Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘knitting’

IMG_0905

Memory: There were two Christmas seasons way back when I was once again “possessed” to knit, knit, knit to meet the Christmas gift deadline.  I am sure that many of you can remember/place the timeframe of the afghan. Yes, it was the early 70’s when I decided on Thanksgiving to my knit my grandma Elizabeth an afghan. I calculated how many rows I could knit in an hour, how many days until Christmas, and how many hours I needed to knit a day. I recall that it was at least 2 hours a day and I got it completed two days before Christmas – squeezed in some more late hours on some of those days…thus the early completion. I believe it was the next year I decided to knit matching cable ponchos for my sister, her two girls and myself. I started in July and was finished by Christmas. Alas, I don’t have a photo of those, but I did google and came up with a sample of photo of the style. It was a Vogue knitting pattern…..I am sure it is somewhere in my very large knitting collection, but oh where is that somewhere? Okay for now….visualize….two rectangle pieces knit with cables and bobbles, joined together to create poncho effect, and the resulted opening is filled with a 1 x 1 rib neckline. These ponchos were a fun knit.

Click, click memory of today: Last week I mentioned that Susanne visited us from Chico  and she inspired some of to knit ear warmers as presents. (The pattern comes form Ashlee on Ravelry….Susanne used a Nicky Epstein pattern to knit the flowers.) How much fun to see this past Saturday three ear muffs in the works. Nina is knitting one with a thick and thin wool for her granddaughter. Terry finished a different version that looked great on many….well not me…with my “wild” hair I looked like was Phyllis Diller’s look alike! True to form for me I changed the pattern that Susanne used to incorporate some bling and I am half-way done with my version of Terry’s. Note: Terry added mohair in the ear area to create more warmth….quite clever.

Yes….I won’t make the Christmas deadline….but darn close! It will be a special “delivery” for those gifts. This collection of photos includes some of my treasured craft pieces.

p.s.  time to start clicking those needles again….so “to press” we go!

Read Full Post »

Memory:  When I unpack this little German Christmas candle treasure every year it takes me back to my early days of living in my first apartment. It was in the building across the street from Safeway on Solano Ave in Albany, CA. I flash back to great times spent with my neighbor Sue …. we were always crafting something. It was during this same time that my nieces spent a lot time with me.

 

New memory: Our Friday morning knitters continue to celebrate and then some. Rachelle brought us homemade breads (one was a gluten-free banana bread)with the freshest of butter. You could find cards crafted by Kimberly (check out her Etsy store), jewelry in the works by Rachell and Sheri, as well as the sound of laughter and chatter while the needles were clicking! Sheri was wearing her stunning All the Shades of Truth scarf and Karen K was back with us. You might guess we met the newest addition to Jean and Bob’s family. Quincy came home to them a couple weeks ago….all because Jean saw Debra, Quincy’s foster mom, at the recent jewelry show hosted here. Quincy had a date to meet and indeed he did. As we nearing the end of our time together, we were treated by Patricia to jelly beans (all blues) from the Jelly Factory!

p.s……someone, named Jean, not only left my Lucy dog with Christmas treats but left me a wonderful Christmas CD….you can glimpse the title in the photos. Many thanks Secret Santa Jean. xo

Read Full Post »

Family Gathering at Grandma and Grandpa's

Family Gathering at Grandma and Grandpa’s

Memories: My love of gatherings started when I was young. We cousins would be seated at our card table / dining tables.  In this photo, taken in the living room of Grandma and Grandpa’s basement house, there were seven of us cousins and two of our aunts. The age range in Dad’s family is interesting to say the least! One of our aunts was born a couple years before the arrival of the first two  grandchildren and our youngest aunt was born in the midst of the next three grandchildren  and a couple years before cousin Diane and me .

Memories just created from Friday, December 13, annual celebration. We, the Friday morning knitting workshop (FMKW) group , have celebrated for years and this year our group numbered 17 sans 1 who had dental emergency…we missed Karen K. We dress up, we toast, we eat, we enjoy the years of friendship, we gift special gifts and we “white elephant” gift. Our “white elephant”version allows one to bump once during a round….everyone wanted Jan’s gift choice but it was so beautiful no one wanted to be “mean”…although I really thought about it. The gift that Connie received – a capricorn lobster stuffed with a skein of sock yarn caused much laughter.

