Shocked It's Still Here

Wow! I am surprised the blogger peeps haven't taken down this inactive blog.

As always, this blog is a sporadic hot mess. I'm not a good blogger or journaler and I knew that when I started this blog. But occasionally I feel the need to post an update.

I'm still knitting as my main hobby but I have picked up the needle to do some cross stitch. I actually started a new piece Suffrage Act by Little House Needleworks. It's a sweet piece celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the passing of the 18th amendment. As a history teacher, I knew this would be a way to add a little stitching to my classroom.

I've also worked on a small quilt project I started last year. It is in blue and green batik fabrics and it has a variety of log cabin blocks. I'm piecing the last of the border blocks and soon I'll start sewing all of the rows together.

I'm typing this as I sit at home during a global pandemic. I find that I am having a short attention span as I self isolate at home. During my normal summer routine I stay home a lot, but I do get out twice a week to go to knitting and church. During this time, I can't do that and so I'm doing this as a way to temporarily get my mind on something else.

Reading has also taken up a lot of my time. I started getting back into reading two years ago when I was staying with my uncle during his last few weeks fight lung cancer. I've kept my kindle full thanks to kindle unlimited and the local library. If anyone actually reads this blog, I suggest you read Kathleen Brooks and Penny Reid for some romance and belly laughing. Both authors have a wonderful way with words and setting the scene.

Off to do a little reading and occupy myself with something else. :)

Day Two of Rabbit Holes

I'm into sewing, knitting and cross stitching, although the stitching took a back burner after bifocals came into my life. I have a small stash of fabric and a when knitting came along project bags took on a new look and place in my life.

When I was stitching I really enjoyed vinyl mesh bags, most of my projects are still in those bags. A new design was popping up for qsnaps and projects that has stitching incorporated into the bag. I haven't made one of those yet but those are on my radar.

This is my latest creation. Fell in love with the Fringe Supply Co. Field Bag and l really like the size and canvas fabric so much that I own two. I decided to surf Etsy and see if others were making similar bags. Many many bags popped up and after getting a feel for the bag size and construction I pulled out what little home decor fabric I had and made the bag. I have another bag cut out and after test driving this one I'll make any necessary tweaks and make the second bag.

I also make bags with matching DPN needle minders and notions bags. I may have shown these before. My sweet sister keeps asking how many bags do I need? But I like to change them up frequently.

My favorite style is a wedge bag and I have material for several more. It fits several skeins of yarn, a project, and notions pouch. I am also addicted to purchasing them from The Fat Squirrel, Amy Beth's bags are really nice. The construction is top notch and I love her fabric choices. There is a retreat coming up and she will be vending. I'm going to have a hard time not purchasing more. Ordered the retreat bag already.  :)

I made and use this bag all the time. 

Several other bag makers will be at the retreat market and I've been saving my purchase $$ for a bag from Hopkin's Studio. I want to see her bags in person, they are a little more expensive and she has so many fabrics I can't choose which is just right. 

So many bags, so little time to make and use them all!

Rabbit Holes

I've fallen down several rabbit holes lately. As I've said before I'm not good about keeping this blog up to date! So I've decided to blog in chunks.

Today is about current inspirations.

As I said, I'm falling down a particular rabbit hole of traveler's notebooks. I don't currently have one, I don't bullet journal, I just don't journal at all! (lack of blog posts are a sure sign!) But I carried around a planner in the late 80's/90's (I'm old) and they went everywhere with me. I became a techie and I jumped on the Palm Pilot band wagon and transferred my planner stuff to the digital realm.

Eventually Palm was bought up and phased out. I jumped onto the Blackberry, things transferred easily and all was good in the tech world until I worked on my master's. APPLE!!! Oh how I love Thee! It took a few years and I was able to splurge on a laptop and down that rabbit hole I went!

Don't get me wrong, I'm typing on a macbook right now. But I have probably a dozen notebooks in my living room/bookcases. Unused! Used! and I'm just a cheap paper junky. I still love notebooks and planners. But the majority are unused.

I tried to go digital with my lesson planner but just couldn't make it work. I found a great planner by Miss Math Dork and fell in love with paper planners again.   Two years ago I found Blue Sky Planners and that is what I use today. Really use. Nice, simple, very straightforward and I love them.

So how does that get me to traveler's notebooks. 

