hand eye crafts

For You All

KSD — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 04:38:21 +0000

It’s been a hell of a year at The Chez. Murder, medical crises, home disasters. But you and your words and your creativity have stayed consistent and been a source of great entertainment and respite for me. If I could shower every one of you with everything you deserve, it would rain for days.

A couple of you have known this in confidence, but the rest of you might as well know it now. Finances here are crumbling. Not any worse, I well know, than anywhere else — maybe even like at your house. Just this morning, our water heater exploded. This on the heels of a leaky roof and a dead furnace. Parts of our house will be new come Christmas morning, but pickings under the tree are going to be slim. And, sadly, we cannot even send Christmas cards.

Fortunately, karmically, I had, just last night, taken the few etsy dollars that had come my way to buy a gift in honor of all my knitting/crocheting/sewing/blogging friends. And so, please know that, through Oxfam America, a donation has been made to help support indigenous craftswomen. For you. Because of you.

Thank you beyond words for what you are to me, and for what you’re going to help do.

Pretty Much All Over the Place

KSD — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:13:22 +0000

Well, there’s one more knitter in the world today. After class yesterday, I taught one of my students who’s been really anxious to learn. She picked it up right away. Even let her work a couple of rows on a sweater I’m making:

Tell the truth — you don’t know which are her rows and which are mine, right?

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We were supposed to get our Christmas tree yesterday, but it poured rain all day. (We go live, and the lots were flooded.) Our usual day-after-Thanksgiving-Christmas-decorating tradition has completely fallen by the wayside this year. Two people working, one in school and working, one having to drive one of the others everywhere. . . Just haven’t added up to time or energy.

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Do you see this? Because I totally see this:

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With The Great Bringing Down of the Christmas Decorations, Briton has gotten his usual December desire for a sweater. This has happened every year since we went to New York, and I was working on sweaters for both him and Hannah on the trip. The thing about either him or his sister asking for a sweater is, they both answer “Whatever” when I ask what type of sweater they want, and in what color. But then when I start showing them patterns and yarns that I’ve chosen, they visible recoil. Now, I understand that not everyone enjoys looking through page after page of sweater pattern. Nor going through skein after ball after hank of yarn. But, some sort of directional clue, please?

Finally landed on this:

in this:

Thank you, garnstudio and berroco.

Hugs Needed

KSD — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:45:11 +0000

The lovely and generous Carrie K has suffered a sudden and devastating loss. Any words on her blog, or positivity her way would be much appreciated.

HUH?

KSD — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:09:33 +0000

Hey! Where did November go?

It’s a Saturday

KSD — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 01:18:02 +0000

Sometimes you discover something that is so perfect, so you, that you wonder if someone is reading your mind, or following you around.

A 16-ounce can of Dr Pepper. My drinking life is this close to perfect.

Been working and working on my etsy store. I believe I now have everything photographed — I just have to upload all the pages. It’s a surprising amount of work. Haven’t made a sale yet, but not discouraged.

The day after Thanksgiving is, traditionally for us, Christmas decorating day. But, what with late sleeping and Briton and Hannah both having to work, we didn’t get anything done. Briton’s got two shifts today, so I don’t know what, if anything, we’ll get done today. Did put a wreath on the front door and one over the fireplace. That’s something, right?

Fourth Thursday

KSD — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:31:16 +0000

For some weird reason, I never got to sleep last night. Was still awake at 7 this morning. Got almost all a secret Christmas gift finished, though. Just need some safety eyes.

Otherwise — thankful?

You betcha.

Scrolling

KSD — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:24:44 +0000

Spending some of this down time surfing knitting blogs. Finding ones that make me feel utterly inadequate as a crafter. Finding ones that fill me with awe and wonderment. Finding ones that inspire me.

And, finding this one. No way to translate, but the work is stunning. The shawls are especially breathtaking:

Marin is Right

KSD — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:55:25 +0000

Style and Substance

KSD — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:03:19 +0000

STYLE:

For the second year, the man elected as Knitter’s Hunk has gone on to be named People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive.” Knitters as prophets, I say. And, editorial board of People? Just check here next year. Save yourself some hassle.

SUBSTANCE:

Got a call last night that Mama had been checked into the hospital directly from what was to have been a routine doctor’s visit. I’ve talked to her twice, and even she doesn’t know exactly what’s going on. She and I both suspect that the doctor is trying to explain her continued weight loss (84 pounds yesterday), but no one has told her that for sure. I have a bag packed, and am stand-by to go, but until things get a little clearer, she doesn’t want me to make that drive. Too, Hannah continues to be plagued by the Head/Chest Cold from HELL, and I have yet another doctor’s appointment tomorrow for a prescription adjustment. If I didn’t need a stronger/better anti-depressant before, I sure as hell do now.

Not Old, but Faithful

KSD — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:04:08 +0000

I’ve never counted the number of knitting patterns, knitting magazines and knitting books I own. Frankly, I’m afraid I’ll. . . Well, I suspect you understand why I don’t wish to start counting. And I’ve gone through them dozens upon dozens of times, looking for just the right pattern for a particular yarn. Or vice versa.

And yet, from all those options, there are one or two books that I go to more than others. This is one:

Whether it’s that an awful lot of the yarn I buy puts me in mind of ripples, or that, after an all-stockinette project, I’m ready for some variety, I thumb through this book probably 3 of every 4 or 5 times I’m deciding what to knit next.

Do you have a go-to pattern collection?