Bonnie's Passion for Knitting and Sewing

FINALLY A PLACE TO SEW!

After sewing for 50 + years I finally have a sewing room.  In the beginning I sewed on the kitchen table.  Then I was given a card table to sew on but every time I stopped sewing for the day I had to put everything away.  When I was first married I sewed in a walk in pantry of all things.  After having children I sewed on the kitchen table but once they were older I moved to the basement which was only partially finished and really uncomfortable with no natural light.  I am now retired and have a sewing room that makes my heart happy!  Wanna see some pics? 

 

 

 

As you can see in addition to sewing and fabric, I also store SOME of my yarn.  The larger cuts of fabric are hanging in the closet on another wall.  I have bolts of fabric stacked in the closet along with shelving for more fabric. Lots of room! But of course never really enough!

My Pfaff 2170 is at one end and the Janome MC 4100 and serger are at the other.  

This is by far the best sewing room I have ever had and I love it!  The sewing table, the cabinets under it and the cubes are all from IKEA.  I also purchased two silver racks from IKEA that have hanging S hooks plus hanging baskets.  In those I store my scissors, rulers etc. The sewing chair is specifically made for sewing so it can be customized to height and back support.  That huge TV is not even hooked up to cable so it will be moved out as soon as I can get someone to lift it. Next I plan to find just the right fabric to make curtains or a valance.

Did I mention how much I love it?  I feel very blessed to have this bright and cheerful sewing room. 

What a long Absence!

It has been a number of years since I blogged because most of the time I post things I've knit on Ravelry rather than on my blog.  I thought maybe I'd start again and try to do some knitting and sewing posts.  So I have 2 Blogs. Bonnie's Passion for Knitting and Bonnie's Passion for Sewing.  Oddly when I Google my Blog name only the Knitting one is displayed on the Google Search engine.  So I make just combine the two blogs. We'll see.

I CAN KNIT AGAIN!

After being injured last summer, it has been a very long recovery process but I can now knit!  It has been very slow progress and I am still in Occupational Therapy 3 times/week but I should be discharged in March.

In late Nov and early Dec. I picked up my knitting needles again and the ability to use my left hand has increased greatly.  My techniques are different and I knit looser but those changes are fine with me. One of the things that makes my dexterity even more limited is I was already missing the two middle fingers of my left hand from a childhood accident. My pinky, index finger and thumb always compensated but those are the ones that had tendon transfers and required re-training. Additionally, on Dec. 23rd I had another major surgery but have healed from that as well.

My desire to knit again has been an obsession and so I knit constantly. I finished a shawl I made for a friend last spring and forgot to photograph it before I gifted it. I do that so often!

In December I made a pair of Susie's Reading Mitts and a Cream of Spinach scarf out of Cascade Duo.  Both are free patterns on Ravelry and the Cascade Duo was from my extensive stash. 

Eco Duo is so soft and cuddly. It's truly dreamy knitting.

 

And speaking of stash.  Mine is still extensive. When I moved here I gifted a few garbage bags full to friends. Then when Amy was here this summer and I thought I'd never knit again, I gifted her with numerous skeins and I still have a good amount.  But someday I need to re inventory so I know what I have.  Sometimes (actually more often than I care to admit) I start to look for a yarn I know I have and then after searching for days, I realize I gifted it along the way.

 

I've made quite a few shawls lately and one was a simple pattern from my LYS, Fleece.  It is made out of Elsa Rae Wool and a novelty yarn from Trendsetter called Bodega.  This was mindless knitting which I get really bored doing and have to force myself to keep going.  I love lace chart knitting.

Fleece is a lovely yarn shop here in Cumming, GA.  April, the owner, and Libby who teaches classes there have been so wonderfully kind to me.  It's one of my favorite hangouts.  I'd only been in Cumming for six months when I was injured so I knew so few people.  And since I still haven't gone back to work, my main social contacts are therapists, Doctors and my LYS.  On Wednesdays and Thursdays there are knitting groups at Fleece which I thoroughly enjoy.  And then on Fridays I meet at Panera in Alpharetta for another knitting group.  Returning from a Dr appt. in Atlanta last summer Amy and I ate at Panera in Alpharetta. I saw a lady wearing a shawl that I recognized from Ravelry and I asked her about it. Immediately  she invited Amy and I to join the group which we did and I have continued.  They are a wonderful group of ladies that I enjoy immensely!

