Well - After leaving the knitting needles behind...

One more post about flying and knitting at the same time! I read that if you think they may be taken away from you, take a padded postage paid, self addressed envelope to TSA with you in case they say you cannot take them, drop out of line and mail them to yourself...sounds like a lot of trouble for a hobby to me.

I did leave my knitting needles behind because I read something about if they are pointed - and metal, they may be taken away by the TSA. So I flew to Arkansas from Arizona without them, read a book instead.

THEN!!!! I was changing flights in Dallas/Ft Worth, and sat down right beside a lady who was knitting ... at the gate!! Knitting needles in her carry on. We had a good laugh, and I'm going shopping for the needles I need to finish this project. So far I'm not on anyone's terrorist list because I knit. I really do respect the efforts the gov has made to protect Joe Citizen, it's just an inconvenience that bothers me, but I really enjoyed my book today - Atlas Shrugged - good read.

TSA is running my life. I want to knit on the plane. And I have two new books.

There are so few times that I have 2 or 3 hour blocks of time, this 3 hour flight on Friday will feel like wasted time, if I cannot knit. So as a backup, I finally found a paperback version of Atlas Shrugged. I'm so into reading it again, I read it over 40 years ago ... I bought B & N's last copy last night. Also, I got the Prayers That Avail Much 25th anniversary edition. It is an incredible reference book for life's situations, and how to pray for each circumstance. It isn't a formula, it's an amazing collection of scriptures that apply to each concern that you can pray the scripture mentioning the name of the person involved.

Some of the topics are Prayers to Glorify God, Prayers to Watch What You Say, Prayers to Receive Forgiveness, Prayers for Peaceful Sleep, Prayers for the Loss of a Loved One, Prayers for Loved Ones Caught up in a Cult, Prayers for People Living With Abuse, etc. I started looking for this book when a Pastor used it as a reference book for the Prayer and Fast the church is participating in, we chose to be a part of this experience, and are so excited about the event. Our experience has been that when we take time to pray, and fast a meal, a period of time, or certain foods or habits, that we are more focused on our purpose and calling, and see God's involvement in our lives and the lives of others ... I'm excited!

Our day-to-day ministry is an outreach to Bikers, which encompasses homeless and veterans, and sometimes homeless bikers and veterans. We try to work in conjunction with the existing churches, find out what they're doing and join them. The outreach of this church in the heart of Phoenix is clicking. Friday night Dinner and a Movie (Friday Night Live) has over 70 people from the streets and the neighborhood coming on the parking lot for a brief greeting, a movie (currently showing the entire Star Wars series week-by-week) and a meal (and popcorn), chairs in rows in the parking lot with a blow-up screen. We mingle and talk, and have an area set up for prayer. We've cooked the last two weeks, fun!!

When we do Motorcycle Events, we register for the event and participate, or we volunteer with the leadership and work set-up, tear-down, registration, or set-up a ministry booth serving coffee, ice-water, and giving out "Biker" theme Bibles. Yep, I take my knitting. Because there are days that we sit in our booth for a few hours while the entire participation is off on some charity ride or doing "Biker Games" that get a little offensive ... so I stay in the booth with the coffee and ice-water.

Thinking back over the last year, I've had my knitting with me on the motorcycle, tent camping, in motels all across country, in our RV camper, at picnic tables, under our canopy at biker events, in people's homes as we travel and stay with family and friends, always in the truck, and of course sitting under our canopy in a church parking lot (our temporary home) in Phoenix. I'm planning on being more focused on praying as I knit. I pray while I knit but my new goal is to pray the scriptures as I learn them and apply them to specific needs of the people we meet along the way, and for our loved ones.

That is what this book is all about: Know what scriptures apply to your circumstances, and pray quoting them in faith that God hears and is taking action. It's more to build my faith than to get God moving!! He's already moving - I need to build my faith that HE'S IN CONTROL!!

So glad he's God and I'm not - I could mess things up pretty royal.

Knitting Pattern a Day
OH, I almost forgot - I finally found a copy of Knitting Pattern a Day, This is the daily pattern CONTEST that I hope to submit a pattern to, I'm still planning on being published in 2009, I wrote out a new pattern the other day in the truck (waiting for the hubby to go to 3 different stores for a specific tool he needed for his Motorcycle). It could be the one!!

Gotta pack.

Knit Pockets - Taking Knitting Needles on an Airplane (TSA Approved??)

