I thought I would try something new this year. I love knitting but I always have a need to try something new. I always enjoy learning new things but it always adds a complication to my life. I don't want to give up the old hobbies, I just keep adding new ones to the list. I used to just love to read , play the piano and flute a little and have a cat or two. Then I started crocheting, then I started to make my kids cute little clothes. Then I added a horse to the mix, then a dog. But the horse and the dog wasn't enough, I take lessons to make my horse and I the best we can be. I take my dog to class to compete in competition obedience. I now have 4 horses, 2 kitties, and 1 dog. Flo and I used to go to kick boxing classes. We were really into that for a few years until the class got cancelled. Then Lilly taught us to knit. Then I started to go to line dancing classes. That was really fun. I wanted to keep going to learn all the dances and all the moves. Then a friend got me started on quilting. I loved all the colors and designs of the fabrics. I find myself going into quilting shops just to gaze at and touch all the fabrics. I spend time pouring over books of quilting blocks. I must be such a bore to my husband. This is a picture of the quilt top of a table runner, one of my first projects. Gracie, the kitty is examining the bird in the fabric. I really enjoy piecing the quilts together, this hobby will always be on the front burner.
I do have another idea that's been burning inside me for awhile. I have confessed to Flo about it several times. I really want to learn to play the guitar. I wonder if I could get a band together.......

Shattered Image

Lilly cranky? From Knitting?

This saddens me deeply. The peaches and cream image of the "Mother of Knitting", and the epitome of patience will now forever have a snarl on her face when I think of her. This totally shatters my memories of her sitting comfortably in her chair with her little feet planted on her ottoman, (hand-crafted needlepoint ottoman none-the-less), her ipod rocking in the cradle of her Bose sound system, a fire roasting in the wood stove, her rosewood needles neatly nesting in an antique vase, all the while her little hands just a flurry of activity. One would walk into that room and be overcome by a sense of hominess, contentedness and a warm baked cookie from the oven kind of feeling all rolled into one. If you were not a knitter when you entered her domain you would be before long.

When Lilly first taught Jo and I to knit we would meet at her house or mine, and have a few hours of knitting lessons, lots of laughs and mistakes (mine, certainly not Jo's), and a project to work on until the next time. Well, we couldn't wait to get together with Lilly and have her marvel over our project. We would gather around her with our matching trio of knitting bags 'cause we just all had to be alike, mind you. If Lilly had something in her bag, we just had to have it in ours because it made us feel all homey and cozy and Lilly-like. We would jockey for position to be the first to pull out our project and have her look it over and ooh and aah over the colors and texture and...fine handiwork. Usually she got excited over my colors and textures and Jo got the accolades for "perfect knitting" even though when she knits her hands look all cattywampus and you start to wonder how she can possibly be comfortable knitting with such a painful presentation. But, she has been known to finish her projects so I will give her credit where credit is due.

Every once in awhile we would go on a field trip to a LYS and we would trail after Lilly like baby ducks. This is how she got the name "Mama Duck" because every so often we would stray from her watchful eye and do something trivial like knock a display over or send a ball of yarn flying off the ball winder, all the time laughing so hard and standing with our feet crossed so we wouldn't pee our pants. Lilly would get her feathers all ruffled up and come clucking after us. Her favorite line was, "oh dear, what are you two up to now?" After all we were still newbies and we hadn't memorized the rules of LYS conduct and ettiquette.

We referred to her as a "professional knitter" because this is what she was, in our eyes.

Until now....

Cranky or not, we still love her but I would like that homey, contented, home-baked cookie all rolled into one feeling back!

Cranky knitter

Ok Flo, I can totally understand now WHY you put your knitting needles away sometimes! I was at that point yesterday. That is the first time in YEARS that I have felt that way. lol
I am really getting a challenge with this months Rockin Sock Club pattern. I love the yarn, love the pattern and I can work the pattern, but the fit of the sock is giving me headaches. It is a toe up pattern and I was to the point where I was working the leg and I ripped the whole thing out! It was OK until I turned the heel and then it was too tight. It's a lace pattern, so I don't want to be yanking on it to wear it. Yup, I decided to start over. Several days work gone. Poof! I know I will be happier now with the next results though. I joined this club for the process rather than the project, so I had to say that out loud about ten times yesterday to calm myself down. Thanks for listening, I feel better now!

Get Well

I'm glad your surgery went well Flo and I hope you have a speedy recovery. xoxox