Traveling Surprise

So, yesterday I got a postal slip that said I had a package from Megan. I was mystified. I thought, I only know one Megan. What would she be sending me? I'm upstream from her in our Traveling Scarf group on Ravelry...

Then, today, I got the package from the post office and nearly cried I was so touched by the enclosed notes. I hadn't even looked into the bag at the scarf yet. Then, then I opened the bag. Oh, my it was a beautiful soft scarf. See? Megan in cahoots with Julie made this lovely traveling surprise. You see, we had a few scarfs go MIA in our group and one of them was mine. It looked like I would have to be satisfied with the enjoyment I got from designing a piece for each scarf that came my way. There would be no happy scarf wending it's way back to me after traveling around two countries.

Now? I have a wonderful scarf all my own. And it has come from two countries! Julie is in Canada and Megan in the US. I don't know if I can properly express how touched and thrilled I am to have this scarf.

Thank you ladies for your thoughtfulness. I LOVE IT!

Spin, Span, Spun

This is a new record. I stopped only because...I ran out of fiber!

As I have become better at spindle spinning, I've been able to handle bigger and bigger cops on my spindles. This, a Bossie midi, has the largest one ever:

2 5/8 oz - 1.25 oz spindle = 1 3/8oz of lovely Romney


I hear tell that one should be able to make a cop that at least weighs as much as the spindle before winding off. I can now say I've done that! WOOT!

Sophie's Cozies

Sophie is a delightful 4 year-old who wanted to go to the hospital and play with the children to cheer them up. Unfortunately, there are age minimums for volunteers which do not allow for those who are so young. Undaunted, Sophie and her mother came up with a different idea: give the children hugs and snuggles! How? With small blankets made from soft yarns. And Sophie's Cozies was born...


After reading about Sophie, I wanted to make a cozy.


So I stitched up this Bobby Square sans a few rounds (click picture for pattern) with the left over yarn from the Wheelchair Wrap. Then, I tossed it on the scale. It looked promising so I kept going.When the squares were done there were just a few grams left...not enough to join. So off to the stash I ran. I knew there were some scraps of white in this same yarn in there somewhere.And, lo my memory was good. Plus, I think the crochet gods were smiling on me. Just as with the purple, there were but three grams remaining when the joining was done. (Perhaps that is a sign that it was meant to be?)And here it is! I'm so pleased with the way it turned out. The picture is a little washed out. The colors are more vivid in real life.


Here's hoping some little one is well comforted by this soft cozy and the loving heart of Sophie.

Purple People

Some time ago, my sister asked me for a shawl. Not just any shawl. She wanted a "Perfect Spring Shawl" for her own. (It is a version of the My Blue Jeans Shawl which was modified by the ever creative Elisa. Thanks Elisa! If you want to make one from Dream in Color Smooshy you can find my counts here on Ravelry. )

If you have been reading for a while, you'll know this is the seventh time I've made one of these!

I warn you, making them is addictive! They are quick, easy, and lovely. This one is done in Dream in Color Smooshy's colorway Pansy Go Lightly. There are subtle color variations of blues and greens which don't show up as well as the dominant purple. I'm happy to say she loved it.

The other purple thing finished is the Wheelchair Wrap. Why purple? I wanted to use Lion Brand's Pound of Love for its softness and washability. I did not, however, want it to look like a baby item. It is meant to be worn by an adult after all... It turned out that my stitch gauge changed so that there is enough extra material to actually wrap the front or pin it closed. A happy accident. The row gauge came out right on the money.
This pattern is a good one for quick gift or charity crochet.

Friday Faces

Faces of the painted variety that is...Actually those are some samples that I painted on the back of my hand/arm. Usually Friday nights are reserved for fun of the yarn variety, but who could resist the call of a good friend for help with her 6 year-old's birthday party? I ended up face painting.

Face painting is fun, especially when you let the little people describe what they want. They get so excited and have clear opinions. The birthday boy had a skull and cross bones on one cheek and a snake on the other. I think my favorite of the night was the girl who wanted to world on her cheek. Every time I saw her after that I caught myself singing "We Are the World". Nearby adults burst out laughing when they made the connection. The kids thought we were crazy.

