I'm making, and I'm having a mental block. Everytime I look at the sweater I think it's not going to turn out. This is it folks, this is how far I get when my FOF (Fear of Failure) attacks me like a bad head cold.

The sweater has been coming together like clock work. I believe I started it less than a month ago, and now it could be finished in a matter of hours. This is what I refer to as a Mountain in my character. Below - I mean at the very bottom of this BLOG is a picture of our son, Ken, climbing Capital Peak in Colorado, he has climbed several 14ers, and this one was done in the winter, obviously. I have a Haitian Proverb with the picture, "Beyond Mountain, More Mountain," this my friends is LIFE!!

I'm not totally frozen, just frosty on this project. This is where I dig deep into my spirit and remind myself it's just wool, spun into a great length and dyed for me to make something of use.

Only one other has died for me, and because of Him, I must make use of the life He gave me.

Progress on the Sweater I'm Knitting

I suppose the progress on Andrea's sweater should be reported. The back is done, the front right panel, and the front left panel, finished, the trim up the front completed, the sleeves are knitted, the shoulder seams are sewn, and the collar is 4/5 tackled. In a few days I'll be backstitching the side seams and blocking a total sweater.

Let's talk about the fear of failure (FOF). I have never knit a garment, before the one I made for my first granddaugther AVEN, last year. I've made several ridiculously misshapen throws and blankets for the grandsons, and one for Andrea a few years back ... and several scarves over the years. Last year I made a sweet shawl for Andrea, trying my luck at the cable stich and blocking.
This project went pretty well, but just before I finished it I put it down and QUIT. It was so misshapen and ugly I actually had a panic attack, because I had spent so much time on it and now needed a gift for her. But my hubby, so supportive, challenged me to finish it and research how to reshape it. I learned blocking on-line, and to my surprise it was beautiful. It was made with Simply Soft yarn - really great yarn to work with.

I have incomplete projects in WalMart bags in the closet, and finally released all of my scrap yarn to my younger sis, who is an expert at crafts, especially crochet. Check out her link to the right: B...'s Etsy Store. Beautiful stuff.

Because I recognize my FOF, and one way I chose to overcome it was to give away ugly stuff anyway, and let people ooooh and ahhh over it even though I knew they'd never wear or use it, until one day, I made Zane, grandson #3 (now 5), a banky, and low and behold, it went everywhere with him ... this Mamaw was so honored and

encouraged. A pic of him on our dining room floor, Christmas '05 the loose knit verigated yarn banky in one hand, the fingers and droopy eyes say he's sleepy.

My approach to getting over the FOF was to learn a new stitch or two each year. Here I am today about to finish a real person's sweater only one year after making that deal with myself. FUN.

A few close-up pics of the finished pieces:

Wasted 5 minutes.

I was just going to blog a few minutes. Today at the Laundromat, yuk, one of the disadvantages of traveling, I met a sweet lady named Linda and her "trainee" Danielle. They were signing people up for AVON, which I'm very familiar with, but haven't ordered for a long time. They asked me about my knitting.

YEP, I was knitting at the landro. I'm on the 2nd sleeve of Andrea's sweater. My next step is sewing it zll together, then the TRIM in front on both sides and the COLLAR. It's really going faster than I imagined. And it's looking so good, if I might say so myself.

Now to the wasted 5. I just decided to listen to a CD of Hymns I received a while back. The theme is HOPE which so many around me NEED right now, so I was going to pop it in the player and give it a listen. HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE YOU'VE OPENED A NEW CD? What's the deal with packaging??? It seems like at Christmas and birthday parties for the grandkids, we need at least one adult per child just to get the twist-ties, metal clips, permanent tape, ironclad plastic wrap, etc. off the toys...that's another topic.

I mean I couldn't figure it out ... broke a nail, had to find a sharp instrument - very dangerous for me. Now I'm listening to it as I write. It's sweet music to my ears, maybe not all 5 minutes were wasted.

When you're looking you find amazing things!!

Today in line at the store - I mean a huge line, instead of getting an attitude about the wait, I noticed an awesome handwoven purse on the lady's shoulder in front of me. It was a deep burgandy, and denim blue, with giant buttons holding the shoulder strap to the bag. I had to ask if she made it. Undeniably YES!! She used a "Weavette" to make it. Evidently you weave strips with yarn about 6" wide, as long as you need them, then sew the strips into shapes, like purses!!