The pockets on a Toddler Cape are so tiny, knit in stockinette stitch for 2" knit in ribbing 1", they are the cutest pockets I've ever made.

OK, I am enjoying making this cape.

I'm struggling with laying it down, but I cannot take it on the plane with me because I'm concerned the needles size 2 (very tiny diameter) and very long, will be confiscated by the TSA. I've read and re-read everybody's blogs and all the TSA rules, they say knitting needles are allowed, but bloggers say they've had them taken even, or especially, if they have the printed TSA rules and argue the point. WOW - I'm taking my interchageable needles though, but that won't get this cape done, so I give in, I'm laying it down for a week, that hurts.

I'm taking the needles I need to make Ken's slippers (clogs), finally starting them, wow I've really had a knitting mental block. If I figured up all the stitches in this little cape (teeny tiny stitches) I've probably knit enough stitches for 3 felted bags ... but oh, my goodness, this project is coming along beautifully, I think I'm going to use the scrap yarn to make some hacky sacks for some boys I know, found a great free pattern from Berroco called CATCH.

So, off to the store, laundry tomorrow and pack the next day, Little Rock here I come, without my size 2 needles.

I-Cord - How to Knit one and How to attach an I-cord to a knit purse

First of all decide if you're felting the fiber once it is knit because felting shrinks the length by 1/4 to 1/3.

To make a hefty i-cord, start with 4-6 stitches, cast on, and knit, then move the stitches to the left needle, repeat knit and move to left needle, this places the loose yarn to the left but the first stitch is on the right, bringing the stitches around into a tubing effect. Knit the piece until it is 1 and 1/3 the length of the finished desired piece.

To attach to a felted bag, I use grommets, they come with instructions and in various sizes, and need a little grommet tool for each size, and a hammer and a workbench surface. Make the holes in the felted bag by using graduated sizes of metal needles to poke the holes in the fabric.

THIS IS A GREAT LINK TO HOW-TO MAKE AN I-CORD

Once the holes are the right size, add the grommets, thread the felted strap through and use your yarn to sew the two ends together with a darning needle, the yarns match the strap and using invisible stitches (hiding each stitch inside the two ends of the strap, the strap becomes one continuous loop - make sure it is woven through the grommets first though, or you'll be cutting it apart to fasten it to the bag.

To felt the strap, you must use 100% wool yarn for it to work effectively, place in a pillow case, fasten closed, throw in a pair of jeans and the case wash in hot water about 8-12 minutes. When done, stretch the strap very tight, and often, and let dry completely. DONE!!

Yep, I made all of those pendants in the current picture in my banner.

I have been making teeny tiny clay purses to use as decor on my purses. They are miniatures of the purses I'm knitting for Etsy, so tiny and cute!!

The picture on my current Blog Banner is a collection of some of the pendants I've made and used on bags.

Here's the picture for future reference, as I like changing out my top banner pic occasionally.


From left to right, Lee Ann's bag had a woven clay, the pink cell-phone purse had pinks and purples throughout so I did a swirl color effect and added it with matching ribbon, the center pic is a variety of pendants before use, the pendant outlined in stripes has a small bead on top matching the stripes and pulled out all the colors for a purse I made Denise, and the last on the right is the earth/denim bag I made for Emily and one of my first polymer clay pendants.

Blogspot Scheduled Outage, Help!

So, Google Blogspot will be down today at 4PM PST, are they talking NOON ET?

Wow, must be a big problem.

I have officially knit beyond where I had to tear out the "wing" of the poncho I started last week, it looks so much better than my "false start." I'll try to get some pictures in natural light - lots of that in Phoenix, it's really coming along well.

Knitting, Starting Over, and Knitting Needle Woes!

Probably sounds like some pretty sad complaints compared to what some people are dealing with today, but I'm beginning to think there is something I'm supposed to be learning from STARTING OVER!!

Now, I got on a forum, called www.knittinghelp.com/forum, and followed all the threads that pertained to knitting socks, knitting with circular needles, circular needles that are interchangeable, choices of needle tips, etc. Don't know if I would've bought the needles I bought if I'd known about this forum. Also, don't know if I'd be knitting such a detailed item (for the granddaughter) if I hadn't read and re-read and started over so many times on patterns that confounded me last year, I'm a determined little creature, kinda like when I learned to ride a Motorcycle. Only my life depended on listening to instructors and paying attention to directions, not like a sweater depends on me thinking clearly.