 

This is a Fiber Trends cowl pattern I started a few years ago using Karabella Boise which is 50% Cashmere and 50% Merino wool.  It is a dream to knit.  I pushed it aside because I wasn't fond of the small denim blue beads I'd chosen and used at the beginning of this cowl.  They were inserted using a beading needle and I was afraid if I tried to rip them out, I'd ruin the yarn.  So in Dec. I finally finished it.  I wish they had not discontinued this yarn as I would love to make a wrap shawl with it.

 

Another project I started and finished in January was a Malabrigo Silky Merino shawl called scalloped Shawl shown on the cover of their Book 3.  The pattern is so simple and Merino Silky is a beautiful yarn.  So far I haven't gotten good photos but this is it. The color is "Nocturnal" which is shades of purple.

Gotta run to OT so I'll close for now

Another Curve in the Road

I have not been able to knit or spin since the beginning of June.  There are so may projects on hold for now.

On June 5th I was critically injured and required surgery to save my life.  After surviving the surgery,  I healed and improved so rapidly I surprised all my Doctors as well as myself.  Unfortunately, my  left arm radial nerve was also severed rendering that hand limp and non functional.  While I was extremely grateful to be alive, I was devastated I would no longer be able to knit, spin, sew or even work.  Then an Orthopedic Hand Surgeon told me he could do some tendon transfers and a wrist fusion that if worked would allow movement in those fingers.  Elated I agreed.

On August 29th I had the hand surgery which the Dr. says was successful and I am still home recuperating.  Even tough the Dr. had warned me I would experience a great deal of pain, I still wasn't prepared for it.  But I am now almost 3 weeks post op and the pain is less every day.  Occupational Therapy started last week and the goal is to retrain these tendons to do a different job than they did before.  My fingers now move a very small amount but that will improve.  I am just looking forward to the day I can once again knit.

This has been such a humbling experience for me because the ultimate caretaker suddenly required care taking.  I was so fortunate to have my daughter, Amy, with me for 3 months. She left her home and job to stay with me here in GA.  My sister, Cheri, was also with me in the hospital and then during this last surgery.  I don't know what I would have done without these magnificent ladies.  I thank them from the bottom of my heart.

I am praying the next time I post here I have some knitted related item to discuss.  Until then I remind myself  that this is just another curve in the road.

Knitting Loose Ends

One of the reasons I don't keep my blog updated is invariably I will be almost done and something happens and I lose the entire post.  That happened this morning!!!  GRRR

I have been working hard to finish some projects that have hibernated in my knitting baskets for years.  I finally finished a Debbie Bliss baby dress I started for my sister's last granddaughter about 5 years ago.  It is a cute pattern but I wasn't fond of the Debbie Bliss Cathay yarn.  It is cotton viscose and silk and had almost no springy feel to it which I love when using wool/cotton.  A few years ago I made tis same dress in DB wool/cotton and that was so nice to knit.  Anyway, my cousin had a baby girl in January so I completed the dress for her.

This is a close up of the bodice smocking which was fun to knit.

 

Next I finished a sweater I started about 4-5 years ago  in Rowan summer Tweed.  I probably bought the yarn 7-8 years ago.  It is the pattern called Lavender from Rowan's Summer Tweed Pattern Book.  I loved the pattern and the yarn but after sewing it all together I noticed a mistake in the left front cable right near the neck.  I knew I couldn't live with that and had placed it in an open basket in my bedroom.  Well, my girls were puppies then and they ate the turtleneck and the bamboo knitting needles so it hibernated even longer.  I am pleased to announce that I took it apart and ripped it back to correct the cable error and reknit the neck.  The measurements were spot on with the pattern but when my daughter tried it on the sweater was a little too short from the waist to the underarms.  I was willing to try and add more ribbing but Amy said she can live with it.  Here are the two photos as no matter how hard I tried I couldn't capture both the design and color in one photo.  When I used the flash on my camera the color came out faded, outside the lighting was also too bright and when I didn't use a flash the color was accurate but the design disappeared.  You would never know this is the same sweater.  But it is.  They really are the same sweater.  It's just the lighting.                                                                                                                                             I also finished up two scarves.  One is in Noro Silk Garden and I used Jared Flood's ribbed pattern.  Great for mindless knitting.  I've used Noro Kureyon a number of times but this was my first time using Silk Garden and I like it so much better.  I'm looking forward to using it again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next scarf I finished was made in Malabrigo Silky Wool and love this yarn.  The colors are exquisite and it is so soft.  It was really fun to knit.

