Falling Thru Stars

Dogs

2008-05-22T17:17:00.000-04:00

Cooper Hospital- Second 2008 Delivery

2008-05-12T11:45:00.005-04:00

Sunday was Mother's Day, and I was finally able to connect with NICU Judy at Cooper Hospital to make a delivery. Yay! It's always great to see her, and Cooper really needed the supplies.

It's sometimes hard to connect, as Judy has recently been on the 7P to 7A shift.

AND Cooper is STILL under construction:

Don't know if you can see it in the 2nd photo, but there's construction fencing in front of the building in progress. That is where the parking WAS. No more. They've taken down the 'Parkade" for a new patient tower.

So, to make a delivery, Judy and I rendez-vous at one of the entrances. It's a little complex in that she needs to let security know, requisition a cart, and have someone cover for her while she leaves the floor.

The cart is a NECESSITY to get the boxes to the NICU; it's in another building, and she has to use a construction access area and two elevators to get back to the NICU.

And so, we (and a nice security guard) meet:

Here's where we get to "The Good Stuff". Absolutely beautiful handmade items:

Amen Blankets and Hats:

Knit and Crochet Blankets:

You'll note that several of these have matching hats (attached with white ribbon).

Baby Cases:

Hand-Knotted Quilts:

And this poor box, which got all mixed up on the ride to Cooper. (The Turnpike will do that to you, sometimes!) Hats, wipes, bibs, etc.

And here's Judy, wheeling the boxes in the door. You can't see the Security Guy in this one, but he's a really big guy in a uniform. I think he could eat my car if he really wanted to.

Oh, and did I mention it's 4 in the morning? Which would explain why some of the photos are a bit dark, no? Needless to say, it was a quick delivery, as Judy had to get back to the floor, and I was looking forward to a little shut-eye.

We have two more Cooper Deliveries planned for 2008. Dates are still to be determined. :)

San Francisco

2008-04-10T16:14:00.006-04:00

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

I love the neon:

And the murals:

The food:

The Shopping:

What?

2008-03-25T19:03:00.003-04:00

I'm sure the rest of the Free World has seen these a thousand times already.

Yesterday's news, but the kiddos are just loving 'em:

And this little number, which one finds themself inexplicably singing in the shower:

On the whole, I'm not big into the whole "Do Things With Cats" Motif.

We HAVE a cat, but he's not into the whole "Do Things With Cats" Motif either.

A little yarn eating, sure. Maybe he'll let you take his picture when he's 75% asleep in a pile of Fun Fur novelty yarn. Beyond that, you're outta luck.

That said, I think these are pretty nifty. Someone has a little electrical firing in the brain, whips up a video, and thousands of people are watching it every day.

Ain't the "inner-nets" wunnerful?

Spring Has Sprung

2008-03-24T10:37:00.002-04:00

This post is low on text, high on colorful images.

First, a little something floral:

And next, a little something sewn:

YES, the seams are straight. It's lying on the bed funny! The "Seam Police" may re-sheath their stitch rippers!

Spring Baskets

2008-03-23T04:47:00.002-04:00

A project that the kids can help with, if you don't mind potting soil ALL over the house!

These work best if you start about a week BEFORE you want to present them. AND if you remember to get the supplies ahead of time.

The 'seedy things' are wheat berries.

Right before the project, soak the 'berries' for 8-12 hours & keep them damp.
Take a festive container, and line it with a Ziploc.
Pour some potting mixture in and dampen it.
Spread a thick layer of the damp wheat berries on top.
Trim any excess Ziploc away.
Cover with plastic wrap~ Yep, like a little greenhouse.
Trim the excess, if any.
Put it in a nice sunny window, and check it daily.

In a few days, you'll either have Mold-A-Rama
(Kids, Make Your Own Penicillin!)

OR

a lovely green mess of sprouts. Take the plastic off.

(Some folks like to eat or make 'wheatgrass juice' from the sprouts.)

Once it gets started, the grass grows like wildfire. Kids like to 'cut the lawn' with scissors. They also like watering it. Remind them that it's only a Ziploc in there, not a Pool Liner!

