Little One - Skein Wonders Book

I am excited to announce that I have received confirmation that two of my original designs will be included in the next One Skein Wonder book.  The book is Little One - Skein Wonders - all patterns will be for babies/toddlers.  

All the of the very few original designs of mine have been created as a matter of necessity.  Wanting a certain pattern and not finding it anywhere!

The Perfect Baby Bib came about when grandson Jayden was teething.  Pam emailed and said MOM, I need bibs for a drooling baby!  Joe and I were holed up in an extended stay hotel on FM 1960 and I45 in August waiting for the builder to finish our house so we could move in.  It was hotter than Hell to get out and move around during the day.  So, we knitted.  There was only one chair in the hotel room so I sat in the middle of the bed and Joe sat in the chair and we knitted bibs.  I didn't like knitting the ties, so I decided a ribbed over the head version might work!  It worked very well and I have knitted many of them!  It is a pattern that is displayed and available in iPurl. 

Lizzie Janes is a pattern for Mary Janes that is knit in one piece with absolutely no seaming!  Over several days, I searched for a seamless version of Mary Janes - did not fine ONE!  You begin with a Turkish Cast On on the bottom of the foot and finish by sewing a button on the appropriate side.  You can add a crocheted or purchased flower to the toe if you choose. 

Blue Heron Yarns Anybody?

I have always been a Blue Heron Yarns fanatic! 

I received a call from Demien, Owner and Dyer Extraordinaire, of Blue Heron Yarns.  He is traveling in the Houston area.  He suggested bringing yarn to the shop for a trunk show/sale!  We are so excited to be able to announce this to our shoppers.

Here's the details -

Beginning tomorrow - Friday 10AM to 5PM thru Saturday 10AM to 4PM

We will have approximately 100 hanks of Blue Heron Rayon Metallic hand picked by Damien to offer to our customers. 

We hope you come and shop with us!

Enjoying an Ocean Breeze

No, I am not at the beach. It would be nice though! I am at home preparing to start Ocean Breeze.

iPurl is hosting a Boo Knits Mystery KAL beginning tomorrow. The mystery project is a shawl called Ocean Breeze. I am working on mine today so I will be able to help knitters tomorrow if needed. Here is the link if you want to see.

Ravelry: Ocean Breeze - Midsummer MKAL pattern by Boo Knits

 

I am setting Echo Beach aside, although not out of sight, as it is my enjoyable knitting currently. I plan to work on Ocean Breeze very early in the morning before going to the shop, when my my mind is fresh, so I can stay on pace with the KAL. At the end of the day, I will want something easy to work on while watching baseball with Joe - that will be Echo Beach. At the very best, I will be finishing TWO projects!

On the home front -

Joe and I drove out to our lot yesterday. Everything looks ready to pour concrete! We were very surprised! It is a good thing as today may be the only day this week they will be able to do it.

 

 

Our brick is also on site.

Rain and thunderstorms are predicted the rest of the week! I LOVE thunderstorm days! I am not talking about bad weather, just rain, a bit of lightning and thunder rolling in the background.

 

Sitting by the window with Bella, I have my yarn balled, my supplies gathered in a rice basket, a freshly brewed glass of Harney & Sons Paris black tea, I am ready to knit for a few hours.

 

 

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Enjoying Monday

It's a good day to be at the apartment - warm, cloudy, very humid with thunderstorms all around. I put a nice roast in the crockpot to have in the fridge for the coming week. A line of thunderstorms is moving thru. I'm having a hard time knowing when it's thundering or if the German Shepherd upstairs is romping about! We have a nice small porch, full of tropical plants, where Bella and I can sit and watch the rain! Bella loves the porch!

Yesterday, while watching baseball with Joe, I worked on Echo Beach completing a whole repeat! The Taiyo Lace color I am using is unveiling colors I didn't see right away! NORO is always an enjoyable yarn to knit! I love the weight and cottony feel of Taiyo Lace. It is quickly becoming a personal favorite. After all these years, I am still amazed at what can be done with knitting needles/crochet hook and beautiful string!

 

 

Our house pad is complete. They will start forming up to pour cement tomorrow. The rain stopped work today. Joe says the slab will be poured by the end of next week. I will be glad when the roof is on and they are working inside. At that point, the weather can't cause delays! You can see the lumber to the left in the photo below.

Tonight we tried a Pinterest recipe. Bourbon glazed, smoked Ham and Colby Jack cheese wrapped in a Crescent rolls with honey mustard dressing. They were a hit with Joe! Good job Pinterest!

 

 

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My Monday Morning

It's really Wednesday though. IPurl is closed on Mondays and Nancy works on Tuesdays. Today is the first day of my work week in the shop. Mondays are my real day off. I try not to do ANY shop related work at all - not even checking email. Tuesdays are currently designated for working on the new website.