 

OOPS

While describing Encore I said it was 75% acrylic and 50% wool.  Well we all know that doesn't add up. The composition is really 75% acrylic and 25% wool.  I couldn't let such a dumb mistake go and couldn't figure out how to edit it.

Life is Good

I have been here in Georgia almost two months now and beginning to feel settled.  I'm feeling like a Southern girl again as the South is where my roots are since I was born in MIssissippi.  Before I know it, I'll have a southern drawl too!  

The physical move was stressful.  It encompassed two large trucks; one 27 ft and the other 17 ft. plus my car, my two dogs and my cat. My son, Ryan drove the larger truck and my friend, Michael, drove the smaller one and I drove the car with all the animals. We left Thursday evening at about 7PM, drove until 4AM, stayed in a motel and then drove until 10PM and stayed in another motel.  We arrived in Cumming, GA at noon on Sat. the 4th of Dec.  I had never seen the house I was renting in person so it was thrilling to arrive to and see how perfect it was for me.  There are two angel statues in the front yard yard to watch over me.  The back yard is fenced so it is perfect for my dogs.  And the back of the house faces a beautiful church which is lit up at night showing off the steeple which for me is a reminder that God is watching over me.  It's a 3 bedroom ranch and my favorite color...green.  

When I stepped inside there was a huge floral arrangement of red roses and green spider mums from my new landlord, Susie,  welcoming me home! What a lovely and thoughtful gift.  And she is just as lovely!

Two hours after I arrived my girlfriend's daughter, Char and her husband, Phil showed up with about 30 people to unload my trucks.  In one hour everything was off of both trucks!  Can you imagine the kindness of people that didn't even know me!  I was so completely overwhelmed.  Next, my friend, Priscilla, showed up with an entire load of groceries.  The kindness and outpouring of love has been overwhelming. I feel so blessed to have such good friends; both here in Georgia and also in NY.  They enrich my life in more ways than I could possibly explain. I feel so blessed 

As you can imagine I haven't done lots of knitting but the week before Christmas I made hats for Char's three boys.  I have 20 plastic tubs filled with beautiful yarn but I have nothing that is appropriate for children that can withstand washing and drying so I was off to the local yarn store, Fleece.  It's a beautiful yarn store here in Cumming .  There I purchased Plymouth Encore in 3 different colored heather yarns.  I've never used Encore before and was surprised at how nice it was for being 75%  acrylic and 50% wool. 

The boys were so excited to have their new hats.  And they have come in handy because we have had record breaking cold weather and snow this year.  

January 9th Atlanta and the surrounding area had 5 snow followed by 2" of ice.  The entire area was shut down for a week.  They are not equipped to handle snow and ice here s the roads were treacherous.  Schools ended up being cancelled until the 18th.  Can you imagine?  They missed 5 days of school and then MLK Day was in there too, hence the long time off.  Businesses were closed including stores, banks, convenient stores, gas stations, grocery stores , etc.  I went out briefly on the 10th ad couldn't find anything open.  But I have 4 wheel drive which most people don't have here. 

And I also finished a sweater I had been making for my favorite cousin, Richard.  It's Jared Flood's Huron pattern.  Drum roll please.  I started this sweater Sept. 2009 and thought it would be a quick knit but life got in the way and it took over a year.  Jared's patterns are so nice and easy to follow.  I used Knit Picks City Tweed HW and it came out lovely.  City Tweed is a great yarn and I highly recommend it.  Since Richard lives in Colorado, I had Ryan model it but he didn't want his face in the picture.