Eventually, it starts to peter out, and you either have to transplant it into the yarn, or allow it to expire, and toss it in your composter.

This year, we decided to add a daffodil to each pot, since we started late, and wouldn't have any grass when they were delivered.

By the time the daffodil's done, the grass will be in full swing. The bulb can be saved and planted out in the yard to bloom next year.

Most of ours will be given to folks who celebrate Easter, so we popped in a little 'decorative pick'

Happy Spring, and WIP's

2008-03-23T04:19:00.003-04:00

Happy Spring and/or Holiday of Your Choice. You pick the holiday, I'll wish you the appropriate Good Tidings. :)

For those who care, it's the Earliest Easter Ever, and My Hottie Chiropractor's Birthday.

Next year, his birthday will be the same, but Easter won't be this early again until I run out of yarn. Which of course, would be the End of the World As We Know It....

Yeah, you knew that was coming.

1. Still collecting UFO's from various and sundry locations around the house.
2. Still dreading weaving in all those ends.
3. Just finished the Easter/Spring Baskets for those who are near-and-dear to us.
4. Working on some paperwork for Ginden for the April Cooper Project.

Care for a peek at the Spring Baskets?

Between the beginning and end of this project, it appears that DS took a variety of self-portraits with the camera.

Including THIS little gem:

which has orthodontists dialing up their Porsche dealers to have a copy of the 2009 catalog set aside for them.

NOTE TO CHILD: LEAVE MAH STUFF ALONE!
Or else! Tee hee!

There are also several unflattering views of my posterior, which shall remain unseen for all eternity. MOVING RIGHT ALONG...

Art Links-Later

2008-03-23T03:15:00.004-04:00

First, as promised, the link of the Quilt Squares Lady: LovingFabric on ebay

Second, a link to The "Lissa Explains It All" site. Desgined for kids; works for me!

Miscellaneous Projects in the Works

2008-03-22T03:25:00.006-04:00

Just when I thought that ALL of the fabric had been assigned to a task.... another bag shows up in the garage.

I'm seriously starting to think that there's a Magic Something-Or-Other in there that spontaneously GROWS fabric.

There were actually a few things in there that I've been looking for.

Like THIS:

I bought some pre-cut squares on ebay, and this was a 'test square' I whipped up very late one night.

All right, quit staring at the seams and trying to 'mind meld' them into being straight! Ain't happenin'. I already tried.

I know, somewhere, a quilting perfectionist is reaching for her smelling salts. I SAID it was a Test Square, didn't I?

The remainder of the squares from this group has been pieced very nicely. (Mom even admired my seams, so you know they have to be good.)

Now that I have them together (photos later) I'd like to make the quilt a little bigger.

I e-mailed the seller, and although she didn't have this exact colorway at the moment, she was kind enough to list several similar ones. (If she gives permission, I'll post a link to her auctions here.)

It's really neat to get the pre-cut squares in the mail. You just open the package, whip 'em out onto the coffee table, and then zip 'em together with the serger. Much more fun than having to wash & cut them yourself.

The other project is to gather all my Knitting UFO's and put them in ONE basket. To be followed by finding a really good movie, and finishing them all.

There are ears to be sewn on Teddy Bear hats, sweaters to be blocked, and Endless Ends To Be Woven In. (Is that a Country Music Song?)

Which brings us to this little number:

Can anyone identify this little sockie? I think the pattern was something that many people were doing on AC4C.

When it's a sock, I always tend to think Beth is involved. (Beth's been known to make a nice sock or two.)

It was probably something along the lines of: "If you've never knit a sock before, try this, it's addictive!"

In any case, this little one is knit in the round, and was found without any needles or instructions. I think that might be called a 'Short Rows Heel'? It's about a 3-year-old size.

Any suggestions/ideas welcomed.

No News Is Good News

2008-03-17T09:16:00.007-04:00

No posts lately, but I have been busy.