We met at a new venue for us this year, Solano Bar and Grill on Solano Ave. There were many things that worked well for our size group….we preordered a few days from a banquet menu, we had a semi-private room which really accommodated the wonderful noise that we create, the service was great….. we all had a great time. Cheers to this wonderful season!

p.s. tried to present photos in order of happenings!

Read Full Post »

My 2nd Christmas

Carolyn’s 2nd Christmas

 

Memories: While I don’t remember my 2nd Christmas I do remember this photo which was in the family photo albums…and is now in my photo collection. I have to smile….my mom loved to decorate the tree but often it was a unique look!

More from 2013:

Read Full Post »

Dad - Navy 1941

Dad – Navy 1941
(1923-2002)

 

A memory about Dad: This is one of the times I wish I had asked Dad (who turned 18 in September of 1941) how he spent his 1st Christmas away from home and in war-torn Honolulu. I do remember that he told us he arrived in Honolulu one week after Pearl Harbor was bombed. He was part of the Navy team that helped to rebuild. When we, the family of four, returned from Australia in 1957, we had a layover in Honolulu. Dad showed us a hotel  where he helped to rebuild the front plaza area. I think this photo was taken when Dad graduated from Boot Camp in San Diego.

More glimpses into 2013:

Read Full Post »

Santa and Carolyn

Santa and Carolyn

 

 

A Santa Memory: My sister Betty and I have fond memories of visiting Santa in the Capwell’s Window on Telepgraph and 20th Avenues in Oakland.  I think Betty was too small for this photo and I kind of remember that she didn’t want to sit on his lap this particular year.

Betty and I  like tradition –  we took her girls there  in their early years (1970’s). Capwell’s closed in 1996.

Today’s 2013 memories:

Read Full Post »

My Toni Doll

My Toni Doll

The memory: it’s Christmas 1954. Grandma and Grandpa are on their way from their Oakland home to spend Christmas Eve night with their daughter Marty and her family in Walnut Creek, CA. Betty and I are eagerly awaiting our adored grandparents. Of course, because it’s Christmas,they come with special gifts. We awake on Christmas morning to our presents which include Pick-up Sticks (we loved those), Toni dolls, Grandma’s fudge….oh and waking Grandma and Grandpa up….they slept on the sofa bed close to the Christmas tree.

Today –  2013 : Another glimpse into the creativity of the knitters who surround me !

Read Full Post »

Yesterday I awoke thinking of the 12 days of Christmas (even humming and that is a stretch for me). I thought momentarily that I would use it as the theme for sharing all the creativity and memories that have been twirling around in my brain since before Thanksgiving…..but that lovely theme is used by many including my dear friend of Kimberly’s Daily Craftini.  So my theme for this season is Memories of the Season along with the creativity and joy that I see so often in our circle of knitting and friendships.

Betty and Carolyn

Betty and Carolyn

A childhood memory: My sister Betty and I are young. She’s enough younger than me that her memory is vague about this, but she does recall singing How Much is that Little Doggie in the Window (she was asked to sing many times when she was young because she had pitch perfect voice).  Mom was driving with her two girls down Mt Diablo Blvd in Lafayette, CA. We see the store windows aglow with Christmas lights; we are full of glee as we are singing (this is before I knew I shouldn’t blast out my voice which didn’t carry a tune ). I remember singing The First Noel, Rudolph the Red-nose Reindeer, O Little Town of Bethlehem, and How Much is that Little Doggie in the Window as Mom was driving a “new” Pontiac with a 2-yr old in the front seat and a “bossy” 5-yr old in the back seat. 


Today’s memories: The knitters/crafters, as always, have been prolific. Here comes a random collection! p.s. if you aren’t in these photos you will be sometime in Memories of the Season!

Read Full Post »

The Sweater - and the bride and groom

The Sweater – and the bride and groom

Do you recall the recent post about the sweater knit for the bride? This morning the bride’s mother – the knitter – sent a photo of the bride wearing her lovely sweater.  In Alice’s words….”Thanks for your help, Carolyn. The fit was perfect and Kristina was so happy with the sweater. It was just what she had hoped for with the modifications that were made. ”

Alice, she indeed looked beautiful and how fun for me to be able to chat/work with you re: this lovely project which is truly a work of art. Thanks so much for sharing. Congratulations to the bride and groom!

Read Full Post »

Good morning!

Just in case you didn’t see last night’s announcement, Skein Lane Studio now has a “store” on Etsy. The first offerings are some knit kits from MaggiKnits. Check it out!

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »