Chicken Scratch

Years ago I encountered this stitch -- and gingham-printed embroidery fabric for it -- in a stitchery shop somewhere. The fabric -- navy-and-white, red-and-white, and green-and-white check, has been sitting in my embroidery supply stash ever since...until now.

Wouldn't you know it? This is the exact stitch that Sharon B has chosen to begin Stitch Explorer 2009.

I dug out my supplies and began, her instructions printed and faithfully sitting at my elbow. I'll admit, it was more difficult than I thought -- particularly as I was working on gingham-printed fabric rather than on plain. I thought the colour would guide my counting so that the cross-stitches would come out evenly, but in reality, I found that the colour distracted me from my count. In addition, I discovered that I had trouble translating the running stitch to the fabric. I kept wanting to do it one stitch at a time, in between crossed-stitches -- and ended up with verticals where I should have had horizontals. So much for what I thought was a short-cut!

Here are a couple of photos:



I like the work I did with the white floss, but when I tried to play with the stitch, using navy and then white (bottom row, right-hand photo)...well, let's just say that if it weren't a sample to be kept for the record, I'd have picked out those stitches by now!

If I find time, I'll try the stitch again on plain fabric and see if I like it any better.

Getting Ready

To cruise....

I finally got to some of my photos last evening. Although our stay in Fort Lauderdale was brief, we had a wee bit of time to acclimatize...to try to get used to the fact that although this was January, there were these.


And this...



I remember asking myself, "Am I dreaming?"

No Surprises Here...

You Were an Achieving Kid

When you were a kid, people often remarked on how mature you seemed. You acted quite adult. You excelled at school, and you actually enjoyed it to a large extent. No one had to ask you to do your homework. As a kid, you were probably a bit picky. You liked structure, schedules, and organization. You had trouble being friends with regular kids. You probably were only friends with other serious children.

What Kind of Kid Were You?

Vacation Preview

I think I'm over my jet-lag, so have managed to transfer my photos from my camera to my computer. However, I'm not finished sorting and editing so...here's just a taste of the tropics that my sock* and I enjoyed.








Beach below Shaw Park Gardens, Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Bird of Paradise, Shaw Park Gardens, Ocho Rios, Jamaica

* "Sock in Sunglasses" - Hand-dyed sock blank from KnitPicks.com. Travelling sock idea courtesy of The Yarn Harlot

Birthday Gift

In the last post I celebrated my DD's birthday, and said I was knitting furiously to finish the shrug she wanted, so I could take it with me to Edmonton this afternoon. Well...

Here it is, including a bit of the back detail.

Pattern: "Sweet Shrug"

Source: Creative Knitting, May 2008

Yarn: elann.com Collection: Superwash Worsted

Colour #40820 (cream)

Now I just hope the sleeves are long enough!

Happy Birthday, Baby!

Today, my eldest, my DD, is 28 -- and I am now exactly twice her age. How did that happen? The years have gone by so quickly...

From a wee one








To a creative college student...











From a beautiful bride...To a bright post-graduate, on her own again,











a caring friend...



and beloved daughter. I love you. Blessings on you for the year ahead!

Knitting Update

I've been working away on a shrug for my DD, who turns 28 (I'm sure she appreciates that I told you that!) on January 13th. It's the "Sweet Shrug" from Creative Knitting, May 2008. (If you have been visiting the Knitters' Review forums (fora?), you might have seen an entry or two by me about this already. I have finished the body, seen here as it dried after washing/blocking (left) and a detail of the lace that goes up the back, over the shoulder and down each front(right):




I have finished one sleeve now, but haven't photographed it yet -- I'll wait till both are completed.

Meanwhile, I've also started a pullover for myself. It's the 'Climbing Vines' pullover from Interweave Knits, Winter 2008. I just fell in love with it! It's been a very long time since I've made anything more for myself than socks or a hat. I decided that now was the time, and so began this yesterday in elann.com's Peruvian Collection Sierra, colour #1526, which is what I'd describe as mulberry, or a dusty cranberry.

I've had to measure m'self for this, which was a bit disconcerting. I've put on some pounds in the past few years, but didn't want to admit I'd actually changed sizes. Alas, it's true. :-(

So I'm sucking it up, as my kids would say, and working on my weight, even as I construct a new sweater in a size larger than I've ever worn. I figure that by the time I finish it, I'll be down a few pounds, and it'll look great. When it gets to the point where it looks too big, I'll either felt it (!) or give it away.