First, a trifecta of hats:

These are made from Lang Bebe Jacquard yarn. Bought on sale (of course) for $2 per skein.

It comes in a small 50g bag, and the yarn 'feeds' out the top of the bag. No need to re-skein, no tangles. And, it self-stripes. It's Superwash wool, probably about 'sock weight'.

See it in greater detail here: (Click to enlarge)

On the AC4C List, I was one of the prize winners for Sam's January Project. The prize was a lovely assortment of Bernat Yarns ("Baby Softee" and 'Baby"). Mom immediately scooped up this yarn and went to work.

Hats:

"Amen" Blanket:

And here, a few hats in WOOL for BJ's May Project:

Some homemade bread. If it had any more fiber in it, you could KNIT it:

The Infamous "SIDEWAYS HAT"

2008-02-10T01:50:00.001-05:00

HUGE DISCLAIMER:
I got this data as a photocopy of a photocopy of a hand written document. It only gives the "30 or 35 stitches" and "35 ridges" information. No credit is given as to who did the math.

The iteration you see below is my 'translation' of that data into a 'pattern'.

SIDEWAYS HAT “RECIPE”

• The “Recipe” doesn’t have too many specifics. You’re trying to knit a garter stitch rectangle.

• Cast on some stitches and start knitting. I usually do 30 or 35 stitches on a size 10 needle. (I knit tight.)

• Knit until you have at least 35 ridges. Not “rows’. RIDGES.

Time to test:

• Hold the rectangle so that the ridges are going up & down
(Some would probably say “hold it sideways”.)

• Fold up the bottom a little (see photo). Does it look roughly as big as any baby hat you have ever knit?

• If “YES”, then bind off loosely.

• Hold the hat so that the ridges are going up & down.

• Run a piece of yarn through the “top” of the hat to pull it closed. Fasten SECURELY. I usually leave a little extra yarn at the cast on edge, and use that piece since it’s already hanging there.

~~DO NOT use that piece to sew the side seam. No matter how tight you THINK it is, it WILL come loose and you'll have a 'hole' in the top of the hat.~~

[ I fiddled with the color on this photo in the hopes that y'all can get a better look...]

• Now sew the cast-on and cast-off edges together. Or ‘sew the back seam”, whichever you prefer to call it. Weave in ends.

• Fold the bottom of the hat up to form the brim.

Cute, eh? And VERY stretchy.

TIPS:

• Use whatever needle size you need to get a suitable material. The stitches should be loose enough for the piece to be flexible. Not tight like a kitchen scrubby, not loose enough to be ‘mesh’.

• If you can put your fingers through the holes, it’s knit too loose. If you can’t fold it, it’s too tight.

• Try to match the yarn with the intended use of the hat. If it’s for a preemie, you won’t want to use a thick wool.

• For preemie hats, you can use the SAME number of RIDGES, but a few LESS stitches. (Try 25 or 30?)

• Remember, it’s a ‘recipe”, not a pattern. You have to knit up a ~sample~ and see what happens.

This is NOT a ‘gauge swatch”, it’s a ~sample~. Like licking the bowl to see how your recipe is turning out.

WIP's (Works in Progress)

2008-02-08T15:08:00.000-05:00

OK... we have one of THESE:

Any ideas what this will end up being? C'mon... take a guess!

And a little one of THESE:

NO, it's a REALLY LITTLE one. See the quarter?

Now I have to figure out what size hat will go with it.

Cooper Hospital Delivery

2008-01-28T13:38:00.000-05:00

Made a quick delivery to Cooper Hospital over the weekend, as they were OUT of hats & blankets.

Cooper Hospital was lucky enough to be chosen as AC4C's April Project, and the Project Coordinator, Ginden, has set up a web site here.

The NICU is a Level III facility, featuring 25 Intensive care beds, two isolation nurseries, and a nine bed transitional nursery. It is usually full. If you have a few minutes and a lovely soft ball of yarn, please consider whipping them up a few hats.

