Snowbound

Apparently, the best way for kids to get snow days is for the State of Arkansas to declare that all school districts will build 5 inclement weather days into their school calendars. We have used 4 of our 5 and we're only mid-way through February.

I don't venture off Ball Hill Road and I certainly don't attempt to cross the Cadron when there is ice and snow on the ground. I parked the car Sunday and didn't get into it again until Wednesday afternoon when I made a careful trip to the grocery store for, you guessed it, bread and milk.

Snow Days Projects:
Finished Evan's sweater except for the zipper - Austin's needs the zipper, too
Down to 1/2 a sleeve left on the February Lady Sweater
Worked 1 and 1/2 socks in a fun fiesta stripe
Started Terry a pair of socks in worsted weight
Started a lace scarf in a sunny yellow/orange handspun yarn
Spun a bit myself
Cut out a black skirt and lined the kick pleat on it
Bought beads for the First Shawl
Finished the purple dress for Michelle

New Year's Resolutions

I like New Year's Resolutions. They help me stay focused and mindful. Most don't last long, but every year I try, and sometimes that's the best I can hope for. These are specific to my art/hobbies/craft.

1. Check the stash before buying new materials for a project.
2. Finish these projects:
Evan & Elijah's sweaters
Twilight-style mittens
February Lady sweater
at least one pair of socks
at least one lace shawl
the queen-sized quilt
3. Improve and become more purposeful in spinning and bead making
4. Write more - at least once a week on one of the blogs and in the journal
5. No new magazines!
6. Stay off amazon.com! The library is NOT that far out of your way, for crying out loud!

Those are good enough for now. I'm looking forward to recording how long these last and what gets done.

Amelia's Sweater

I think I've mentioned before that I had planned to finish a sweater for each of the 6 grandchildren for Christmas 2009. I finished 4-1/2 of them, thank you very much, and I'm not going to feel guilty about not reaching that self-imposed goal. Elijah and Evan will be okay with an IOU. I think Amelia is pleased with her sweater. Handknit or not, a sweater still counts as clothes for Christmas, not the most exciting thing for anyone, especially a pre-teen, to get. Nevertheless, I'm going to have warm memories of knitting things for those I love. And besides, I've taught Amelia to knit, and she is showing all the signs of having "the bug". I look forward to the day when she's knitting her own gifts to give for Christmas. Nothing would tickle me more than to get a sweater she's knitted for me on some future Christmas morning.

What I Did On My Christmas Vacation

My version of Carol's Clever Little Shawl: It's been finished for awhile, but I just got around to blocking it this week. I spun the yarn as well as knitted the pattern. It's a superwash merino from Sheep Shed Studio. This project is my first from my own handspun yarn.

I was in a jewelry making mood today, too. I'm thinking it would be really neat to have custom-made jewelry with the clothes I'll show in the upcoming fashion shows that Jamileh sponsors.

Arkansas Fiber Extravaganza

The 3rd annual Arkansas Fiber Extravaganza was even more wonderful than the 2nd annual Arkansas Fiber Extravaganza. Thank you Anne, Rachel, and all the others who make this event so wonderful. The vendor area was bigger and better than last year and I brought home some great fiber and projects.

I had time to get 2 more grandkid sweaters to the point where all they need is zippers sewn in them for a total of 3 in great shape for Christmas presents. Sweater #4 just needs sleeves and a collar . . . . Ok, I'm more than likely not going to get all 6 done, but 4 is better than I ever really should have expected to get done by this time.

The BEST part of the weekend, though, was spending relaxing, quality time with a couple of great friends and lots of fellow knitters/spinners/fiber fiends! Thanks Kay Meadors for the lace knitting class. I feel much better about charts now. The fashion show was so cool, but the whole weekend is one big fashion show as far as I'm concerned.

I'm already looking forward to going next year, recruiting even MORE friends to attend, and one way or the other I'm going to take a spinning wheel. I don't care WHAT part of the state it's in -- I'm THERE!

Let's face it, the beauty of Mt. Magazine deserves visitors' undivided attention and that is just not going to happen for me when it's 39 degrees outside and I have knitting needles and yarn in my hands. To me, a good girlfriend weekend just needs a really nice place with plenty of amenities (a microwave in the room was all that was missing), restaurants with good food and service that serve wine, and shopping. And knitting needles. And yarn.

The Skirt is Finished - The Quilt Is Not

I am now the proud owner of a custom-made gray wool pencil skirt. I'm going to wear it for the first time Wednesday; one of the girls in the Wednesday lunch group has been following my progress in the fashion design class, and I want her to see it. The next skirt I want to make is black wool, a little longer, and lined. The next series of classes begins this Saturday. I'm looking forward to finally having shirts and tops that fit!

I still haven't pinned the quilt. I keep thinking that I will take it to school or church when no one else is there so I can spread it out easily on a large floor space, but I haven't yet and probably won't. I've even gone so far as to put the quilt top, the batting, the backing, the pins, the tape, and the knee cushion in the car, but I still haven't pinned the quilt. What I'm going to have to do is just move the furniture in some room of my house and pin the quilt! I've also decided to hand quilt it instead of sending it to a long arm quilter. That decision means there's no way that quilt will be on the bed this winter an maybe not next, but no matter what decade it is when it finally gets finished, it will be MY quilt, not my machine-pieced top with apologies or explanations. My quilt - machine-pieced, hand-quilted, and embellished with Terry's mother's button collection.

On my day off I made two sample skirts -- a navy blue pleated skirt and a red and black plaid full circle skirt. They fit my old bride doll Bridget. I like making samples that fit my dolls. It feels a little more real than samples for a book. On Sunday, Michelle brought her dolls for me to measure for new clothes. She wants a new dress and, of all the fabric in my stash, she picked a purple fabric with red flowers. It's cute and it will look adorable on her. She has very particular tastes, this four year old. I think we make a good design team.

Fair Skies and 50 Degrees

Amelia's sweater is coming along great! The right yarn made all the difference. I've finished the back and the left side. I have a good start on the right side. I may not finish all of the grandchild sweaters, but I think I will have three or four finished. Cool weather makes it easier for me to want to knit.

My first project in my fashion design class is almost finished. It's a grey wool pencil skirt. I have enough fabric for a jacket, too. I probably should be blogging about what I'm learning in class, but I'm journaling it first. We're putting together a super cool portfolio -- There are few pleasures in life greater than a big binder and lots of page protectors!

Other projects on the front burner: caps for Arkansas Children's Hospital - big ones for the older kids and adults, a cap for Jess, pinning the queen-size quilt -- needing a space big enough and time.