One little guy kept coming back for more painting. When I cut him off he had a snake on one cheek, an apple on his forehead, a cloud and stars on the other cheek, a skull/ghost on one hand, and a heart on the other. I think he was all of three years old! LOL

My biggest challenge of the night was another three-year-old who was sucking on a ring pop while I tried to paint butterflies on her cheek. Did you ever notice how much the cheeks move when the mouth is sucking? Yeah, not so easy that one!

I thought I'd make it to stitch night after the party for some fun of the yarn variety. Nope. The party that was to end at 8pm went until 9pm. No yarn for me, but the reward of many smiling children was worth it!

Charitable Thoughts

Have you read any of the Debbie Macomber books about Blossom Street? They have been on my "some day I'll read those" list for a while because most of them take place in and around a knitting store called "A Good Yarn". The side effect of reading these novels is wanting to stitch along with the characters.

I have read the books out of order, so in finishing up the series I'm actually reading book three Back on Blossom Street where the characters are making lace prayer shawls.

Now, I've made a few of these in the past, but not recently. In fact I haven't done any charity stitching in a while until I made this the other day:



Divine Hat by Rheatheylia
Free pattern found HERE and Ravelry pics HERE

It will go into the Chemo Cap stash where they collect until I think there are enough for a reasonable sized donation. By the way, if you crochet, this is a fun and easy pattern. I enjoyed making it and will likely make a few more some time.

But, back to the topic: Prayer Shawls. So, where does one begin to look for a new pattern? Ravelry of course! A quick search for worsted weight, free, crochet, and shawl turned up this:

I realize it doesn't look like much laid out flat; however, it is a clever design (pattern). It is short so that it can easily be worn in bed or a wheel chair, has a pretty decorative edge, and because of its shape will sit on the shoulders with little sliding. There is a great pic on Ravelry (here) showing it being worn. I imagine this being a restful pattern to stitch given its elegant simplicity. It should work up quickly once I make a trip to the yarn store. (No, really. I don't have enough yarn in this weight living in the stash to make the shawl!)

So, two afghans and a shawl on the hook it will be.

A Shopping We Will Go...Baa

Tis the season for Sheep and Wool Festivals. In the last month, I've been to two. The mission this year was to acquire a Golding Spindle... Check

.80 ounces - spins like a dream

Try some Bossies...Check

A matched set of minis in cherry (.46 ounces each) and a midi in rosewood (1.46 ounces?) Yummy!

And see how many different types/blends of spinning fiber I could acquire...Check

Since I haven't been spinning long, I don't know what I like. Only one way to find out, right?

Here's what I bought:

1. Shetland, Falkland, and a 3.5 oz braid of three colors of Corriedale from Purple Fleece
2. Merino/Tencel 70/30 in purple from The Fiber Fetish
3. Kid mohair/Cormo 50/50 from Buckwheat Bridge Angoras
4. Alpaca/BFL 50/50 from Moon Shadow Designs (sorry, no web site)
5. Border Leicester from Riverslea Farm
6. Corriedale from The Sheep Shed
7. Romney from Foxhill Farm Fibers & Sheep (sorry, no web site)
8. Merino/Silk 80/20 from Hampden Hills Alpacas
9. Coopersworth - pin drafted from Turtle Creek Farm (sorry, no web site)

And here's what I already had:

1. Undyed Blue Faced Leicester from Blarney Yarn
2. Merino from Snokist Farm Girl (4 oz each of red, purple, and blue) and two more in peacock and Navy from the Fiber Studio
3. Handpainted Superwash Merino from Zebisis Designs
4. Colonial that was primarily purple and streaked with other colors from Yarn to Spin
5. More of the Colonial in number 4 in brown shot through with red, blue, yellow etc. and some Merino in greys from Elegant Ewe

I'm thinking that I am well stocked for a while! This is the entire stash. Some is partially spun and one is almost completely spun (brown merino). Now to find a good place to store it all...