A few quick photos of the 'goodies'. It's a nice selection of hats, blankets, and even some 'Amen Blankets' (fetal demise). You can click any of the photos to get a better peek:

A Wee Bit O'Sweater Modification

2008-01-07T22:53:00.000-05:00

The September Project for AC4C is the Guideposts Sweater Project.

They're specific that they want everyone to knit one of THEIR patterns so that when they deliver the sweaters, the kids are all getting the SAME sweater. Anyone who has had to deal with more than one child at a time for any reason knows that that makes perfect sense.

However, all that garter stitch can make one a little nutty. And who likes seaming?

The "10th Anniversary" version of the sweater has a stockinette body, and I've been knitting that in the round.

Sure, theoretically it's the same as doing 'all garter stitch', but if you use a variegated yarn, you can PRETEND, right?

The top is still done in garter stitch, and the finished sweater matches the schemata and sews up with a few less seams.

Here's one side done, and the second side waiting to be picked up:

Bonus Fiber Content !

2008-01-03T00:29:00.001-05:00

We had passes to take the kids to the Crayola Factory in Easton, PA (Thanks Mom & Dad!).

They share the space with the National Canal Museum.

There's a small room across from the admissions area that recognizes the area's fiber heritage. Some of these are hands-on displays for kids, including one where you can twist four strands into a "S" or "Z" twist.

A second looks a little like a cage, and kids take long 'noodles' (made of cotton filled with fiberfill) and thread them through the 'bars' as if they're weaving.

There's also a LOOM (Please Do Not Touch!):

And a display where you can spin the wheel and see magnifications of different fiber types:

The entire building has FOUR floors. THREE of which are 'Canal Museum'.

The Crayola Factory is only one floor. More crayons in one place than most people suck up in their vacuum in a lifetime!

Also, lots of small people running around with marker all over themselves. The kids thought it was great.

They had the "Hall of Fame" where they show the 'Retired Colors" and the 100 Billionth Crayon, which was molded by "Mr. Rogers".

It was a little 'commercial', but then again, I remember 'back in the day', when we went to the Actual Factory for a tour, and the waiting list was over 2 years long at one point. Heck, you could step in some wax and trail it around all day!

Blog Catch-Up Post

2007-12-31T20:45:00.000-05:00

I've been meaning to post these photos (as requested).

These are the 'gift bags' made from dish towels, displayed fetchingly upon my ironing board.

Directions are ridiculously easy:

1) Buy embroidered cotton dish towels on Deep Clearance at Target.
2) Put them away for a year.
3) Dig them out just before the holidays and remember WHY you bought them.
4) Embroider names with Mom's machine.
5) Sew together on the serger.
5a) Be sure to angle them so the big thick hem drops off.
5b) Put a piece of ribbon in the seam BEFORE you sew it, to tie it closed.
6) Rip out at least one bag because you forgot to do 5b.
7) Wrap all the gifts in tissue, stuff 'em in, and tie shut.
No wrapping paper, gift tags, or tape required.

8) Optional: Do a little dance when you realize how much time this saves.

January AC4C Project- Baby Packs!

2007-12-31T20:10:00.000-05:00

The January Project for All Crafts for Charity is KwaZula-Natal Baby Packs.

List member SAM has set up a site
here with all the project details, as well as photos and info about this area of South Africa.

I sent my package a little early, and included two of the kimonos from Mason-Dixon Knitting, with matching hats and some diaper pins.

If The World Were A Village...

2007-12-17T21:30:00.000-05:00

I've seen this come through my e-mail several times, but haven't ever seen the appropriate attribution for it. So, if anyone knows from whence it came, I'm glad to give credit where it's due.

In the meantime, here's a little food for thought...

If The World Were a Village of 100 People

If this world were shrunk to the size of a village, what would it look like?

If 100 people lived in this village:
· 52 would be women, 48 would be men
· 30 would be children, 70 would be adults.
· 7 would be senior citizens.
· 90 would be heterosexual, 10 would be homosexual.
· 70 would be non-white, 30 would be white.

· 61 would be Asian, 13 African, 13 from North and South America, 12 Europeans, and the remaining one from the South Pacific.

