Embrace imperfection.

My bam is blended. A blend of everything good from my stash...alpaca,silk,Debbie Bliss cotton,Habu mohair...in pale minty greens,palest duck egg blue, muted ivory. It is soft. It is pale. I am not perfect, nor do I want to be . Imperfection is an art. It is not my style to make a promise I cannot keep it is not my style to make New Year's resolutions. I will not resolve to run 5 miles a day like I once did... or to lose weight,change my hair,or change my ways... be better or do better. I will not resolve to knit faster.... to finish all projects...

a New Year is upon us, a chance to take life again, a day at a time.. just to be... or try to be... another year, to just try

I am paled by comparison to be in the company of so many talented people. I have been influenced in a good way by all of your creations. So with the New year upon us,

whatever course you choose,

my advice is

a day at a time

try.

Enjoy And Have a Happy one!

I have decided to let the computer do the choosing on this giveaway.

Random Integer Generator Here are your random numbers:48

Timestamp: 2008-12-28 00:58:22 UTC

(minus my comment and a deleted comment)

the winner is:

MISTYBLISS

*Michelle-email me your postal address;

the sock book and some other goodness are now Yours!!

and thanks to:

Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk wristwarmers by her... Christmas warm wishes from her...

and

the art of imperfection

Shades of Gray...& a giveaway

"..But today there is no day or night Today there is no dark or light. Today there is no black or white, Only shades of gray.." I am progressing. I am confident. I must move quickly. The circling has kept me motionless for much too long. It is fitting that I should break free of the spiraling by knitting in the round. I am only seeing shades of gray... Thermis. Gray. Shades of gray. Sublime Cashmerino Silk Aran Granite...a shade of gray. a waffle stitch cowl,circling,soft,warm,comforting. Haven...

Rowan Cocoon ... Scree...a soft heathered gray

haven-a safe place to be... Daria Bracelet...

Berocco Seduce Anthricite

a charcoaled gray...linen,silk,encircling...

a quick last minute gift

awaiting a charm And another gray area of a sort...

I love to knit children's socks,baby socks,but my gray area is grown up socks.

I have this book...New,never used and I would like to give it away!

If you would like it...let me know,I will choose a name in 1 week

It could be yours...with some other goodies.

And in the spirit of the Holiday

I have written up the pattern for the Huswifs needle rolls

And for a short time will email you a Pdf if you leave me a comment with your e-mail.

Best wishes for a Happy Holiday Season to all.

"The only true gift is a portion of thyself"...Emerson

going in circles

Fouetté: A turn or spin on one leg, the body being propelled by a whipping motion of the free leg. It is usually performed by a female dancer. Spinning around and around,going in circles. Very graceful for a dancer. Not so graceful when you need to be moving forward. Pretty tree,the Nutcracker, reflections in the window, the dancers go on and on unlike myself,who has only been going around and around. to start at least 5 projects and then frog them all, only to end up winding around and around so,I followed the flow of this satin ribbon, and wrapped and tied, and packaged and sent. I will write and bake. I will prepare. I will knit. Once I stop going in circles.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus...

"... He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, .... Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! ...There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight..." By Francis P. Church, first published in The New York Sun in 1897 I was sitting and knitting this Habu gear linen, making a reverse bloom washcloth from Weekend Knitting, and hanging the stockings,getting into the spirit, when something magical happened...Santa came early... a package from Belgium full of all sorts of treats, a knitted pin,a knitting needle roll, bags for the girls,an apron and... some real,Belgian chocolate.But that was not all... He also brought gifts from Australia. Buttons...the most wonderful buttons,curved ones,smooth ones, wooden ones,carved ones... such a treat...I couldn't believe my eyes. A spoon for stirring and linen for sewing... gifts wrapped with tissue and hearts, Now,who could not believe in Santa Claus? Thank you Nathalie...for thinking of me... And thank you Nora for making me feel so special. I BELIEVE...you should,too!

Zakka Revised Pattern

Zakka Revised By T does wool Problems or questions contact me at http://tdoeswool.blogspot.com/

Enough Felted wool, either knitted and felted or try an old woolen sweater felted to cut a 7 ½” diameter circle for base of bag and 6” x 23 ¾” long piece for lower half of bag. Cotton or desired fabric, 10 ½" X 23 ¾” long for top half of bag. 40” of 5/8” wide cotton twill tape for drawstring…or desired medium Matching thread, pins, sewing machine. If you have a locking stitch ,use it, especially on the side seam where the casing opens. Have all pieces cut to size as stated, pressed and ready to go. ½” seam allowance used Sew top and lower half pieces together along the long edge. Press. Topstitch. With right sides together sew the body, leaving 2 ½” open from the top (to form casing) Press ¼” in along this open edge and topstitch. Fold and press ¼” on top edge of the bag body..fold down another 1”, press and sew along the lower edge to form casing. Carefully pin the body to the circle (bag bottom) adjusting where necessary,sew and then zigzag for a neat inner seam.

Turn right side out,press and thread drawstring thru casing.

Finished.

Enjoy

Hint:I traced a cereal bowl onto the wool and cut out leaving a seam allowance for the bottom!

Thanks to Nora... and you can click on free pattern link on side bar to make a copy!

December and gifts

Now,tell me,is it wrong to model a gift? Is it wrong to want to keep that gift? Of course,I will give it away,but I had to have the softness against my skin just once! It is the colinette zero...this one the one called whirley fig, the yarn is a chunky weight,but it is both thick and thin, creating a textural landscape over your knit. I thought the color went well with my new red coat... the pattern is the Dolores Park Cowl and if you have never made one,you should.. it works up quickly,in a couple of hours, even if you stop and admire the yarn every 15 minutes! I've made 2 this fall for gifting...I am hoping they like them... I also finished the Side Slip Cloche from Boutique Knits as a gift... another dust pink yarn...this one is a handspun from Shadyside Farms. It also worked up slubby,thick and thin..but an aran weight. I did not model this as you can see...didn't want to mold it to my head,I may not take it off!

And I modified Nora's Zakka bag pattern ,to use a felted wool,

and Japanese cotton...all pieces were cut and sewn...

I have the instructions all written down and I promise to share!

Chocolate and pink...what every girl needs!

Hard to believe it's December already.

It will soon become winter officially.

Winter is the time for comfort,for

good food and warmth,for the touch

of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire:it is the time for home.

-Edith Sitwell

Happy Birthday to my husband Andrew today!!

(I call him my junior senior citizen!)

May you enjoy December.