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Happy Bonnie’s Crafternoon!

Posted in knitting, tagged , , on February 2, 2013| Leave a Comment »

 

Its Bonnie's birthday!

Its Bonnie’s birthday!

Happy Bonnie’s Crafternoon!. IMG_2500

Another blog post share from “our” Kimberly of Daily Craftini. The joy of this day for me was the friendships that have formed from our love of knitting, creativity…and love of great food. I am thinking we should write a cookbook of our combined efforts! (For now my great contributions have come from Trader Joe’s….but watch out I am out to break out with my old cooking skills!)

What works of art!

What works of art!

Before  some of the Friday Knitting friends came together  to share in Bonnie’s birthday celebration today, some of the Saturday Knitting friends came together early….some as early as 7:30 a.m. or so to help Margo transition one more time from one household to another. This transition is positive but there is so much energy involved in moving and change. I came in around 8 a.m. and I was able to redirect my energies (sorely challenged by the recent passing of my brother-in-law) into a person with a purpose…organize the items for sale. Actually, everyone before me did the hard work….I just came in with a different “mission”!

Besides the joy of sharing the day with so many friends of the knitting persuasion, I was able to redirect my own energies back to knitting….I will finish my niece’s BD present and have it in the mail on Monday.

Photos of this fun project will follow late tomorrow.

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Reflections

Posted in knitting, tagged , on January 25, 2013| 2 Comments »

Our family – my sister and her family; Bill and I have been on a 5-month journey…..it’s been a different  kind of journey…one in which my brother-in-law had a routine surgery, he went home and then two days later his body systems were in trouble. He entered the hospital again on August 25 (and was in hospital or rehab) until he left this earth on January 23…..you can read more about him and his journey at our family blog.

Knitting...one of my life long "loves".

Knitting…one of my life long “loves”.

As we prepare for his services we are all going through our photo boxes…we have found many….you can see some of those at my family blog. I found one of me ….guess what I was doing? If you click through (as I did) you will see that I am looking a little tired…..I am going to bet that the weight of my hair was exhausting me!! It certainly wasn’t the knitting.

My brother-in-law Jim was at this family gathering at my mom’s home….knitting traveled everywhere with me….thus all my family experienced my “joy”. While I never knit anything for Jim…I did for the children – Honara, Sundee, Michael and Jeffrey. Some of you have heard me tell the Christmas story of the gift I gave to Jeffrey when he was 5 or so. I wrapped up the knitted vest…almost done…included the needles and the yarn. When Jeffrey opened his gift he said, “Auntie, there is a mistake here. This belongs to you…knitting!!” The laughter that followed was great…I took the gift home and completed it for Jeffrey. We still tell this story and Jeffrey is now 33!

I fear that I am bit rambling today…but truly I am reflecting on many things about Jim’s life. I recall that Corrie ten Boom reflected on her life and said that she led an “uneventful” life until she helped during WWII. I think Jim might..just might think his life was uneventful. However, this is not the reality. He married my sister Betty who had two young girls…he adopted them and formed the family unit before the nephews were born.  Jim and my sister raised four lovely children (of course, I am proud)! As my sister says, “He touched many lives…particularly young people!”

He didn’t knit…but I loved him anyway! During the years we would often “butt” heads…but I have to say I couldn’t have more regard, love and respect for Jim and the way in which he handled the last five months of his life. He left us with a gift on how to behave. Some of his last thoughts and words were….”Be kind and loving to each other.” I gained a whole new respect for my brother-in-law…but damn, he still didn’t take up knitting! We will all miss Jim!

Jim and Betty - when their daughter Honara married April 1990.

Jim and Betty – when their daughter Honara married April 1990.

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Happy New Year~Almost ready for new beginnings!

Posted in knitting, tagged , , on January 1, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Yes…..there’s more…almost forgot the ukulele duo! Finding those led me to a few more. Now HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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More of the blast past from the past – 2012

Posted in Friendship, knitting, tagged , , , on January 1, 2013| Leave a Comment »

I got half way through the year yesterday. Here’s the rest of the glimpse into 2012!

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A blast from the past – 2012

Posted in knitting, tagged , , on December 31, 2012| 2 Comments »

Throughout the year I see the most wonderful knitted garments….I take lots of photos…and only get a fraction posted. So….to end this year this will be a blast of photos. I invite those of you featured to make comment on your garments. Guess what….I only got half way through the year….so more tomorrow to celebrate the New Year!

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There is a Scottish Dunsmuir dancer amongst us!

Posted in knitting, tagged , , , on December 23, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Shari and John

Shari and John

Shari squeezes in knitting between her dancing (and work of course). She and her husband John have been dancing for about 16 years and are part of the Dunsmuir Scottish Dance Ensemble.  Shari often knits her accessories for their costumes….not long ago she knit a Shetland shawl for one of these dance events…..what we see here today is John wearing his Toirneach (pronounced teer-nacht) kilt hose….of course knit by Shari in O-Wool – 100% organic merino. The pattern is from Knitty.

These dance/event photos were taken last Sunday, Dec 16 at The Dunsmuir House Estate in Oakland.

Be sure to scroll down to not only see the details of the socks….but a group photo as well.

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Jean knits and knits beautiful garments!

Posted in knitting, tagged , , , on December 21, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Jean looks charming in her new sweater!

Jean looks charming in her new sweater!