When Jared first published his book, Brooklyn Tweed, I was lucky enough to be in the first group of workshops he held promoting his book, which was in August of '09 (see my Nov. 2009 entry)  and I thought I'd be the first one to complete Huron.  Now that is a laugh!  But better late than never!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here it is ready to be wrapped and mailed.  Ryan took it to the post office for me and a had a laugh when the postman asked if he wanted to send it expedited shipping.  He said, "Well since he's been waiting on it for two years I don't think another few days will make a difference!"  Shame on me for taking so long!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also finished a scarf with Windy Valley Musk OX

Qiviut.  Now that is a dream yarn to knit with but the

cost is quite steep so I only used one ball and s it's not really long enough to wrap around the neck the way I like.  I've even thought about frogging it and making a lace neck warmer instead.  Here it is unblocked and it didn't grow much after blocking either.

I always have a few pair of socks or simple scarves on my needles for mindless knitting but I would like to start something else.

I'm trying to decide what to make next and am thinking about making Chic Knits Ariana in Lima by Rowan.  I have a beautiful green I purchased a year ago at JDill's in Milford, PA.  I also have a Cascade Eco alpaca to make Girasole by Jared Flood.  And then I bought some alpaca from Shalimar Farms in Warwick that is to die for.  Oh dear I wish I could knit all the time.  

Moving gave me the opportunity to really see my yarn stash. And I actually felt embarrassed because I have enough beautiful yarn to last my lifetime and maybe someone else's as well.  I gifted two huge garbage bags of yarn before moving and I still had 20 large plastic tubs, plus a BR chest filled with yarn.  And what I realized is I tend to choose patterns I'd like to make and then the yarn so I often don't have the yarn appropriate for the pattern I want to make. Plus I tend to think I can knit faster than I do.  

So this year I really need to focus on using yarn from my stash.  We're almost into February and I have not purchased any yarn this year! 

GEORGIA ON MY MIND

Big things are happening around here!  I'm relocating from NY to GA in less than two weeks!  I can't believe it is finally happening as it is something I have been thinking about for years.  I even had a deposit on a house two years ago but I couldn't sell my house!  This time I'm going.  In September I went down and interviewed for jobs and in October was offered a job in CCU at Northside Forsyth.  I then resigned my current job but had to work another month.  Now I'm packing!!!

This has been a difficult decision.  I have lived in this area for over 32 years and have lived in the Northeast for 44 years!  Yikes that's a long time.  I have the most wonderful friends and yet I feel the need to have a fresh start.  I chose Cumming, GA because one of my dearest friends relocated there for her job in 2000 and then in 2008, her husband passed away.  When we were in Nursing School together we visited the beach at Cape Cod and each had a vision of us enjoying the beach together as little old ladies.  We don't have an ocean in Cumming but Lake Lanier surrounds Cumming and maybe that was the beach or maybe it's some place else.  Our friendship endures whether we are near or far, on a beach or just sharing a cup of tea on the deck. 

On the knitting front, not much is happening as of late but this past summer I completed two Haruni Shawls. Both shawls were gifts so I'd like to make another for myself when I am settled.

I used The Woolen Rabbit's Opulence in Oak Moss colorway for the first one.  Kim has beautiful yarn and the most exquisite colors. She ships fast and I highly recommend her.

I made this for a friend who has also done Reiki for me.  She just relocated to NC to start a new chapter in her life and I was able to gift this before she left.

The second Haruni I made was done in Malabrigo sock yarn in a purple colorway with beautiful beads I bought at a bead store in Tivoli, NY.  And this one I made for my massage therapist.  Both of these ladies have been a great source of strength and courage for me.  I hope they know each stitch knitted was done with much love for them and wishes they receive tenfold what they have given me.

Then this is a close up to show a more detailed view.

Haruni by Emily Ross was a delightful pattern and easy as well. 

 

I also made Strangling Vines Scarf designed by Nicole Hindes using Socks That Rock yarn I purchased a few years ago at Rhinebeck.  The pattern was easy to memorize and made for a great travel project where my mind could wander. 

 

As I have each year for ten years I went to the NY Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck last month and all I bought was DP sock needle!  I tend to lose and break them faster than I'd care to admit.  And it's a good thing I didn't buy any more yarn because as I pull it out of all my hiding, I am just overwhelmed with the beautiful yarn I have.  So far I have filled 10 large plastic tubs and there is much more to pack.  Plus I gifted two huge industrial garbage bags to two different friends.  I couldn't possibly knit all of this in my lifetime.  But it is too difficult to part with much of it.