Behind every cloud there's a silver lining...

"Knit on through all circumstances" -- Elizabeth Zimmerman

Happy New Year!

And farewell to a Canadian Institution, The Royal Canadian Air Farce -- first on radio and then on television. My Sweetie and I loved to watch the latter. Tonight was the Grand Finale...

Befitting the change-over from one year to another, moving closer to the end of the first decade of the 21st century: a co-mingling of sadness and joy, tears and laughter, the look-back/look-ahead conundrum that is every New Year.

May your 2009 be filled with joy, sorrow, delight, growth, health, wonder... all that makes you the best you can and will be.

Remembering in Prayer

The families and friends of the snowmobilers killed in a triple avalanche situation near Sparwood, B.C. a few days ago. Remembering, too, the 3 survivors, who valiantly tried to rescue others and were faced with the awful decision to leave the site. As they left, the "whole centre of the mountain came down" into the place they'd been.

May those at rest be at peace. May those still with us be comforted by the Everlasting Arms of God. AMEN.

'Twas a Holly Jolly Christmas

What a lovely day yesterday! There was more love, light and laughter in my wee home than the last couple of Christmases, and what a wonderful blessing that was. My kids and sister joined me to celebrate The Day and while we all spoiled each other with goodies, and enjoyed a Grand Feast, the best part was just talking, joking, reminiscing and fooling around together.


Apparently, Diesel had always been boarded out for Christmas, as his furless family flew to the Maritimes for the holidays each year. So this being his first Christmas, one of his favourite spots to relax was under the tree!



*Photos beautifully crafted by my daughter. Yes, that is a Noro two-ball scarf you see around her neck! :-)

Merry Christmas!

And every blessing for the New Year!

Love and light
from
Margaret
and Diesel, the Christmas Cat.

R.I.P.

Fred: faithful friend and companion, feline comforter and playmate. Sometime in 1988 - Decmber 22, 2008.

No, I'm not.

Crazy, that is. It dawned on me when I got up this morning that my Word of the Year for 2009 has already started to move out of percolation in my brain, into my world.

The word is: DARE.

It's a word I put in beads on an early art quilt that I made in white, red and black, based on a process from Quilters' Playtime by Dianne S. Hire.

D A R E.

Not as in 'dare-devil' or being reckless or stupid about my safety (and/or that of others). No.

Rather, "DARE" as in 'daring', 'bold', 'audacious', 'courageous' -- particularly when it comes to creating and displaying my work, entering competitions etc.

Amazing. I hadn't even spoken the word, or declared it in writing -- even in my journal. It was just in my mind, tumbling about like a bright, beautiful glass marble. And what happens? I dared!

You May Be Right --

I may be crazy. (To quote Billy Joel.) To wit: I just submitted three (count 'em!) poems to the FreeFall Magazine's annual prose and poetry contest. I took the plunge before the little voices in my head could talk me out of it. All I can do now is calm my pounding heart and wait for the results.

Wish it were as easy to do as all that.

It's Taken Over a Year

But I finally finished Sham #1 of a pair for my DearSis:






It's my first full needle-turn applique piece, and the best stippling I've done to date. :-) I'm trying to keep my halo from pinching my ears, as Mom would have said.

Now for a breather till at least the end of January before I start Sham #2!

Hunkerin' Down

Snow. And blowing snow. Storm warnings south of here. Here -- mostly blowing. The walk I shovelled yesterday noon is now almost filled in again. That's okay, though. In this weather, no one's going to be visiting -- certainly not on foot!

I managed to get into Lacombe yesterday afternoon for banking, the Post Office (sent off a Christmas parcel), the Library (brought home a VHS tape and 2 DVDS), and groceries. I think now I'm home to stay...at least till Tuesday, when I am supposed to go in to Calgary. "Weather permitting" has become my current favourite phrase!

So yesterday evening, making it back just as snow and wind were starting up, I worked on a wee art piece -- this month's challenge for my art quilt group, the Free Spirit Artisans. The theme was "Favourite Book, Movie or Song". Can you guess what this represents?










Here's a closer view:

On the agenda for today: applique and a the start of a new pair of socks!

