I Want to do This

I need a jump start after our rather hectic last few weeks. I will fill you in later. In looking for a new project or something new and different I ran across this project on Ravelry and I have decided to participate.
Check it out and I hope you will want to be a part of it as well.

http://sticksandstitches.squarespace.com/the-milkweed-project-you-p/

Fiber Fest 2009

February 14, 9:00-3:00
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
828 Commercial, Emporia, KS

• Buy, sell, swap yarn, patterns and accessories.
• Learn or brush up on knitting or crocheting.
Knit: 10 a.m. (basic) and 11 a.m. (intermediate)
Crochet: 1 p.m. (basic) and 2 p.m. (intermediate)
• See demos of weaving and spinning.
• Talk to knowledgeable fiber fans.
• Get some help with your dropped stitches and other problems.

...And there’s no admission fee!

For general information, contact Karen Whittlesey at (620) 794-9107.

To buy table space to swap or sell your yarn, contact Ann O’Neill at (620) 342-6998.
Tables are $5 each, which will be donated to St. Andrew’s to help the needy of our community.

Snow date: March 7.

We are excited to host our first fiber event in Emporia. We do not have a local yarn shop but would welcome any and all vendors to join us. Currently there are several of us who have stashes to destash setting up tables.
There is a quilt shop Prairie Pieces, Plum Bazaar craft store that any beading enthusiast should not miss, as well as a variety of other businesses within walking distance.
We hope to see you in Emporia on February 14. Contact me if you have any questions.

Christmas Panic

It was brief but it was true PANIC. You know how you just know something? Deep in your gut you KNOW this something but it is still driving you crazy? I KNEW I hadn't lost the cash I took out of the bank for Christmas gifts but I couldn't find it, ANYWHERE. I needed to divvy it up between the credit card bill, the checking account and finish shopping but I could not find that bank envelope. I needed to get out the door to finish shopping but I was so concerned about that money I couldn't enjoy myself. After all, if I didn't find that envelope I was spending money we REALLY didn't have. Since I KNEW I hadn't lost it and that I would find it I went on about my shopping but with a heavy shadow dragging along with me. Fast forward a few hours and I am home checking email, sipping a Coke to try and console myself and retracing my steps from the day I went to the bank. Self I said, the envelope should be in the bank bag with the checkbook but you have already checked there at least a dozen times. Self said, check again. So I unzipped the bank bag and realized that not only was the money not there but neither was the checkbook. If the checkbook wasn't in the bank bag that means I had actually sat down, reconciled the checkbook with the bank statement and put everything away in the fire box as I was supposed to do. Check the fire box and there it was. All of our Christmas money safe and sound and waiting to be spent. The new question was....... when did I do this? I am usually not that punctual with my book keeping and everything would have normally still been in the bank bag. I keep trying to get myself organized and when I do it comes back to bite me.

Fall - It Came and Went

Hello and welcome back. Actually you haven't been gone but I certainly have been. I have been gone much too long and fall is over with nary a post. We have had a bit of family illness of the parent variety with several trips to the emergency room including one ambulance ride and a few days in the hospital for Jerry's dad. My mom had a total knee replacement. Her knee is doing great but she had some other complications that has made recovery a long, slow process. All of this has lead to lots of impromptu over nights by various family members, canceled plans, last minute changes of plans, etc. I know most of you have been there. To top it off blogger has eaten two very nice posts. I have no idea where they are but if anyone finds them please let me know. I think they were some of my best posts ever.

We have had some fun and there has been a fair amount of knitting going on. So, let me entertain you with a few of the highlights of fall.

We went with Jerry's daughter and her family to the Kansas City Renaissance Festival.
We had so much fun. We did face painting but on the arm so it could be seen and enjoyed by the one painted on.
We got to know some very lovely sheep.
We looked through holes in walls simply because the adults told us too. They thought we were soooo cute.


Grandpa bought us flower shaped fairy hats. It was a day of making memories. I am printing a book of all the pictures from that day as a Christmas gift.