So here I am in the state of starting over again, thinking of the time I spent making the next very large piece to Aven's cape, and walla, when I started the re-do -- much to my surprise, I had done it WRONG!! YES the sweater would have been WRONG!! If my needles had not failed me IT WOULD BE ALL WRONG all in ONE PIECE AND WRONG - I'd be devestated...I read the pattern wrong, I'm so glad I started over...patience my dear, patience.

And Oh, my gracious, I haven't begun the clogs yet, where does time go when you're having so much fun - TEARING THINGS UP!!

OK - Now I'm upset. My Needles Failed Me!

It takes a lot of time to make a very detailed item. The little poncho/cape Saige, by Berroco, was moving along quite well. I was using Boye interchangeable needles, circular needles to make the "Wings" of the cape. After about 2" into the wing suddenly the joint of the interchangeable needle caught my yarn, the stitches wouldn't slide on the needles and I had to TAKE OUT ALL OF THE STITCHES, on the wing, and now I'm needle shopping. The piece is so long, 28" that it takes the circular needles to hold all the stitches, but I'm really thinking about extra long size 2, strait needles. I'm disappointed because I feel like I wasted most of my day on this today, taking out stitches, and trying to fix my needles. Bummed.

OK Tomorrow - Needle Shopping, I'm not quitting on this project.

We've got Mail, Knitting Felt Slippers, Clogs, Pattern from Fiber Trends

Fiber Trends makes a pattern that is slipper clogs. I ordered the pattern, really searched and searched for someone who sold one as a download, so that I could make them in the truck riding our cross country migration to AZ, but no-one carried the download version.

I ordered the pattern (new) off of eBay, but had to wait to get it in the mail because we don't get our mail direct, we use "Snow Bird" mail at the US Post Office.

Now I have two projects going, but both should go pretty fast.

Hits, Visits, Pages, Unique Visits, Blogs, Bloggers all that stuff.

I didn't know any of these terms till about 18 months ago. A hit meant something totally different growing up with sisters, you ducked. A hit when I was caught up in the 60's and 70's hippie stuff meant something totally different. Visits on the other hand meant quick clean up the house, company is coming. Unique is a word I had to define in a verbal spelling quiz when I was in grade school (that's elementary school now - I think)...my definition was "one in a million." I spelled it right!! Bloggers woulbe be right up there with cloggers or people who danced but were blogged down about some crazy thing so their metabolism was sluggish ... I don't know. But the first few Blogs I remember ready were so heady and technical, I was searching in all the wrong places, probably designing a web page, that I though Blogging was going to only be for executives, white collar people, (heard of green collar people?), whatever happened to the collar anyway.

So now that I've defined my dilemma, I'm saying all that to say this. I really enjoy having a blog. I have officially went over 20,000 hits to my web page I average 430 some hits a week, and get unique visits over 15 a day, people look at more than just my current post, they go through several pages

The most common hit to all of my posts is the i-cord instructions. I-Cord, that is a chinese rope, sortof, a way of knitting a strong cord with yarn, the process is pretty simple, cast-on 5, *slip all the stitches to the left needle, knit 5 repeat from the asteric. But ths is the most common inquiry, how do do this process.

I may have to do a video of the process, so people don't have to guess how to, when they start researching it. I use i-cord straps on 90% of my purses I make. Check out my youtube video to the right.

A Knit Out and a Question about Knitting and My Scrapbooking Experience

I'm so into this now. We were at the Mall of Americas last year for 1 1/2 days, and it was a scrapbooking convention everywhere. My scrapbooking experience is NILL. All of my pictures are now officially in a plastic tub in the basement (up on a shelf). Well there are MANY PICTURES on this computer and the old one, on CD's and there is a storage container on a shelf in the home office of our ministry photos. OK I admit I'd rather knit than make photo albums. But, that wasn't the point.

The point is Scrapbooking crafters, Snippers, Clippers, I'm sure there are names for what they do, were everywhere, there were tables in the foyers, aisles, just outside the Anchor stores, in the balconies, etc. It was interesting to catch some of the workshops, and listening to the pounding of punching paper, the chatter of ladies in line to receive free handouts to add to their collections in their giant craft storage bags. I remember thinking wow a knitting or fiber or weaving theme would be great in this place ... WELL ...

Next month, yep the 14th and 15th of February, there is A KNIT OUT so to speak it's really a Knit Out and Crochet, is that a proper title (hey I do crochet too). Here's the info:

Knit OUT & Crochet at Mall of Americas

If this link doesn't work go to www.lionbrand.com and check out the KNIT OUT & CROCHET event.