· 33 would be Christians, 19 believers in Islam, 13 would be Hindus, and 6 would follow Buddhist teachings. 5 would believe that there are spirits in the trees and rocks and in all of nature. 24 would be believe in other religions, or would believe in no religion.

· 17 would speak Chinese, 9 English, 8 Hindi and Urdu, 6 Spanish, 6 Russian, and 4 would speak Arabic. That would account for half the village. The other half would speak Bengal, Portuguese, Indonesian, Japanese, German, French, or some other language.

In such a village with so many sorts of folks, it would be very important to learn to understand people different from yourself and to accept others as they are.

But consider this.

Of the 100 people in this village:

· 20 are undernourished, 1 is dying of starvation, while 15 are overweight.

· Of the wealth in this village, 6 people own 59% (all of them from the United States), 74 people own 39%, and 20 people share the remaining 2%.

· Of the energy of this village, 20 people consume 80%, and 80 people share the remaining 20%.

· 75 people have some supply of food and a place to shelter them from the wind and the rain, but 25 do not. 17 have no clean, safe water to drink.

· If you have money in the bank, money in your wallet and spare change somewhere around the house, then you are among the richest 8.

· If you have a car, you are among the richest 7.

· Among the villagers, 1 has a college education. 2 have computers. 14 cannot read.

· If you can speak and act according to your faith and your conscience without harassment, imprisonment, torture or death, then you are more fortunate than 48, who can not.

· If you do not live in fear of death by bombardment, armed attack, landmines, or of rape or kidnapping by armed groups, then you are more fortunate than 20, who do.

