Needle Time!

Oh Yeah--I'm finished knitting July's pattern for the 2016 lace scarf--okay, I know it's August, but I'm happy to have finished July pattern!

The pattern is called Wharves and Warehouse!  

designed by Elizabeth Ravenwood on Ravelry!  

I'm using my handspun wool/silk two ply.

I would have finished sooner IF I had read the pattern correctly!

you know, it really helps to read the pattern through

to make sure you know what's happening!

I wasted alot of time ripping out stitches to begin again!

Onto August pattern---reading carefully....................

There Is A Need..................................

For Hats, scarves and gloves--Can you help?  Do you like to knit or crochet?  Have some free time and spare yarn on hand?  This is the project for you!
I've already downloaded a few patterns that will work; and I'm digging through my yarn stash to see what I have to make these wearables.  I'm thinking I could use different techniques and learn new skills while helping someone in need.
The following is the information:  


SOLID black, gray, navy, brown, dark green, and red winter hats, scarves and pairs of gloves primarily for men but some can be in unisex patterns to accommodate women. 

All items must be suitable for people who are living outdoors in rain and snow. 

In total, we need enough hats, scarves and gloves for 1,200 adults.

These items will be equally divided between the three following organizations:

Homeless Bus https://www.facebook.com/homelessbusnyc

New York City Relief https://www.facebook.com/thereliefbus/

NJ Food & Clothing Rescue https://www.facebook.com/njfoodclothingrescue/

We need your donations by November 1st, 2016.

Have a question? Please inbox us privately.

Do not post questions here. We will probably not see them.

***NOTE: Be sure to include your e-mail address in all shipments in case we need to ask you a question.

Thank you.

Please send all hats, scarves, gloves to:
Emily's Hats For Hope Initiative
PO Box 2374
Morristown, NJ 07962-2374

Time To Cut The Losses......................

For the past few weeks I've been knitting on Gerda by Bethany Hait.

there were a few kinks at the beginning of the pattern, but it was 

soon worked out and I continued.

I left it lay for a time while I traveled and upon returning to the pattern

and the yarn

I just knew this wasn't going to work!  The yarn just wasn't the right

one for this pattern--it needs a soft plain color to show the pattern.

I had half a thought while I was knitting--so guess it's a good

think I let it lie for awhile--

the only RIGHT thing to do was

pull out the stitches, wind into a ball and let it 'age' a little longer.

It was time to cut my losses--even though there had been days of knitting and

pattern reading--it was time! 

This wasn't going to work!  So, the yarn lives on another day--

some day, yes, some day I will find the perfect pattern for this yarn.

happy sleeping little yarn ball!

S L O W K N I T T I N G !

I'm so pumped!  Slow knitting has come to Netflix!  Oh My!  What fun to

watch this program--Although it is in Norwegian, there are subtitles and from

the minute I clipped on the link and watched, I was hooked!

So much history in this slow knitting program--even a Harley Davidson

makes an appearance!

The patterns, the instructional videos, the fashion parade, the stitching--

ALL makes for exciting TV watching----

if you are a knitter.

But, wait--

there is also some spinning involved

and lots of 

knitting!

Go Watch--you'll be hooked too! 

Decisions By Committee!

There were five of us--only five, who met at the local coffee shop to just socialize.

But soon the conversation turned to study group business.

Since we were five of the members of this group, we could make some

'suggestions' about the upcoming year.

First, we had little show and tell from Karen I who pulled out this rag rug

section woven by a 7 yr old!  We were in awe that a 7 year old had this 

much know how to get some nice selvedges as well as lay the rags nicely

in the weft.

Gerry has a task at hand--she is preparing for an upcoming tapestry workshop

sponsored by the Guild.  The instructor sent out this photo that the participants

were to interpret in their tapestry

Gerry is using very fine wool/silk threads to create her sample

and do you see what she's using as her loom?  A snap together wooden photo

frame!  Inexpensive and easy to carry around--this is the way I began my 

weaving about 30+ years ago when I didn't have money.

Anyway, our 'committee' discussed what weave structure we would like

to study in the coming year.  It is also our guilds year to host the state conference in

2017--which means contributions to the goodie bag, luncheons and raffle basket.

We think, as committee, we have some good ideas!

Small committees DO did some things accomplished!

I've Really Got To Stop!

Okay, here I am--going through series of books that I would like to read......

Why?  Am I doing this to myself?  I already have several stacks around the house

just waiting for me to finish one book and begin another.

Here is the stack in the office!  Yes, some good reads here

so why am I investigating other good reads on Paperbackswap

and of course, Amazon.  There is a book club on Ravelry too!

Now, I'm reading two books at the same time--

Both of these books were recommended to me by an avid reader,

like myself.

Since it's Olympic time and we recently visited Germany,

This one is very timely and reads well.

Yes, I love mysteries!  so I'm hooked on good (!) books to read.

Maybe, one day I'll stop looking-----

NOT!

Social Security + Ice Cream = Brenham

How can you lump a visit to social security office and ice cream in one sentence?  We did it yesterday!  The blond headed daughter has recently obtained a divorce (yes, I know--a major event in anyone's life) and she has many chores to wade through as she picks up the pieces and begins a new life.  One of those chores is to change her name--hence, the visit to social security office.  We chose this office because it was in a smaller town and conveniently located.

And true to form in a smaller town, there wasn't as much traffic through the doors.  Whew!  That didn't take long.

Our next stop!  Well, we are in the town that creates ice cream--Blue Bell in fact!  our favorite.

BB had it problems earlier this year and just now coming back on line so there are no tours allowed yet BUT there is an ice cream parlor upstairs--YUM YUM!

Oh yeah, there is also a baseball museum of note!

Oh cool--ice cream!  We all scream for ice cream!

14 flavors ready to scoop--let's dig in!

We did it justice, that's for sure!!

Let's continue our happy day--to Independence for the Antique Rose Emporium

so many wonderful roses to view and smell plus lots of other wonderful

things to ooh and ahh over

The grounds are lovely!  A perfect day to stroll along the paths.

We finished our happy day with lunch in Hempstead, where blond head

daughter visited the drivers' license dept to do more name changes and

visit to Bluebonnet Herb Farm and their Classic Events Cafe--

delicious sandwiches, soups and salads.

Okay, we are making lemonade out of lemons!  Blond headed daughter

is making the best of the situation--life goes on!!