I knit this pattern back in August and love the pattern. I have started knitting it again in I Love This Cotton! from Hobby Lobby. It is so soft and yummy feeling I am truly enjoying knitting this little baby blanket. There are several babies baking and will need sweet little things knit for them. As soon as I get done with Christmas knitting I will be back to this blanket.

Speaking of Christmas knitting..... I have three granddaughter's under the age of 6. They are each getting an outfit for Christmas. I am knitting the vest and buying jeans and matching shirts. If time allows there will be a belt and/or headband. The pink and green is for the youngest and the pink one is for the oldest. I have yellow and lavender on the needles for the middle child. One front is complete and almost 1/2 the second front.

I keep a prayer shawl on the needles all the time and this is the most recent one. These multi-color, multi-yarn ones have been very popular.

I have talked about this shawl before but I like this picture much better. A dress form opens so many more opportunities for making a shawl look like something. I love the textures in this one and there are just hints of colors that the light picks up.


While talking about scribble lace shawls this is one of my favorites color wise. It is made with cotton crochet thread so isn't as slick and drape able as some of my others. I actually prefer it as a scarf.


Finally the mega afghan/blanket is complete. In case you have forgotten it's humble beginnings you can see it here.


I attempted to take a picture of my son with it before he left on Thanksgiving but I didn't have a memory card in the camera. Relatives took pics for me but I don't have them yet.

Congrats to KU in their win over Mizzou today. Thanks to the Olpe Eagles for a great season. I am so proud of you for making it all the way to state playoffs and for playing a good game against Smith Center.

Breast Cancer Knitting Calendar 2009

I joined a group on Ravelry that designs and knits dishcloths. I'm not a designer, yet, but have aspirations. When I joined the moderator had just started breast cancer treatments and wanted to put together a calendar fund raiser. I was fortunate enough to get to test knit one of the designs. Mine is the little lace cloth in the bottom left corner. There are 12 new, never before published patterns that are perfect for gifts or for yourself. Click on the link in the side bar to order the calendar. It is a direct download that you print out yourself and can then have spiral bound at your local office supply store. If you have questions or would like more information email me. tschrock@swbell.net

My New Love

This is my old love. It is the sign next to the door of our studio.
Though I still love it, something new has moved in to vie for my affections.

Isn't it lovely? It is a bird bath or bird feeder or just lovely garden art. What ever I want it to be.

After a day of rain several robins were perched on the edge enjoying a cool drink. Of course they didn't want to be photographed.
This is the detail of the legs.
All this metal work is done by a dear friend of ours. He was an orthopedic surgeon who dabbled in iron work until he retired. Now he does amazing things with metal. You can see more of his work here. Thank you David for adding new loves to my life.

More Football and Fiber

Why not start with the fiber? I like it better than football anyway. I took advantage of the early morning overcast sky and tried a black background but am not happy with the way these yarns photographed. The colors are off. This is a really yummy Tussah Silk lace weight from SeeJayneKnitYarns.
She calls it Sand and Sea Glass and that describes it perfectly. I purchased it for a shawl that isn't started yet so it is a lovely stash enhancer.

Guess I had already photographed this yarn. If you combine the two of these, the shine in the first and the color in the second you have pretty much what the yarn really looks like.

This little jem is also silk. I see a theme happening here. I didn't have a project in mind just had to have the yarn. It is called Peridot and is from No Two Snowflakes.



This is a work in progress and it is a great TV watching project. The pattern is easy to remember and as long as I pay attention to which side I am on I don't have to rip. I had a little trouble the other night during "Pushing Daisies". I love that show and there were scenes that were so funny I couldn't knit. If you haven't watched it you ought to go back and watch from the beginning to pick up all the story line but if you like dry humor, inuendo and knitting, yes one of the characters knits and uses/wears knitted items you really should check it out.
This is a scarf for my daughter who attends K State so of course chose purple. It is a much richer purple but I could not get it to show up well. The yarn is Lamb's Pride Worsted in Amethyst. She has a grey coat to wear with it.

10/2/08
The football I watched last week was my nephew's freshman game. He is #59. It was fun hanging out with my sister.