· In one year, 1 person in the village will die, but in the same year, 2 babies will be born, so that at the year's end the number of villagers will be 101.

~~~
Now I'm sure that someone's going to go look it up on 'Snopes' or one of the other hoax-debunking sites, and find some error in the writing.

But as a quick reality check, I think it helps one to remember that if you HAVE, well then you're pretty damn lucky, because there are so many that DON'T.

Getting off my soapbox . .

I Can Has RAM?

2007-12-07T02:04:00.000-05:00

Oh Happy Day! I bought myself some RAM for the holidays.

No, not a sheep. Computer parts!
(Don't even mention sheep to me. I am STILL carding that damn wool.)

Couldn't have been easier. The web site scanned my computer and said (not verbatim, of course):

a) This is what you HAVE.
b) This is what you CAN put in.
c) This is how we sell it.
d) How would you like to PAY for this?

I even INSTALLED it MYSELF. Yeah, it's that easy.
Easier than putting pants on a baby!

You literally OPEN the PC, open the package, and SNAP the RAM in.

Gotta press hard, the instructions say it takes 20 to 30 pounds of pressure to get the little buggers in there!

Hope like hell that you don't accidentally exert 30.1 lbs. of pressure and bust the thing,

SNAP! Like LEGO, only more expensive!

For less than $100, it's like having a new 'puter. Or at least one that doesn't suck! :)

Why is it that we're supposed to be petrified of "WHATsINSIDEtheCOMPUTER" anyway?

December Has Arrived

2007-12-01T20:43:00.000-05:00

December is here, and along with it, a dose of cold weather.

My parents left this morning for the Caribbean (stinkers!).

The December AC4C Project is to make blankies for shelter pets. I whipped up several, using pieces of fleece that weren't large enough for baby blankets.

Two or three pieces serged together were just about the right size for a cat.

Wouldn't be suitable for a baby, as you wouldn't want all those serged edges right next to their skin. Our resident Cat, however, approved these heartily.

Photos to follow.

ETA: Photos! Two examples of smaller pieces, serged into something useful:

November Shipments

2007-11-26T18:31:00.000-05:00

Finally back after picking up some nasty Spyware along the way.

After following NINE pages of directions, I seem to have the little bugger under control [quickly knocking on faux wood]!

A few quick photos of items that have gone out this week:

The scarf and mitts in the first photo (and several others like them) went to Cangleska, Inc., the shelter on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Cangleska

The scarf was knit for Marilyn, "The Baby Lady"* from the AC4C group, and sent to Re-Member on the Reservation in her honor. Re-Member

* When a group member donates 100 handmade items to the AC4C monthly projects, and the moderators verify the donations, "The Baby Lady" makes them up an authentically- sized preemie doll that can be used as a model for their handmade items. Several of us try to make a few extra items while Marilyn's busy "Makin' Babies'.

The scarf is 100% wool, and darn wide and long.

[My neighbor admired another scarf knit in the same wool, different color, and it ended up going home with her.]

The photo doesn't do it justice, because some little stinker manhandled (childhandled?) my camera. While it continues to limp along, working occasionally, the photo quality is... uh... poo-poo.

And She KNITS, too!

2007-11-19T00:38:00.000-05:00

This week we've been listening to Christine Lavin in the car.

I came across some of her song lyrics while surfing, & downloaded a few songs from iTunes. All this week, we've been singing along on the way to school, to the grocery, etc. Checked her website, and she just happened to have a show this weekend.

AND... get this.. BEFORE the show, you could come for “KNITTING with Christine”.

The directions I got were FUBAR, and that's putting it mildly. (Damn you, Google Maps!)

There's always that "Am-I-in-Philly-or-Not?" Phenomenon that happens when you hit City Line Avenue. At least I wasn’t the only one who had to stop at the Temple and ask directions. I missed most of the knitting session, but got to see some WIP’s and meet Christine.

[Keep a pleasant thought in your mind for the woman who bought $90+ of wool at Maryland Sheep & Wool, and knat herself up a sweater that’s not going to fit her. Don’t know if she swatched, and I wasn’t about to ask, either! She’s still in that denial stage where you just keep knitting and hope for a miracle. Kinda like THIS:

… but not really. ]

The show was hosted by Wiffledust, and the space they use is in a church.

It's a very intimate venue~ the shows are held in a small auditorium- maybe 1/2 the size of a gym. The stage and audience are on the same level. On this night, there were 10 rows of chairs set up. I was in the last row, and could see perfectly. No opera glasses required.

In a word- FANTASTIC.

Christine is incredibly witty, and genuinely interested in talking to the people who had come to the show. After the show, the meet-and-greet area was in a small hallway, and she gamely met with a huge line of people, chatting them all up, and autographing their CDs. I can honestly say, it was like going to a concert that one of your friends was putting on.

As for the show, I haven't seen anything like it before. But I'd LOVE to see her again. She kept the audience involved the whole time. Games, sing-alongs (she actually handed out the lyrics), and... at the end... FLAMING BATONS!

I kid you not.

