Busy? What Do You Mean, Busy?

Yeah, okay, so it's a little busy. Just who do you think designed it? The queen of no-off-switch. But, hey, the Purple Circus is complete! All that time with Tiny moved the quilt within reach of the magical realm of Finished. So I'll turn it in on next Friday--yay!And speaking of finished... The Red Herring Purse is all done, including lining. It took about half an hour to make the lining and then I sewed up the sides, put in the handle doweling, and tacked in the lining this morning at Knitting with the Girls. Now we turn our attention to an item not yet finished, but well on its way: the infamous Fish Cozy. When I knit on it in public, people stop to ask what in the world I'm working on; funny they can't tell. But look! I've done Fair Isle knitting (that's the pattern-y looking thing near the top) and decreasing and striping and stuff. I've learned so much just working on this little bugger!

Bees and Herring!

The Red Herring Purse has been embellished! I used a green/pink ribbon (Colinette Giotto pictured at right) to embroider and just kind of meandered. If you look closely, you'll see bees flying around. (They're just pinned in place, but they'll be sewn down soon.) These are buttons from Susan Clark Originals. I was digging around, looking for the pearls in the little bag, when I ran across the buttons. I must have bought them five years ago but I think they're just right!

Warm Fuzzies!

And while this may look like a dress for Barbie's merengue dance, it's really another fingerless mitt. This time I changed the pattern a little. When I finish the pair, I'll show you a better picture.

Spot the Semicolons

Yes! The knitting for the Red Herring Purse is finished! And I used almost exactly two (of the three) skeins purchased. So, let's see, what's left:

1. Weave in ends
2. Wet and block it
3. Embroider the flowers
4. Add interfacing to handles
5. Add dowels (or chopsticks--they're free!)
6. Sew up the sides

As you can see, the second skein has just a few yards left; I think that will be enough to seam it up. Cooliyo! (Did you notice the sophisticated use of the semicolon? I did.)

And the Red Thread Project: November (that's No-Remember in Anthony-speak) has been completed. I suppose Canadians could switch the October and November blocks as their Thanksgiving falls earlier. I was naughty and used a different grey for the platter because I ran out of the color that was called for. I'm trying to get better about using my available resources. So maybe that wasn't naughty; maybe it was admirable. Fanfare here. (Or maybe it was lazy: don't tell anyone, but I just didn't want to go to the store!)

Finishitis

This pattern was actually quite fun to sew. The butterflies matched the blocks they were hovering over and did not appear until the backstitching was completed. Kudos to the designer.
So it's finished. I think I may have that longed-for malady: finishitis. It's the compliment to startitis. You know, startitis is when you must start projects and start projects and start more, which leads to seeing UFOs--Unfinished Fabric Objects. Finishitis means I am compelled to finish items, no matter when they were begun.
detail of Butterflies on Nine-Patches


And the Red Herring Purse has less than 20 rows of knitting left! All that's left is the embroidery and the finishing up.

Got a Squishie!

Squishie (n. SKWI-shee): a soft package sent or received through any of various federal or commercial agencies, usually known to cause a squeal of delight on the part of the crafter involved. May contain fabric, yarn, quilt squares, beads, or fiber of plant, animal, mineral, or chemical origin. On rare occasions, squishies have also been known to contain completed items, promised up to twelve years ago.

Progress on knitted objects: The Red Herring Purse

Sleeves Without a Sweater

And a completion: Home Sweet Home scrap quilt

"There is no wrong way to knit. The debate between throwing the yarn and picking it, using circulars or straight, choosing Fair Isle or intarsia... it's all a moot point. If you get something knitted at the end of it, you are doing it right. We should all agree to stop correcting each other and deal with the more important issue. How wrong crochet is."

--Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, At Knit's End

Disclaimer: I have actually been known to crochet. Not much and not often. And not well. But for those of you out of the yarn loop: there is a fundamental difference of opinions between those who use two sticks and those who use one. Go figure.

A Few Thoughts on Family

Here's the Red Herring Purse in progress. I got together with my knitting group--my first outing with friends for TWO LONELY WEEKS! I had a cold and I try not to spread these things. Anyway--no more grousing--I had a lovely time. We had a long talk about family and I still feel like I'm the lucky one.

Sure, there are bad times, especially when the teenage years are involved, but all in all... Well, I have fun going to the cemetary with my mom. Even when I'm grouchy. Or climbing the unbelievably steep hill to get pears with my dad. Or making jello with my aunt. Or helping my sister-in-law with her final preparations.

Perhaps it comes down to laughter. If you can laugh, how bad can things be? If there is laughter, joyful, real laughter, perhaps there has to be love. In my family, anyway.

close-up of the Herringbone Stitch (for some reason, it came out orange in this photo!)

"You can pick your friends, but your family, well, you're stuck with your family!" --Mike Warnacky (I think)

Finishing Season

Today marks "Go to Your Studio and Make Stuff's" 13-month anniversary! Woo-hoo! Nope, I just can't do thing the way normal folks do. Not a year, but 13 months...

It seems that I'm spending a lot of time finishing objects but, what with Christmas on it's merry way, finishing stuff is a good idea! And I always love the idea of handmade gifts. At least for the women-folk. Men just don't seem to enjoy anything handmade unless it's edible.

To that idea: "Serenity" is completed. I really like the soft colors in this one.

Also completed (but in need of "finishing"): Guardian Angels Birth Sampler. The alphabet that came with it was too large for a long-ish name so I had to unsew what I had started, re-chart, and re-sew. But at least I remembered to sign it! (Yes, the last name is covered. It seems only fair.)
And I've started a little something for myself... which means I'll have to back-burner it soon. Presenting the Red Herring Purse!
I really like this sumptuous cotton yarn: it almost feels like velvet!