Jean knits and knits….the beauty of it is that she has the greatest looking knit garments. This time her beauty is the Raindrop Cardigan…pattern from “Textured Stitches” by Connie Chang Chnichio. Jean chose yarn from her stash – DK Wool Tweed by Jo Sharp.

The cardigan was designed to have a front opening but Jean, as many of us do, embellished/changed the pattern so that it had a zipper front. She bought the zipper and had our local cleaners – Norge – sew it in for about $25. Her husband picked it up and he was astounded at the price and Jean’s response…”It was worthy very penny!”

I am in awe of how much Jean knits….she not only starts but she finishes! I do know a secret….there was one time some years ago where she was really unhappy about the performance of a yarn she was knitting (which shall remain unnamed) and she threw it in the fire…an action that does seem unrelated to Jean!

The sweater details….

IMG_2291

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’tis the Season – Saturday morning

Posted in knitting, tagged , , on December 19, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Our last post found us looking through our yarn stashes getting ready for our annual ’tis the Season celebration. We ate, we shared, we exchanged.

We brunched –  cheese, crackers, potato chips and clam dip, fruit salad platter, chocolate cake, bread, cookies, baked pears wrapped in proscuitto, champagne, margaritas….a great way to start a day!! We did manage to knit as well as eat!!

Oh darn….I captured the chatter on my iPhone video but it won’t upload here…just imagine the chatter of magpies and you have it!

 

 

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Susanne’s Stash

Posted in Christmas, knitting, tagged , , , on December 13, 2012| 1 Comment »

Susanne in shrug

We, the Saturday knitters, are getting ready for our annual ’tis the Season’ brunch and along with that we are having a “white elephant gift swap”. We’ve decided it is a gift of one skein/ball (or equivalent) of yarn from our personal yarn stashes. Susanne began her “search”.

 

“So the search is on to find something to share. Holy Crap! I am starting sweat at my stash. Where to start! I can’t process it all!! Going to take dogs for walk and avoid for now. Love to you all!” Susanne

Some thoughts came back from Susanne’s email.

….from Diane – “Yes, I’d say you have a bit of a dilemma there!”

….from Katie – “Especially since they’re all upside down. How do you read the labels, by standing on your head?” 😮 Note: the photos came in upside down…easily remedied!

….from Janie – “Holy crap is right! Can’t wait to see what you bring us Susanne. (In all honesty, my stash is just about as frightening.) This ought to be a FUN yarn exchange! Can’t wait.” Janie xo

….me (Carolyn) – I decline to comment as I am over the top with my stash! Well…it looks like I just did comment!

Last words from Susanne for the moment on the stash topic!

Carolyn,  you can blog about my stash, if you turn the pictures right side up! There is still more yarn, all the ribbon in a bag for a shawl project and several “on the needles” project…. Confessions of a knitter!!

Love to ya,

Susanne

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Saturday Morning Knits

Posted in knitting, tagged , , on December 10, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Saturday Morning Knitting Group

Saturday Morning Knitting Group

Saturday Morning #2

The other “end” of the table – Saturday Morning.

        Our Saturday knitting workshop has so many wonderful things to share….knitting, stories….support (Katie just lost her uncle)….and amidst it all – laughter! I am way behind in sharing the creativity but today I am sharing  some of the latest of this group. We always knit when we come together on Saturday mornings….but sometimes we don’t get the “show and tell” of our knitting done…we are too busy settling “state of affairs”. This past week we brought our “show and tell” back to the surface!

Here’s what is on some of our needles along with some quotes.

99 Garters Rows on "the wall"!

99 Garters Rows on “the wall”!

I think the favorite of the day when Susanne reminded of us “99 bottles of beer on the wall” as she began singing “99 rows garter stitch to go”! She is on the last block of the  “Moderne Log Cabin Blanket (pattern can be found on page 78 of Mason Dixon Knitting). This pattern has been ever popular in this Saturday morning circle..I have knit a couple and I think Susanne is completing her third one…I know Diane has knit one or two. This particular rendition from Susanne is a wedding gift for her son.

Marsha - knitting Marty's Afghan pattern!

Marsha – knitting Marty’s Afghan pattern!

There were a couple more blankets/afghans at the table. Marsha is knitting “Marty’s afghan” in Lorna’s Laces Shephard Worsted. It is her comfort knitting…the kind that she does when she just needs quiet space.

Terry is weaving in the ends of her recently completed baby gift afghan!

This is Terry's 7th or 8th Heart Inspired Afghan...in this case the baby is due in two weeks!

This is Terry’s 7th or 8th Heart Inspired Afghan…in this case the baby is due in two weeks!

There’s more! Maurie is finishing up a hat….Janie is knitting a cowl….Katie is finishing up a diagonal scarf. Each of the fibers used on these projects catches the eye! I showed a “learning” which I will post separately. Other projects were shared but we didn’t get close ups of  Diane’s latest project or Carol’s bolero or Ann’s socks. More will be revealed as Diane likes to say. Also, Shari sent a photo or two of her recently completed Scottish socks…which I will also post separately and hopefully along with some dance photos that are in my archives. 

Maurie is really much happier with this hat than she looks...Susanne is going to "gifted" with this.

Maurie is really much happier with this hat than she looks…Susanne is going to be “gifted” with this.

Janie working on her cowl

Janie working on her cowl

Katie...the scarf is almost done! It's going to be long enough for a double wrap!

Katie…the scarf is almost done! It’s going to be long enough for a double wrap!

This group will be celebrating “tis the Season” with its annual brunch on Dec 15!

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