Well, OK. The batons had Light Sticks on the ends, instead of an open flame. Can't go blowing up the audience at the end, right? That's the kind of thing that give the Fire Marshall ulcers, dontcha know.

If you haven't heard of Christine, she's definately worth a Google and a listen. (Music for Smart Chicks)

FO's Update

2007-11-18T23:39:00.000-05:00

A large pile of FO's has emerged from the dryer and is awaiting packing. I'm hoping to get it all packed and to the Post Office on Tuesday. In the interim, they've been sealed in a tote to prevent the acquisition of canine or feline hair. I counted at least a dozen hats, and at least four scarves. Woo Hoo!

If You've Got an Hour To Kill....

2007-11-18T22:36:00.000-05:00

One of the ladies at the Christine Lavin show was knitting a bonnet for her cat. (Sorry, no pattern, she was making it up as she went along.)

She was inspired by a website called Stuff On My Cat

I don't knit for the cat. I just keep a wary eye on him that he doesn't wee-wee on the rug.

Can't remember how I found out about it, but there's an even funnier (IMO) site, I Can Has Cheezeburger

Maybe I'm simple, but no matter how many times I see THIS:

MORE

It just cracks me UP!

MORE FO's and a Different Kind of UFO

2007-11-11T21:33:00.001-05:00

Ta-dah! The pile of finished objects is now significantly larger than the pile of UFO's.

Exhibit A:

One of my best 'tricks' to getting UFO's done is to set myself up with a decent movie and stitch away. Not an action-thriller-gotta-pay-attention kind of movie. Something that I can look up and read the subtitles, and if I miss a couple sentences, I can still follow the movie.

Last night's selection was "Must Love Dogs". Not bad. Did anyone else notice that he usually plays the same role in most of his movies "Nice Guy With Broken Heart Who Gets the Girl In the End." Not that I would kick him out of bed for eatin' crackers, mind you.

And you've gotta love THIS, right?

But I digress (Quelle surprise, eh?). I'm just waiting for the washer to finish, so I can toss these lovelies in, and get them one step closer to getting out of here and to someone who needs 'em.

Knit Enabling

2007-11-10T00:37:00.001-05:00

A good way to find another knitter is to Knit in Public (KIP).

I was KIP-ing the other day, while waiting for one of the kiddos to get out of class. In less than half an hour, no less than 6 people stopped to ask about the knitting (and to get a peek at the photo at the top of the pattern). Others smiled and nodded as they went past.

Of these six, I'm Knit Enabling three. One needed all the bells and whistles (needles, yarn, How-To DVD). The other two ladies just needed a little yarn to get started.

Voila! Bye-bye Boucle' that I thought I'd never run out of. There was even talk about 'a knitting circle' starting up?! Hmm... !

UFO Progress

2007-11-09T01:06:00.000-05:00

There are FO's to report! (see updated photo)

Those with an "X" over them await gentle hand laundering.

Several FO's are from within the pile, and weren't visible to the naked eye.
(Wasn't that a James Bond movie?)

More later. Must disassemble the sofa to locate missing needles before some poor, unsuspecting soul requires a trip to the ER for removal of same.

How to Rile Up the Neigbors AND the Dog

2007-11-07T15:07:00.000-05:00

Although I've been here more than 10 years, it seems I can still freak the neighbors out.

I wanted to work on another part of the fleeces I'm 'processing'.
(Yes, at this rate, both the sheep and I will be dead before I'm done!)

The shearer was supposed to 'remove the tag wool'.
This is secret code for:
"Know that nasty wool by the sheep's bum? Yeah, throw that AWAY, and not in with the rest."

Dude don't know the code. :(

I took the fleeces and arranged them artfully on the front lawn, hoping that this might dislodge some of the 'barnyard wind chimes'.

I was hoping for a win-win where the yard got fertilized, the fleece got cleaner, and all of this happened without a lot of manure handling on my part.

Um... not happening.

What DID happen, is that every car that came by had to slow down and look. And stare. And stare some more.

Neighbors hollered across the street:
"What the hell are you up to NOW?" and
"Is that something DEAD over there?"

Um, no. It's not dead. Although I must admit that the scent is a bit, um "captivating". Captivating enough to lure the most mild-mannered canine into conducting his own investigation.

Does the yarn running through his teeth count as 'pre-carding'?

The Leaning Tower of UFO's

2007-11-05T19:14:00.000-05:00

This month, AC4C is making warm items to send to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Many of the members are working in teams. The Hat Team, the Scarf Team, etc.

I wasn't sure which team to join. Sooo... I gathered all my UFO's in one location, and will be FINISHING as many as possible to send.

Behold!
The Leaning Tower of UFO's
Annotated for your horrified convenience!

Is YOURS bigger than MINE?
C'mon... it's time for SHOW & TELL for your UFO's.

Have You Seen These Sheep?

2007-11-02T08:51:00.000-04:00

My parents' friend has some Mystery Sheep. When their owner moved, she couldn't take them to her new place.

Thus... 'Three Free Sheep' (say that three times fast!)

Recently, the Mystery Trio were sheared, and now I'm trying to process the wool into something 'knittable'.

No, as a matter of fact, I have not done this before.

If anyone would like to venture an ID of these little wooly darlings, it would certainly be appreciated. :)

Test Post

2007-11-02T08:42:00.001-04:00

...TAP! TAP!.... "Is this thing on?"