It's at the Mall of America. Evidently I still haven't had a unique idea, it's already being done. I would love to go to this event. I think my sisters and I should plan on attending next year, it's pretty short notice for us right now.

My question is has anyone made the item SAIGE from Berroco Yarns? I'm a little stumped. I'm going to post the queston on the forum www.knithelp.com/forum

I'm about to start the side panels, and to do that I need to pick up stitches along the front back panel (the front and back are one piece, but I'm wondering if this is a typo - should it be front/back, or is it front or back? I read and re-read patterns before I take the next step. It also tells me to seam the backs together up to the markers and there are no previous markers other than at the neckline. I hope someone has already done this pattern and can explain, there aren't many pics for reference. It is pattern #280 Sockcetera, the little girl's poncho, Saige.

Don't want it to turn out like this photo I found last year.

Sisters Who Knit

This blog was originally about the 3 of us sisters and our knitting experiences. But it quickly turned to me knitting, learning new methods, felting, etc. while Karen faced a crisis in her life and Barbara got busy knitting between responsibilities at work ... and such.

Now I can report a year later that Karen's crisis isn't over, but she went to her first official knitting class Monday night and she told me today that she has a scarf for ______, and it is about 6 inches long so far, and she has torn it out and started over with it several times, but she's proud of it.

Barbara I believe will pass us both up as she is SO talented.

I hope to report more progress as the year goes on.

Right now I'm up in the middle of the night in Phoenix, in a camper with a helicopter circling overhead, over and over and over, I'm assuming they're looking for someone in the area, sure makes it hard to sleep!! But I think I'll try.

Knitting From a Pattern and Knitting on the Net and another RESOLUTION I forgot.

*See Picture Explanation Below

I think I like using a pattern, and I've recently written down some of my successful designs, and now the pattern I mentioned in my last post, is proving to be very easy to follow and a beautiful piece.

The problem with the less expensive yarn I bought was that the ply's separated, I would knit a stitch and the needle would go between the threads and make a really ugly stitch. Plus the stitches are so small (size 2) needle, that it didn't show up as a problem until I turned my work, then I was tearing it out. Now I've knit the left side of the front of the poncho and have started on the right side. The pattern is easy to follow, and although there are one zillion teeny tiny stitches each one is a joy, just watching the colors blend is incredible. Can't wait for the finished project. Our schedule really picks up here in a few weeks but this will be with me in the saddle bags of my bike on the overnight trips so that I can knit at least 1-2 hours each evening.

Now about Knitting on the Net. It is such a cool site. They list free patterns, just about every kind you can imagine, and I in my enthusiasm contacted Barbara the lady who is "knitting on the net" I wanted to list a pattern on her site, she suggested I come up with a different one than the one I'm selling on Etsy, so I'm really inspired to get more of my patterns in writing.

KNITTING ON THE NET

I'm gradually coming out of a funk, kinda got hit off guard doing the grieving thing for my sis and missing my brother-in-law. I kinda thought that distance had made us not so close and that I would handle this thing a little better, but it hit me so hard I couldn't talk without crying, dog gone it. I know he's in a better place, and I know Karen will be going on with her life with lots of support and all, but I ache all over for her. She is a super fun person, and has always been a great supporter of us ... always had positive input ... and such a good listener. I'm so thankful she's surrounded by GREAT friends. The distance thing JUST HURTS.

Did I mention I hate CANCER? Just heard that Steven Jobs is stepping down from Apple, he thought he beat Pancreatic Cancer, but complications ....

*** Evidently sometime back I mentioned to my Lil' Sis that I eventually want to design something that ends up in the "goody bags" of the stars at an awards ceremony. That is still a goal and I neglected to put it in my New Year's Resolution, Oh, bother.

Two Words - Sock Yarn

Oh, my goodness. I'm in love. I know this is ridiculous, but, I've discovered sock yarn, and there may be no turning back. Berroco Sox has a sweet pattern called Saige, for a poncho for toddlers. The self-striping pattern and the amazing colors are so refreshing, I'm having a blast knitting this items. It is Pattern #280.

I picked out yarns that have more Pinks and subtle greens, A little different color scheme than the picture, but I have to admit

AT FIRST I DIDN'T BUY THE YARN THE PATTERN CALLED FOR, BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO SAVE ABOUT $5.00 a SKEIN!!