I feel a new craft coming on. Do you really appreciate yarn like I do? I know I sound a little whacky, but what an incredible way to chill, let down, relax ... making a useful item. Please let me know when you get your books, and we'll do some comparison shopping.



The middle sister.

Here's what happened. I was in line (another day this week - at Michaels) and I looked down and I saw a magazine called Simply Knitting - it is Britains Best Seller Magazine. WOW do they have beautiful patterns, contests, articles, and a wierd way of talkin' - like airplane is aeroplane. There's a cool article about the controversy over carrying your knitting needles, (Called pins) onto the aeroplane.

One lady asked what yarn she should use to make a "Bagpuss," I instantly thought WHAT???

With a bit of on-line research I found out what she's talking about. A British children's show in the 70's with the main character, Emily, and her magical cat, who wakes up and all the toys come alive ...






Just thought you might need a bit of trivia today mate!!

PRAYER SHAWL Book

Big and Lil SIS, the Prayer Shawl Book will be shipped to you on February 8th, compliments of this sister.

If you want to practice, or buy needles and a BAG for your craft, the most common size needle is size 13 circular needle. We'll be using Lion Brand Homespun yarn. Check out the instructions on the right "Learn to Knit" it's a link to Patons Yarn Knitting instructions, pretty cool great pictures.

DO NOT - I REPEAT do not buy the book - it is on the way to your mailbox as we speak!

Knitting Lesson 101

OK. First lesson. Once you buy the needles, yarn and a wonderful bag to protect your project, never leave home without the bag.

We left Phoenix for Tucson early Saturday. Planning on being busy the entire weekend, and back by Monday AM, I left without my bag.

Would you believe Tucson AZ is having a freak winter storm, its colder here today than it is in Indiana or Arkansas or most anywhere in the USA I think, so we're laid over an extra day - and I'm without my knitting. That is potentially one whole sleeve in Andrea's sweater!! I'm kicking myself. (The layover is because when they predict rain here it usually doesn't hit the ground, it falls to the edge of the horizon and evaporates - verga - but today, four days late, the storm from California arrived, and because we're not real good at predicting AZ weather, we rode our motorcycles, so they are under the carport at Pat and Ed's, new found friends in Tucson, and we're in a heated home waiting out the rain.) Usually this is not a problem, but it not only rained, it dropped into the 30's for most of the day, and the highway is under construction and the Super Bowl is over, and the world is on the road, need more excuses?

So-o-o, always take your knitting project with you. A+++ if you already knew this. I have to buy short size 9 needles to finish Andrea's sweater, because the long ones won't fit in my motorcycle's saddle bags!!

If you're ready to get started!!

The book I already own, is "Prayer Shawl Ministry - reaching those in need" sponsored by Lion Brand Yarn. It is a book full of crochet and knit throws for the purpose of praying for someone the entire time you are making it.

If you cannot find the book let me know. Michaels, JoAnn Fabrics and Hobby Lobby all three carry Lion Brand Yarn. My special request is that you buy the exact yarn it asks for and the exact needle. I used my first circular on AVEN's sweater and I loved it the learning curves was a Senior Moment, but I survived it. I've already started the stole on page 28. It's a little complciated to keep track if you 'll be interupted a lot, but I can show you a pic of what I've done so far, this is on hold till I finish - you know - ANDREA'S SWEATER. I knit for a while yesterday at the Super (Bowl) Gate - a Tail Gate event that we worked for Super Bowl. I wasn't going to knit, but I saw a young lady knitting, we talked some. She has only knitted sweaters, but sews clothing. I showed her my project and she realized it is something she wants to challenge herself to do. She loved the sweater. There's a skirt in the same pattern book I'm using for Andrea's sweater, and she and her friend really liked the skirt. (I thought it was kinda funky, but Russ thought Andrea would like it. - no, I'm not making it next - just commenting.)

GO SHOPPING - if you cannot get out to get this book let me know and I'll get it and send it to you, may have to sell them on my eBay account if I get a lot of requests!!