Sarah, Sophia and myself are gonna be Georgia Girls soon.  We're very excited!

 

But they are a little tired from all the packing around here.  Me too!

Spinners of Yarn and Stories

I blog so infrequently but I still enjoy it when I do. 

Knitting will never take a back seat for me but the beginning of this year I decided it was time for me to start learning how to use Emma, my Kromski Symphony, which I purchased last spring.  Never having spun before except for a few minutes at Rhinebech a few year ago.   In those few minutes I knew I wanted a Kromski and I was sure I'd love spinning.  This has been an interesting adventure where I've hit a few stumbling blocks along the way, primarily my health.  For the past 4 months I have had 4 episodes of severe bronchial asthma which is new for me and have quite painful nerve impingement/inflammation in L3. L4 and L5.  So these have slowed me down.  None the less life is good.

Last year at Rhinebech I ran into a friend I hadn't seen in years and it turned out she had just purchased a spinning and wanted to learn to spin.  Thank goodness for Brigette as she hooked us up with a wonderful spinning group in  PA about an hour from me.  They are the most wonderful group of ladies and welcomed us into the fold.   We meet in Grace's home/family farm.  She raises Finn sheep and she and her husband collect and restore antique spinning wheels.  They have a wonderful assortment of wheels and he is a master wood craftsman.  All the women in our group are so willing and even eager to teach newcomers.  Unfortunately my back has prevented me from attending for a month now.  Although I am hoping to have procedures done soon that will improve it.

Have you read the book Trafficking in Sheep by Anne Barclay Priest?  If not run out and buy it.  What wonderful adventures and an interesting life she has had.  The book is her story  She was an Off Broadway actress, single mother of two boys who visited Nova Scotia in the 1970's and ended up purchasing property there, then moving an old house onto it and then buying Blue Island which is insight of her property to prevent others from developing it.  She then became a shepherdess by moving a herd of sheep onto Blue Island. Anne has lived the type of life many of us have only dreamed about.  She is quite an inspiration.

Brigette contacted Anne and then visited her at her working sheep farm in Greenville, NY which is near us. Anne then accepted an invitation to spin and lunch with Brigette and I at Brigette's house.  We had a most delightful day of eating, chatting and spinning.  Of course I say spinning loosely as what I turn out so far doesn't look much like yarn but once my back is better I hope to change that story.  It was just an incredibly wonderful experience for me.  Thank you Anne.  

I completed the Aeolin shawl last year and never posted pictures of it. I had hoped to get better photos but never did so here it is . 
 I'm so bad about keeping up with photos of my projects.  Most of the the time I forget to photograph the items before gifting them.  

I'd also planned on making more of my Christmas gifts than I did but I did manage to make a totebag for my friend, Donna.  She loves Lighthouses and I found this fabric a few years ago, putting it aside for her.  I think the bag came out lovely and she seemed to like it as well.

I made lots of different size pockets inside for cell phone, pens, keys etc.  it was a fun project and I hope to make some more.

Thinking about my life experiences and those of my new friends, I realize these shared moments together are what makes my life so enjoyable. 

This and That!

It's the Christmas countdown and I haven't nearly enough time to complete my planned gifts.  But isn't that always the case?  Each year I plan to start earlier but somehow don't.

Rhinebeck was great as always.  I came away with an empty wallet but some great goodies.  At Windy Valley Musk Ox booth I bought some blue merino to make the cable lace cardigan.  I do love their quiviet and recently completed a scarf with some blue duvet I purchased from them at last year's festival.  I also scored a Namaste Zuma Bag in Peacock which I love.  I'd like to get another one.  The closing magnet on it is great as I have a habit of never zipping my bags and have lost items from my bag from time to time. Malabrigo silky merino in Indecito was my next purchase and I bought enough to make the February Lady's sweater.  But I have no idea when I'll get to start that.  And I bought more sock yarn.  All in all it was a wonderful day.