TTFN!

It's a Winter's Eve...

And I've been stitching while I listened to various podcasts. I love 'em! My favourites include:

• Craftcast with Alison Lee (lively interviews with people involved with a variety of artistic media);


• The KnitPicks Podcast with Kelly Petkun (enthusiastic about everything knitting, punctuated with great interviews);


• Annie's Quilting Stash with Annie Smith, a bubbly host who travels to teach, who designs, and who loves to interview the famous and not-so-famous in the world of quilting;


• Garrison Keillor's daily 5-minute podcast sponsored by Poetry magazine; and


• Two CBC Radio podcasts involving literature and authors -- "The Next Chapter" with Shelagh Rogers, and "Writers and Company" with Eleanor Wachtel.

Tonight I've been stitching on a piece for my art quilting group, the Free Spirit Artisans. Our next monthly gathering is Tuesday evening, and our theme for this past month's project has been "A Favourite Book, Movie or Song". I was at a complete loss till the other night when, as I drifted off to sleep, it came to me...Photo in a later post!

I've finished my Christmas knitting, but have a wee bookmark to cross-stitch for a friend, and a pillow sham in applique to finish and quilt for my sister. The latter is Installment 2 of her Bedroom Decor Series (remember, I made a neck roll pillow last Christmas? and a quilt the year before that?) One more sham after this, and it will be complete!

In between, I found this marvellous pattern with which to comfort my dear old cat, Fred. He's going on 20, and is skin and bone from kidney problems. Nonetheless, he rules his little corner of the world -- and my heart. He has me well trained, for sure! Anyway, he's really been feeling any slight bit of chill or cold, so I made him this ribbed vest, courtesy of a pattern at ChristineLandry.com:

Here he is snoozing in the vest, on his favourite chair. He doesn't seem to mind wearing it. We'll see how it goes over the next 24 hours. It could be a bit longer, I think...but I am glad I didn't put in the sleeves; I don't think he'd have liked them.

On the website, there are photos of real cats wearing their sweaters or vests, and apparently "Crazy Aunt Purl" (of Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair fame) had a 'cat sweater sweepstakes' -- there's a link to the photos!

Enjoy! -- and remember: In the midst of the holiday rush, Take Time to Knit!

Pre-Christmas Update

I'm off on a quilting retreat tomorrow, so thought I'd post some Finished Objects -- knits for Christmas gifts -- before I go. I won't name recipients, in case they're lurking...

First, a Noro two-ball scarf. I had 1 odd ball of Silk Garden, and 1 of Kureyon, so I decided to try the scarf that smote The Yarn Harlot. Only differences: I used 25 sts to her 39, and I ran out of Kureyon before the Silk Garden, so I cast off and used the remaining SG for a fringe.




Steph's quite right; these can be addictive. Certainly the most enjoyment I've had from 1:1 ribbing in, well, forever.


Next, a the smoke ring, shown previously -- now finished. Not enough yarn to create a true wimple (i.e. it's not big enough to use part to cover one's head), but pretty nonetheless.





Third, a smoke ring detail, just in case you were curious. This is actually closer to the true colour of the yarn.

More on Monday -- if I remember my camera!

What She Said

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee has done a commendable job trying to explain in layman's terms what's been going on with our boys and girls in Ottawa these past couple of weeks. We disagree about which should be the governing party (i.e. the party with the most elected individuals), but hey -- that's the blessing of living in a country that attempts, most of the time, to function as a democracy.

While the PM is off visiting the GG, I've decided to keep the CBC radio and TV out of my life, and knit, knit, knit.

I'm With Bess...

As a bona fide Morning Person, I have no idea how I ended up with this:

You Are Midnight

You are more than a little eccentric, and you're apt to keep very unusual habits. Whether you're a night owl, living in a commune, or taking a vow of silence - you like to experiment with your lifestyle. Expressing your individuality is important to you, and you often lie awake in bed thinking about the world and your place in it. You enjoy staying home, but that doesn't mean you're a hermit. You also appreciate quality time with family and close friends.

What Time Of Day Are You?

Furthermore, I've been known to be extremely left-brained, detail-oriented and logical...never thought of myself as "more than a little eccentric"...but perhaps as one gets older, one reveals more eccentricities....Hmmmm.