The website is coming along. I think I made a breakthrough on the drop down categories/collections yesterday. FINALLY! Now, products are added in a certain way to be pulled into the right categories. Hooray! When it all works right, it a great thing! That had to be figured out to work as we needed it to before continuing with adding products. I am hoping syncing Checkout software at the end of each business day, before going home, will update product inventory levels accurately so I can work from home.

Up at 5AM this morning to get a few things done before work. Laundry and tidying up the apartment. After getting everything going, I knit a few rows on my Echo Beach. I am really liking the look of it but I realize it will be a long term project for me! It will be set aside when the Boo Knits Mystery KAL STARTS IN 3 weeks.

Sweet Bella napping with several of her toys - she really likes Froggie

Make it a great day today!

 

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Sunday Afternoon

The smells swirling around our little apartment are intoxicating - jasmine rice, Cajun smoked sausage, pinto beans, roux, onions and bell pepper are heavenly! Joe is cooking lunch today. Surely it must be time to eat lunch?

 

The Astros game starts just after 1pm. Bella is napping on the love seat.

 

The weather is gorgeous. It could not be a more perfect day!

 

I am almost finished knitting the Yaz Cowl in Juniper Moon's Zooey! I will launder it before bringing it to the shop for display. It is really pretty and a fun knit!

The rice is done! It's time to eat!

 

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A Rainy Week Ahead

I am happy to see the rain! Many areas of Texas desperately need rain. Looks like it is going to be with us throughout the week too!

Joe and I are still settling into our apartment. It's small and cozy. Efficient is a good description.

I am doing some laundry this AM. We don't do laundry in the evenings as it is practically in the living area and very loud. A load or two in he mornings keeps it all done.

The rain is delaying the clearing of our lot this week I am sure! Joe walked the lot with the Construction Foreman last Thursday looking for any trees that could be saved.

This is our corner lot

 

 

Today is granddaughter Alexis' birthday! I am hoping she is having a fabulous day!

 

 

Apartment Life

(It's cloudy and rainy today so it looks a bit dark)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Echo Beach

I am progressing slowly on my Echo Beach. Sometimes, for a couple of hour of quiet knitting time, I get up at 5am and knit. I am really loving Taiyo Lace.

 

 

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Echo Beach

Happily, I am at the apartment today, doing laundry and planning dinner for Joe and I. It's a cloudy very humid day. I woke up thinking about geraniums! I wanted geraniums on our little porch. I ran out to Lowes, sadly, geraniums are all gone. I did come home with a few of my favorite plants - a palm, an orange hibiscus, orchid and a few others. A few plants from home are out there also. It will make sitting on the small patio over the Summer and early Fall a little more enjoyable! The view out the patio door is certainly much nicer!

I FINALLY got Echo Beach started! I am using NORO Taiyo Lace. The Taiyo Lace reminds me of working with bedspread cotton.

Several years ago, I crocheted a lot with #10 bedspread cotton making lots of lace centerpieces, doilies, table runners and even a table cloth. Our children were in grade school and every dollar was needed somewhere on the family budget. As a stay at home Mom, days seemed endless amid housework, laundry and raising children. I found that I could buy a couple of balls of crochet cotton for about $10 and I could not only entertain myself but make really nice lace pieces for my home. That's when I learned to read crochet charts and really perfected my crochet skills. The lace pieces remind me of both my grandmothers as that was the type of handwork they both enjoyed. It's amazing to me how working with Taiyo Lace brings back the the peaceful feelings and memories of long afternoons from years ago!

Back to Echo Beach, I added 2 repeats to the width of my scarf/shawl, wanting it to be more substantial so I can use it as a shawl if I want to. I love the feel of the cotton in Taiyo Lace. I imagine it as a large scarf that will feel wonderful wound around my neck in the cooler months also!

 

 

Lots of markers keeping me on track

Hoping to get a couple hours of knitting in tonight -

 

P.S. Debra Harkness posted a link to the first chapter of The Book of Life on her Facebook page. I have loved this series! I will be reading it early in the AM when it is quiet!

 

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Settling into the Apartment

We have been settling into our apartment over the last few weeks. Joe and I have found it takes awhile to get over the fatigue of moving. More than likely that's because we aren't spring chickens any more!

The trickiest adjustment is the kitchen as it is really tiny! It is as wide as the dishwasher door! My KitchenAid mixer is sitting on the floor in it's moving box. We have to make room for the Quisinart (for scones) and the KitchenAid ( for breads). The Keurig is on the counter. There are other things that will have to go to storage yet. I am finding you don't need as much as you think you do!