I was so disappointed in the other yarn that I gave up on the pattern - if you've read my blog you know I have FOF* and this fell right into the old me pattern of giving up. I was terribly discouraged and it fit right into my mood for the season anyway. So, I went to a high-end Yarn Shop in Little Rock, discussed my dilema and broke the bank for the real thing ... whoa what a difference. I cannot compromise on yarn ever again. My sister is much richer for the error though as she acquired the other yarn and is holding two strands together to make awesome scarves and baby socks!!

Live and Learn.

*FOF - (fear of failure)

An Amazing Memorial Service and Can BLOGS be prophetic?

He was honored well. December 2007 when we found out about Norman's Pancreatic Cancer, we were devastated, just the odds, the treatments ahead of him, the fact that he was 6 months away from retirement, he had just lost a lot of weight, lookin' good for 63, and about the celebrate his 42nd anniversary. He started surgeries, medications, chemo, and radiation, more surgeries. His entire year was wrapped around appointments, and even though he improved, had a few hunting and fishing trips, a trip to Florida with my sis, and a trip to Alaska with his brothers and wives, he really had very few consecutive days of feeling well. But he was still smiling, loving on his wife and family, and meeting with people he mentored, worked with and loved, up until a few days before he passed. January 4th we got the call, and headed that way.

The memorial was so amazing, they had to turn down offers for people to speak or show video of couples and young men that Norman had mentored, poured his life into helping them live for God. The Pastor said they could have honored him all day long with testimonies of how he touched people's lives. There were at least 4 pastors in the service, a brother gave an incredible testimony, and read Karen's writing about her Norman, then my hubby did the graveside service, beautiful.

There were about 350 people at the viewing and probably at least 650 at the funeral ... he was so loved and respected.

WOW

Last year when I started this blog, I thought I could encourage my sisters to take up knitting and that we would be documenting our progress through the year. I got busy knitting and felting, Karen got focused on caring for Norman, and Barb fit her new knitting skills around work and a new grandbaby and her hubby. Here's the prophetic part, in case you forgot, I saw the three of us knitting together (across the miles) comparing notes, starting Etsy stores, etc. Guess what, I was with my two sisters in a yarn shop the other day (the day after the funeral) and Karen signed up for a knitting class. We picked out some yarn, and did a lot of little mini-classes throughout my visit, she's excited and so are Barb and I. We look forward to many months or years of 3 Knitting Sisters, we're thinking of naming our Craft Fair Booth just that!!

Have you discovered KNITHELP.COM?

I'm very tired, (started knitting a cape size 2 - beautiful in a kindof '70's hippie kindof way). Groovy

My sister adds one more title to her name tonight.

She's my big sister, a daughter, a wife, a mother, an aunt and a grandmother, she is a friend, a teacher, and a mentor ... but tonight she's a widow.

Our sweet Norman passed away this evening in her arms. It's been a long tough year of surgeries, meds, chemo, radiation, vomiting, tube feedings, tough decisions and heartache. He is with His Lord, no more pain or tears ... We'll sure miss you Norman, you brought such a balance to our family. He hung in there through Thanksgiving, Christmas, their anniversary Dec. 26th and the New Year. Our last conversation with him was so precious, he was sweet and the way he throws his head back to smile is just Norman, always pleasant.

I hope to be a good little sister this week as we walk this new journey with her, family and friends.

Don't know if I'll take my knitting or not. Flying from Phoenix to Little Rock once I hear the details of his memorial.

Knitting Socks, Sock Yarn, metal needles, and Giant Slippers to Felt. And a Cross Country Motorycycle Ride By Myself. WHAT?

I changed my title picture.

I found the picture on-line quite a while back and when I was thinking about knitting socks, this really made me laugh.

If only knitting socks were that simple.

But, I know that I can knit them now, the trick is getting around the heal, and knitting in a circle to close the toes having all your stitches divided up on several little needles, looks pretty strange, but it works. I made slippers before Christmas, that were giant socks, then felted to fit the hubby's feet. Link to my slipper blog post.

He wears them every evening, and now I have to tackle sock yarn.