I've been going to Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool now for at least 8 years.  It's only an hour from me so that makes it quite convenient.  I've seen it grow in size tremendously over the years until now I find it somewhat difficult to navigate.  And this year for some reason I ran into a few rather rude pushy people, especially at Briar Rose.  Their booth was mobbed the entire day and I patiently waited to get in then found myself pushed and shoved and yarn actually taken out of my hand as I reached for it.  There were also two women who were obviously long lost friends who decided to stand in front of the yarn and discuss every member in their family.   I didn't say anything but left there disgusted and didn't buy anything. There were a few other times on Sat. I found people to be rather rude as well.   Although, waiting in the food line was as pleasant as always.  We all chatted about yarn and what we had purchased. I just hope the rudeness I experienced was a fluke and not a trend because NYS&W has always been a wonderful place to share my love of fiber.

I post so seldom these days I never talked about taking a workshop I enjoyed with Jared Flood on Aug. 28th.  The workshop was wonderful and Jared was superb.  He taught us about EZ's percentage sweater in the round.  This was his first workshop to promote his new book Made In Brooklyn.    There are 13 patterns in his book and I want to make each of them.  In fact I already started on Huron  in Knit Pick's City Tweed.  Shhhh It's a gift for my cousin Richard who I talked about in my previous post.  I'm on the first sleeve and for some reason I hate sleeves but I'm pushing myself as this should be a fast knit in the round.  

And then this is a pic of Jared, with Susan Gross owner of Knit One Needlepoint Too, myself and another participant whose name I forgot.

 

It was a really fun day! 

I bought myself a Kromski Symphony a few months ago and she is beautiful. Now I have to learn to spin.  Two years ago at Rhinebeck I spun on a Symphony and felt very comfortable.  I would have liked to try a few different makes and models but there is no one within 4 hours of me that had spinning wheels in stock.  Most spinning stores I found on line sell them but don't have them on hand.  They just drop ship them to you after the purchase.  Anyway  I bought mine unfinished, stained her myself and then hand waxed 5 coats buffing in between each one.
Isn't she pretty! 

My IMAC was not working well and I took her in to the Genius Bar at the Apple Store and they felt my hard drive was going bad.  The cost of putting in a new hard drive was enough to make me think twice so I waited.  Then in Sept.  I read on MAC RUMORS that Apple was coming out with a new IMAC and felt I should wait.  Each day I checked for what seemed like an eternity.  At 2:30AM on October 21st I received an e-mail from Apple.  The new IMAC was here.  As soon as I could get to the store that day I purchased this new 27" IMAC.  AND OMG do I love it. 

 When my daughter was in Graduate School she started using MACS and then I switched as well.  It would be very difficult for me to go back to a PC now.  I'm hooked.    Here you can see in the center my new IMAC.  On the right is my OLD PC that I use for my Pfaff 2170  Embroidery machine and for playing solitaire.  To the left is my 20" IMAC that has a bad hard drive.  I hope to take the old IMAC into Tekserve in NYC and have a new hard drive installed.  And then I would like to buy Windows XP for MAC so I can use the embroidery machine with the IMAC and get rid of the old PC.  Big plans!  

Unfortunately, I spend way to much time surfing and especially looking at yarn or patterns or reading other blogs so get less done around here.  I have to sometimes force myself to leave the computer.  It's never for long though because Ravelry or Facebook call to me.

I really have finished a few projects but I forget to take pics of them and then usually  gift them.  I completed Aeolian for my daughter.  And I made a few pair of socks.  

A few weeks ago I did a yarn inventory and my stash was bigger than I ever imagined.  Using an Excel spread sheet I have 4 pages of yarn inventoried and more to go.  I have counted 700 skeins of yarn so far!  Is that a sickness?  Am I addicted?  I think so and I'm almost afraid to count the remainder.

My purpose of making the inventory was to be able to look at the lists and choose from my stash instead of buying more.  I resolved to go on a yarn diet.  How long do you think I lasted?  Not long!  About 1 week.  But there was good reason.  My daughter, Amy, asked for a teal Infinity Scarf for Christmas. I didn't have any teal yarn.  Although I do have teal dye and some gorgeous handspun alpaca.  But instead I bought Dream In Color Classy Bermuda Teal from Loopy Ewe. They shipped the yarn out so fast and it was at my doorstep in 3 days.  And oh is it pretty and soft.  Now can I get the project completed by Christmas?  We'll see.  That kinda blew my yarn diet though.