I moved two plastic storage bins of Easter decorations out of the shop. They are still in my car! They will remain there until Joe and I can meet at the storage place and leave them there. I don't think I can tote one more box or bin of anything for awhile.

As may of you know, we have purchased a lot in Woodforest and are preparing to build again. Joe doesn't stand still for very long! It's a corner lot that backs to a wooded reserve. We have completed all our selections ( paint, flooring cabinets, lighting, faucets, brick and so on). I took this pic as they had just put the SOLD sign up! There is a house being built next door and across the street. I am so excited to finally have close door neighbors! The lot doesn't look big enough for a house!

 

 

The lot backs up to a reserve where houses won't be built. Joe likes that!

The area behind houses on our block.

 

iPurl stuff -

We sent our first yarn purchase to Norway this week! I am so excited! We have also shipped to Australia! We are in the process of moving our website to a different host now. It should sync with our shop inventory. That is a huge improvement. The look is different and will change as the software capabilities improve. It has become Priority #1.

I am impatiently waiting on a shipment of a linen/cotten blend! For now, there are no plans to add a major brand of yarn this Summer. I am looking at some smaller dyers who have fiber blends for Our HOT southern climate.

 

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Lizzie Jane

I have been working for several weeks on a seamless Marry Jane. Nobody likes seaming! There CAN be a seamless baby shoe.

 

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Tuesday - Unpacking the Knitting Boxes

There were only 2 boxes of knitting stuff to unpack. They were large boxes, not much yarn, but there were other things in the boxes also - a swift, knitting needles, crochet hooks, a couple of yarn bowls, patterns, a few magazines, project baskets - you get the idea. Very few books came to the apartment - I was happy to see the ones that made it! (Books are like old friends). Most of the yarn is in 2 large Lantern Moon baskets and doesn't have to go into the writing desk. Thank goodness!

I have an antique Chinese writing desk purchased to hold beads and all things beading. It all fit perfectly and was well organized. That was all packed into boxes and the little antique writing desk was brought to the apartment to hold my knitting stuff - it is also doubling as a TV stand since the apartment is small.

The writing desk is much prettier In person. It has Chinese scenes and decorations on it. I am optimistic, hoping it will hold most everything.

 

Well, maybe not all of it

Maybe some things can go into the closet

Wondering how Bella's Halloween sweater got in the boxes destined for the apartment?

 

Not too bad - I am sure it will get more organized and condensed over time. The necessary items are where I can easily find them.

Basket of yarn in the bedroom on top of the box of knitting stuff that didn't fit in the Chinese cabinet.

Sitting down to work on some little knitted Mary Janes. I looked and looked, even purchasing a few patterns, for a Mary Jane that is truly no seaming. Many were knit in the round but there was always some seaming to finish. I designed a simple one with no seaming! Test knitting and checking over the pattern this evening. I need a pair very soon!

 

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Settling In

Joe and I are settling into the apartment. Resting and trying to get back to a normal routine while unpacking the things we need. We are back to cooking in the evenings.

After our moving weekend, Joe has decided (giggling) that Maxwell Movers can move EVERYTHING to the house when we move in! I am all for that!

This is one of 2 storage building that are completely full.

 

Cosy Apartment Living

 

Out the window

 

Bella found the window

 

Bella's favorite place

 

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Maxwell Movers Came Today

All I can manage this evening is photos -

 

 

 

 

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Tuesday Packing ........

I took 2 Benadryl last night because of all the pollen in the air. Slept SO good but slow to come alive this morning. Joe was calling early and all I could manage to do is say "What?" Movers are moving the heavy stuff - most of the furniture. They are scheduled for the 8th. Robert will be here around noon to look around and give us an estimate.

After 2 cups of coffee, feeling much better.

Trying to remember my job is to just pack - get everything in a box.

First on the list is the April Class Schedule for the shop. It always takes awhile to say the least. After getting it typed, project pictures in place, conspiring with a couple of the instructors, proofing twice - it is finally up on our FaceBook page. Hoolie is emailing it as I type. We have some fun stuff on there this month! It is a very important part of what goes on at iPurl!

Back to packing - this is what I am looking at from my packing station at the bar. Joe keeps bringing in empty boxes. I am sure we will need them. He knows I don't want them in the garage - you know, scorpions! I am terrified of them!

 

My shelves in the yarn room

They are beginning to look empty. This is where I am putting the things I will need over the next 6 months

 

The bed is my working area

 

The other side of the room (sigh)

Two large Lantern Moon baskets full of yarn have to be sorted through

 

Everything has to go into a box.....

Joe brought home BBQ sandwiches for dinner. I will be packing until about 9PM.

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