Sock yarn, this is like using toothpicks and thread (almost), slight exaggeration, (very slight). I'm trying to use sock yarn for my next large project, a size 2 cape, and I've torn it out now 5 times since January 1st. I've ordered a pattern from Fiber Trends for Felted Clogs. Could not find a pattern I could buy and download ANYWHERE what's with that? If Fiber Trends allowed downloaded patterns, I'd have the men's clogs DONE!! (Sorry Ken)

When our son was home from Denver, he admired the slippers I made for the hubby, and sent me and Jenn looking for yarn for some slippers for him. We decided on a Clog pattern, thus the hunt for the pattern. I've designed a lot of items, but the slippers are still new enough to me, I cannot improvise!! (YET) I found the pattern on EBAY!! YEAH, EBAY!! It'll be in the mail in Indiana this week, then sent "via snow-bird account" to our temporary Phoenix location. Then I get to knit clogs.

I just went through pictures on my old computer and found over 18 items that I made last year that were not included in my latest youtube video (in the right margin down from this post).

I made a dress for our new Granddaughter (ended up more like twice her size by the pattern and by the guage of course, but she's so petite it's in her closet till she's 12). I also stepped down the pattern (some math and some guessing) and made a matching doll dress. Of course the doll wears her dress all the time, so far.

I knit a full-length sweater for my d-i-l and doggone it, I forgot pictures of several items. One good friend ordered two purses for her daughters for Christmas, no pictures (other than the felting process on one made it to youtube), and I made her a laptop computer sleeve, and for the life of me I cannot even remember what colors I used ... getting old is such a bummer along the lines of losing ones memory!

I knit a great tote last summer that was all black and subtle grey stripes. It was Huge, and called for leather straps that fastened to the purse with 4 small belt loop style tabs. After felting and doing the PURSE STRAP ON-LINE HUNT, I gave up and sewed two belt loops about 1/3 down from the top of the bag as belt loops, and wove a very nice silky scarf through the loops to give the purse a personal style ... I was so anxious to bless my friend with this bag I FORGOT PICTURES.

I knit several pairs of wrist warmers, didn't like most of them, but they sold at a craft fair speedy fast, some also sold on Etsy. Last minute Christmas I knit a sweet baby-blanket to go with the little baby-buggy for Aven's doll, and of course the Mother Daughter wristers (arm-warmers) I desgned, whew. You'd think I have nothing else to do, but really all of this is about 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours a day and I love creative knitting!!These sold on Etsy.

Guess what I hope to improve on this year?

• GETTING GREAT PICTURES OF EVERYTHING I MAKE (you'd never know I am married to a professional photographer with an amazing digital camera - I'm in too much a hurry to get the gift out, or get it listed - I'M SLOWING DOWN ON THIS ONE!
  
• TAKE GOOD NOTES - GOTTA BE ABLE TO TEACH WHAT I'M DOING (if anyone cares)
  
• DON'T PROMISE TO KNIT SOMETHING WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE A PATTERN YET
• MEASURE, MEASURE, MEASURE (or watch it hang in a closet)
• ENJOY KNITTING - and get published (don't know how this will come about, but I'm looking into it)

All realistic goals for improvement ... and I'm well on the way. I hope my wrists hold up, I'm developing some stinging in my joints, wrist fingers, ets. I need to have strong hands to ride my motorcycle also. Going cross country in May for the 7th time. I'm thinking about making this one a fund raiser for a cause! I'm planning on riding cross country by myself (ahead of a huge organized ride)...hooking up with the group at some stops and every evening, but riding the entire country by myself. Plans are lookin' good.

2008 in review. A new youtube video. And I hope to get published.

I finally have wireless again. Two days across Texas, staying in little campgrounds where it is so dark at night, you can actually see the stars. Settled in Phoenix, set up in our camper for the next 3 months, cozy 48 degrees. I'm reviewing 2008 and feel like I accomplished a lot last year. In addition to our continuous packing and traveling, whether by truck and camper, or by motorcycle and tent camping, I put 14,000 miles on my bike in 2008, we spoke in numerous churches, and attended tons of motorcycle events - and I finished a huge number of knit projects.

NEW YOUTUBE VIDEO OF MY BAGS

This is my latest video on YouTube. Only about 1/3 of my 2008 projects are featured, as the pictures of all the others are on my old computer, yet to be pulled over to the new.

This year my goal is to get published in a knitting periodical, like Vogue Knitting or Knit Simple or Knit n Style or all 3. Another goal is to learn Nuno Felt, as I really am fired up about embellishing my bags and making each one even more unique.

Instead of New Year's Resolution, I'm going for ramping up my creativity...something new each week.

Currently on my needles? A sweet Berrocco Cape/Sweater in size 2, and some slipper clogs for a man.

4 days into knitting on pins and needles 2009.