Monday, January 31, 2011

Hoo!


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Originally uploaded by maxandlindsey

Finished up an owl hat early this morning (I won't tell you what time this morning, just know it was early). The cables form an owl shape and then I added some little buttons to one of them to bring it to life. Turned out pretty cute.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Pumpkin... the knitting kitty


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Originally uploaded by maxandlindsey

Pump (short for Pumpkin as we call her) wondering what I'm up to while taking photos of my recently spun fiber. She is just about the best knitting kitty ever... hanging out with me while my needles are flying. But she does slip every once in awhile and has to batt at the needles moving. She is just too cute to get mad at.

New Fiber Day!


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Originally uploaded by maxandlindsey

Ask my husband... I love love love getting stuff in the mail. It's almost like Christmas when something shows up. So this beautiful fiber showed up yesterday from Sunset Fibers fiber of the month club that I am trying out. I can't wait to get it spun up!

The other yarn..


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Originally uploaded by maxandlindsey

Here is a pic of the other skein that I finished spinning. It's getting better! This one is so soft, it's a blue faced leicester fiber that I am absolutely in love with.

Working on my spinning...


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Originally uploaded by maxandlindsey

So I have started working on spinning again after taking a break during the holiday season. Luckily right now many others in my knit group are trying to learn how to spin as well so I know I'm not on my own! While I have some that I am working on that's the thin, almost lace weight fiber, I decided to do larger yarn so it would be something I would be more likely to use in my projects for a hat or cowl for instance. This is one of the two skeins I just finished. They aren't perfect by any means but when you put them next to my first fiber I spun it's definitely improvement.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

My Mini Elephant


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Originally uploaded by maxandlindsey

Finished this little guy yesterday. It was one of the few crocheted items I have made. This little one might just have to make it's way to my niece Sophia. It's just her size!

Monday, January 24, 2011

Alice's Gloves


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Originally uploaded by maxandlindsey

Just finished a pair of fingerless gloves based on the glove in the latest Alice in Wonderland movie. They are so soft that I may never take them off.

Sophia's Xmas Present


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Originally uploaded by maxandlindsey

I decided to make little Sophia an adorable knitted jacket for Christmas this past year. I thought it was going to be too big for her but turns out that she was able to start fitting in it right away! She was one of the cutest models I have ever seen... and so happy in her new jacket.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

A Little Lacey...


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Originally uploaded by maxandlindsey

Just finished up this Lacey Beret for a test knit for a knitwear designer. Turned out pretty cute!

Monday, January 17, 2011

The Fear of the Needle

So after getting my fancy sewing machine in the mail I finally decided I needed to get over the fear of using it and try it out. After running through so many crazy ideas in my head I finally decided to start small and simply work on making straight lines. So easy you say... not in my world. I found some funky fabric at the fabric store and thought Pumpkin (aka Pump for short) needed a kitty bed of her own. After getting some much needed cheering on from my hubby I started sewing and after holding my breath through the first few lines and trying not to sew my fingers I finally starting having a little more confidence. Before I knew it I was done and started stuffing the bed. After stuffing I walked away for a moment and before I knew it Pumpkin was snuggled up on the bed watching TV. If I knew she wanted a kitty bed that bad I would of made it years ago. So, since it wasn't done yet I took her off the bed to hand stitch the opening. As the bed is sitting in front of me and I am starting to stitch Pump decided that she wanted her bed now and thus made me stitch it together while she slept on it. She has officially claimed the bed and some how knows it is hers. She is actually sleeping on it next to me as I type, looking pretty content. While it was adorable that she loved the bed, I couldn't help but giggle that I had actually sewn something and it was functional! Easy peasy or not... I did it. Even if I only ever sew cat or dog beds I can now officially say (to a certain extent).... I can sew a straight line!! Whew! One resolution down. So many to go.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Resolutions and the Yarn Addiction

So I have been on a knitting rampage lately. Usually the standard after Christmas is to pack away my needles for at least 3 months and not even think of starting another project. But this year was much different. The second I was done with the Christmas projects I moved on to more projects and knitted my way through Christmas, New Years, and the start of 2011. Why the persistent need to knit this year? Well there are many reasons but the main one is to work through the constant stress, pain, and ongoing problems jumping in front of our moving bus called life. All that matters is that I am happy with a husband that I know I could never do without. Who helps me through thick and thin, being there for me when so many others would not. He is the one that keeps me going and for that I am grateful. One of my many resolutions this year is to constantly let him know how much I love him. Then my parents who have gone through so much in the last year. My mom just had another scare, being rushed into surgery to remove yet another piece of her that was tested for cancer. Luckily all was well but the pain and stress of it all was not fair to a woman who has already been through so much. Then my dad holding her hand through it all and being there when she wakes up after each proceedure or surgery. They both have been tough and though its hard to know, soon life will be back to normal. One week from tomorrow is my mom's last radiation appointment. A feat in which she declared that she wanted the biggest beer she could find that night when we are take her out to dinner to celebrate. Another resolution this year, to show my parents how much I appreciate them.
     Then there are those resolutions like losing weight and getting healthy that everyone makes every year in which I too always want. I have already started on those but are also working on less pain. Fibromyalgia has been kicking my butt lately and it's requiring a fight to get to normal... well as normal as possible. So finally the knitting resolution. 1. I plan on actually getting my Christmas presents done before December. An amazing idea that you think would of kicked in by now. 2. Working through as much of my knitting yarn stash as possible and get it down from over 100 balls of yarn right now to under 50. Yes! I will make this happen. Then number 3. The last and final crazy idea that may or may not happen. This one is to get all of my projects in progress completed and have only a couple projects that I work on, complete, and then start new ones. I know many from my knitting group are probably laughing their heads off right now.
     So a new year with so many possibilities. Right now I just need to focus on one thing at a time... like my husband standing in front of the TV playing games on our Xbox Kinect. I think I am going to laugh so hard I pee my pants.