Remembering.............

There are those times when you want to remember.  Times when you want to forget.  But, when the air turns chilly and fall is approaching rapidly, we remember when we pull out the rag rugs to lay on the kitchen tile floor.  What do we remember?  We think on our friendship with the person who wove these wonderful rugs.

These rugs were given to us many moons ago by a wonderful talented weaver, Alpha, who came into our life to give us guidance--not only in weaving, but lessons in how to live one's life.  Alpha could weave anything and everything!  She wasn't stifled by 4-6-8-10-12-16 harnesses.  She wasn't put off by a complicated threading or threadling or a small thread.  She charged ahead.  She wove many yards of fabric that were used as draperies for her home.  She wove wearables to cover her body.  She wove overshot coverlets (of which we are the proud owner).  And she wove these simple but elegant rag rugs.

The warp is coming undone in this one rug--someday, we'll need to reweave these rags but for the time being, Alpha lives on in this lovely floor cloth.

Weaving rugs is not our forte! and we certainly appreciate these coverings each and every year we put them down and take them up. 

Alpha has been gone many years now and just recently we received word that her son has gone to meet her in the world beyond. We know they are embracing with joy and delight.  Alpha has left us a legacy of joy and we remember to celebrate her life.

DETERMINATION!!!

Determined!  Yes, we can be determined at times--determined to finish what we begin!  Case in point--brown headed daughter has decided (or is determined) to go back to school after 20+ years of being in the work field.  She is going for her doctorate degree--this on top of being assistant principal in her daily life.  But, she has always been a determined child--whenever she sets her mind--she finishes!  It might take many years, but it will be finished.  Many of us are like that--determined to finish what we start--even if it takes time and there are obstacles in our way. 

This looked like a great project--but, there were some obstacles in the way!  This pattern from one of our favorite designers Stephen West had a free pattern on Knitty's fall page.  And reading over the supply list, we were stymied for awhile.  This required four different skeins of yarn--but we were in a 'stash buster' mode.  Put the pattern away for some time.  Then pulling it out and reading again--suggestion from the designer "use small amounts of sock yarn"!! Whoa!  The obstacle was removed and determination sent in!  Let's see--there are all these small skeins of handspun yarn that could be used.

Casting on with silk/merino blend--what did the pattern call for?  Holy Cow! over 400 stitches?  All at once??  Okay, we can do this!  But, the needles get all wonky but we will continue....that is real determination until.....................

We think about knitter friend Judy who was knitting on Kate's Shawl from Ravelry.  The shawl is lovely (modeled by her daughter)!  But, Judy had this massive ruffle to finish up the shawl--she called it "suicide" ruffle! or it could be called ruffle from hell in my book!  Judy had determination to finish this shawl by the deadline--slowly, methodically she knitted--row by row until she finished!  We should all have that drive..........

And remember those handspun yarns from previous post?  There was the determination to see what the cap would look like when combined with black--not too happy with this; but, we are determined to finish that cap--even if it takes many moons!!!

What's New?

What's New?  That's the age old question......actually, nothing is new; just recycled, regenerated, rethought...............................But, in our world here is what's new (or ongoing newness!)

"In Greek mythology, Ananke, also spelled Anangke, Anance, or Anagke (Ancient Greek: Ἀνάγκη, from the common noun ἀνάγκη, "force, constraint, necessity"), was the personification of destiny, necessity and fate, depicted as holding a spindle" according to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  So, we continue to knit on Ananke, which is a pattern from Shannon Squire.

And from the creative mind of Little Miss Shabby comes Birdie Stitches Block #9.

"Henrietta Whiskers" finally block--just little more stitching, then all nine blocks can be combined.

Stitching Captions for the ongoing "Peaceful Path" quilt designed by Esther Aliu.  It's not too late to jump on the ride and join in on the excitement.  This is through yahoo group.

Peaceful Path requires many, many half square triangles but in the end this will be a lovely red and white quilt.

We have been traveling through the vastness of the Southwest.  The colors of the sandstone mountains and canyons is quite the inspiration.  One can not help but be awed by the hand of nature. And this is definitely not new!  For over 700million years or more, this land has been formed and it keeps reinventing--only we will not be here to witness the new.

OH NO--You Didn't??!!

Afraid so--after denying that another 'gap cap' would be started, this yarn appeared in the stash pile.

The yarn was a single handspun, so had to be plied but once it was plied and the lovely colors popped, thoughts begin to rumble in the brain.

And then this yarn was 'discovered' in the stash bin too--and it's Easter egg dyed handspun .  And the brain worked overtime.............................what would these two yarns look like if they were combined in one of those 'gap caps'?  Yes, we said that we wouldn't do another 'gap cap' for some time, but the needles and yarn just happen to begin their magic.

And this is what burst forth!  Works good together and makes a nice hat.  We ate our words to create another charity hat.  Now, the brain is thinking again...........................

There is some of this colorful yarn left, so what would happen if it was combined with black?  Hmmmmm.........................

Off The Needles! Blocked! Ready to Wear!!

Finished!  An awesome word to say!  Having worked on these items for a few days and or weeks, we are happy to report that the yarns have been bound off, the item has been blocked and is ready to throw over our bodies.

This shawl was the genius design from the mind of Stephen West, and was a mystery project on his Ravelry group this past month.  What a fun knit!

The yarn was 'stash' yarn, mostly wool fiber but some novelty thrown in for an accent.  The pattern is called "Earth and Sky" and can be purchased through Ravelry.  Keep your fingers crossed that Stephen will host another mystery KAL (knit along) in the future.

This 'Ode to Jo' shawl has been completed.  This was also a mystery KAL sponsored through Ravelry group--you can find all kinds of groups to get you in trouble there!

Handspun green cotton as it's finest--in memory of Jo, whose green cotton from her garden created this wearable.  This shawl will be worn with many thoughts of Jo and the good times we shared.



On one of our summer quilt shop outings, we stopped in Snappy Quilts and while browsing through the patterns, came upon this super apron.  Hmmmm, one of those jelly rolls should work nicely for this and we certainly need an apron in the kitchen.



Quite an easy sew this Vanilla House pattern is.  And now, we have an apron to keep those grease spots off our new shirts. 

Please Throw a Lifeline!

We can throw out a lifeline to a drowning person, purchase a medical alert item that will give a lifeline to someone in need; there is even a lifeline for dog rescue or someone in despair and in knitting there is also a lifeline...................................and this is an insurance you do not need to purchase.  It's one that you need if you make a mistake in your knitting!

Oh, boy! Big time mistake!  Just knitting away--thinking the pattern was being followed.  Oh, it looked so simple to follow those directions when the eyes first 'glanced' over the instructions.  Knitting happily away--going to finish that clue #10 (being behind in the clues doesn't help either).  Yes, we are finished and then clue #11 and there are way toooooooooooo many stitches!  What to do?  Well, first read over the pattern again--duh!

Okay, nothing to do but--dare we say it--ripppppp it out!  Groan! and we do not have that insurance that most intelligent lace knitters use.  That Lifeline Insurance so described by Heartstrings.  Why do we think that our lace knitting can survive any mistakes!! Stupid for sure!!  and now, we must rip back to the end of clue #10.

And pick up stitches!  Don't anyone touch this till all those 150+ stitches have been put back on the needle.  Slowly, now--don't drop any of those yarnovers.

Whew!  a sign of relief--all stitches have been recovered and not one stitch was dropped.  Okay, we have learned our lesson--throw in a lifeline while knitting lace!

A Stroll Through Rocky Mountain Quilt Festival

Another good day spent with knitter friend Judy.  On our drive to our destination we have time to share our thoughts, our ideas, learned techniques since we last met and goals we hope to meet.  We are taking the short drive to Loveland to attend the Rocky Mountain Quilt Festival, We have personalize service when a volunteer arrives at our car in his little golf cart to take us the last few steps to the door.  Thank you volunteer! 
We enter to find vendor booths and off to one side is this "Icicles" display from the Road to California quilt conference. 

Fiber artists from across the country were asked to create a dimensional icicle from six to ten feet in length and no more than 18" in width.

The requirements of the challenge was to use an artistic vision of quilted icicles in blue, white and silver.  The exhibit is called "California Ice Storm".

Hoffman Quilt Challenge 2011 show pieces were on display.

You, too, can work with the featured fabrics for 2012 challenge.

This show winner was crafted by Sherry Reynolds of Laramie, Wyoming.

Entitled "My Wyoming Home"

Don't you just love this bug jar quilt?  There are a couple of gals in our ex-pat group making these--what fun to look for all these bug fabrics!  Jan Weber of Centennial, CO made the quilt and Karen Farnham did the long arm quilting.

Bunny Hill Designs is the creative mind behind this pattern.  But, the hands of Elizabeth Purkett, Longmont, CO did all the work.

This was a block of the month, entitled "Le Jardin"  from The Fat Quarter Shop and the quilting was accomplished by Kim Waite Dreamcatchers Quilting, Mead, CO.

Nancy Pennington, Fort Collins, CO used "Legacy of Stars"  pattern from July/August 2002 Quilter Newsletter.  This quilt uses over 600 half square triangles.  Nancy completed the quilt in 2009.

This quilt is made by the hands of Nancy Pennington--what a quilter!  This was a mystery from Bonnie Hunter's website Quiltville.  This pattern is called "Roll Cotton Boll Roll"--quite the challenge too as there are over 600 1.5" half square triangles!
We didn't purchase much.  Judy did find wonderful new fabric (new to us anyway) to make a great bag.  Other purchases were minimal--hope those vendors didn't rely on us to make a profit!