Seduction on Vacation

The 3rd project I finished by the poolside (listening to a waterfall).  My first pair of knitted socks, Seduction by Ann Budd. I made them to go with my pink Harley Davidson high tops. They are exactly what I pictured! It was so cool to finish all those projects at once. Unfortunately now all the projects I'm working on are a long way from being finished.

I am always torn though. I love the process and the product.

Revisiting Vacation.....sigh!

As previously stated we went on a mini vacation at Greg's timeshare in Scottsdale.  This vacation I got more done than ever before. Yesterday's post "Carolyn's Wedding Afghan" (put the finishing touches on that) and today's post my earrings.

This month's crochet and knit publications have been fantastic: Vogue Knitting, Interweave Crochet, Creative Knitting and Crochet Today, just fabulous.  I made 3 pairs of earrings based on or exactly the Fiesta Earrings pattern out of Crochet Today. The first pair (no picture yet) were made for and given to Vicky Konecky the owner of Grandma's Spinning Wheel.  My 2nd pair I finished up on vacation but I tweeked the pattern, it's the pink & ecru pair. My 3rd pair I made like the 2nd but did 3 colors ecru, orange, and brown, these looked great with my bathing suit. The earrings are great for the pool, getting them wet does no harm. All the earrings were either made using some old this and that crochet thread I already had or Nazli Gelin Garden thread.

There is more to come on the projects I finished on vacation......

Carolyn's Wedding Present

Last weekend I attended the wedding of an old high school friend. It was like no other wedding I had ever been to and Greg, Seth and I enjoyed it thoroughly. It was down to earth and casual and fun!

Of course I made a gift for my friend. Since we are so close I wrote in the note that if it wasn't to her liking she could send it back and I would make something more to her liking. When she got back from her honeymoon she texted me, "I love the gift. Sorry u cant have it back its my favorite of all the gifts." I have never received a better AND worse text.  Greg and I fell in love with it while I was making it.

Since I was on vacation this past week, there is more to come, as I finished several projects.

It's Done!!!

My shawl is done!!! I almost cried when I finished. Greg couldn't understand why. I've enjoyed making this shawl so much. Like when you read a book that is soooo good that when you finish you feel as if you have just lost your very best friend. But I guess I get to WEAR my very best friend.

But I realized something about myself. I am all about the journey. A finished project or meeting a goal is great but the things I do to get there, well that's what really drives me.

A special thanks to Michael Konecky. He took the photos for me and they're gorgeous!

My Inspiration

                                       LINDA HELEN FLEMING  Nov. 26, 1939-Apr. 29, 1999


In honor of Mother's Day, I wanted to share my Mom, my inspiration.  As you can see my Mom was a nurse, fabulous Mom, wonderful wife, and friend. But what most didn't know (including herself) was she was a talented fiber artist. She sewed, knit, crocheted, but mostly sewed.  My goal is to share some of her work with all of you. Of course, keeping in my mind that my intention was to start all of this the week of Apr 29, so I'm at least two weeks behind schedule. I only have this picture scanned in so far but hopefully this Mother's Day weekend I will get busy.

Linda Fleming is a woman that everyone should know. I have been blessed to have had a very great mother and I still miss her. However, she continues to be my inspiration. When I feel like giving up on something, all I have to say is "Do it for Mom!".

Happy Mother's Day to all!

Continued Craziness

Well here is an update on my library. I have 86 books that are strictly knitting, doesn't include leaflet patterns and magazine patterns. HMMM, 86 knitting books, doesn't that mean I need 14 more?! And then if I get 44 more crochet books.....Oh yeah, I forgot, I'm a broke unemployed college student. SNAP!

Further updates to come on my organized pattern library pursuits.....

Nervous Knitting and Stage Fright

On Thursday night, April 28, I had to give an oral presentation on a group benchmarking report about airlines. In past years, I used to get up and sing or play guitar in front of 100's of people. I have done this many times, so a person like me never gets stage fright?! The answer to that is a big "NO"!  I get stage fright every single time, I am a nervous wreak right up until I set foot on "stage" and then it's like another person just takes over. This is a phenomena I have never understood.

What does all of this have to do with the shawl picture above? Well I have found an advantage to stage fright and a new advantage to knitting. Knitting calms me down and stage fright causes me to get a LOT of knitting done. Not to mention, how much housework got done.  Greg threatened to ask my instructors to require more oral presentation because he really liked my productivity. :D

Stage fright doesn't feel good but at least I've found an advantage to it.