1) Well, I've also fallen down the fountain pen rabbit hole and use them with my scripture writing. But I wanted to use pens more and I find myself out and about with no paper. I'm trying to become slightly more organized, but not to the point of creating a bullet journal.

2) I need to meal plan. I realized I buy the same basic groceries every week, I don't use part of them and that is wasteful. I've also found myself not cooking at all. I think doing some basic meal planning will help me with diet and the economics of grocery shopping. Keeping those plans in a notebook will help me shop. Yes I can add them to my phone memo list but I think writing things out will help me stay focused.

3) I knit and love making lists of knitting info. I also have knitting friends who use TN's and every time they whip one out to jot stuff down, I get envious. :)

I love notebooks!

I love Goulet Pens and follow them on instagram and YouTube. I use them for my fountain pens obsession. They have fantastic customer education videos. Goulet carries pens and paper. I've watched several of their videos on TN's and thanks to YouTube data miners up popped lots of other TN videos. I've spent the morning watching those and surfing Etsy for the right notebook cover. 

From there Pinterest called my name and away it went. Thankfully, I put on the brakes and decided to add this quick post before I reached the bottom of this rabbit hole. I've figured out the size needed, found a supplier that offered a totally me color and now just waiting a few days to make sure I really need to do this!

ps it will may if I jot down some blog post ideas!

Poor Little Blog

I haven't forgotten this blog exists. I'm just a horrible blogger. (:

Knitting update for 2016 - 7,036 meters in 22 projects

Quilting - not one quilt quilted and this makes me sad

Sewing - unfortunately I didn't count the number of project bags I made in 2016 but I'm guessing 10+ bags and 5+ needle minders

Reading - I read 39 books, nine were repeated books 

Reading stats were really low, I've already read ten books in 2017 and read two books 1/3 through before deciding I wasn't interested enough to finish them. I'm hoping I will continue on this reading kick throughout 2017 because I've really missed reading for pleasure.

I've currently have three knitting projects on the needles, two pair of socks and a set of knitted knockers (breast prosthetics for cancer patients). I have a goal of twelve pair of knockers for 2017. This summer I will be attending SSK in Nashville and I'm looking forward to meeting lots of knitters. I've been attending the Cookeville Sock Club for over a year and have really enjoyed getting to know these ladies. I hope to be able to go to a Thursday night meeting soon.

Kitties are doing well and are waiting patiently for me to get off the computer and give them some cuddles.

Pray all is well with all who read this.

Five Year Anniversary Post

Five short years ago I was headed to Alaska on a mission trip. It was a fantastic trip and I enjoyed every minute. I was just telling sister last night that I'd like to go back and spend time traveling to Denali.

This blog has become a place to share my stitching, quilting and knitting. Occasionally I share a few sentiments. Over the past year I have turned the news off for 85% or more of my media time. I typically watch it for the weather and then turn it off. The news media in my opinion is extreme drama and exaggeration. When I see videos from social media presented as news, I'm totally unimpressed and I devalue that news show credibility.

That said I can't help but hear the news and the horrible things that have happened in the world the past weeks. I'm saddened at the loss of lives and destruction that has taken place. I have nothing wise or helpful to say. My thought is I'm blessed to know where my help comes from and to have a relationship with My Savior Jesus.

My sister says I use that phrase too much "blessed or bless it" and I do use it a lot. I do know the meaning of being blessed and I mean it sincerely. I've had frequent prayer time with the Lord and it is our private code. He understands what I mean.

So I'll close this post that was started as a celebration and took a turn to more somber sentiments by saying:
     Have a blessed day!

Socks Are Wonderful

I'm loving my summer of socks. I've actually finished two pair and I'm through the heel of the first sock/third pair. I've learned the OMG Heel - One-needle Mock Gusset. I like the heel so far. I've only worn them around the house.

 I am sorry for photo placement. I can't get blogger to lay them out in any other manner. :(

I'm now learning the Fish Lips Kiss heel and I've knit the first sock and I loved how it fit when I tried it on.

I'm working to finish my Drachenfel before I start another shawl. I'm doing Stash Dash again this year and I really want to pull two other projects out of hibernation and get them finished. We'll see how that goes.

Summer has started off well and I have a professional development tomorrow and a two day workshop next week. I'm looking forward to both and hope to learn a lot.

My 2016 reading challenge is a little slow. I've clicked off several parts of the challenge. I've read two books published this year, a book I previously started (several of those actually) and reread a book (more than one actually).

I've planned several books to fill in the other gaps. I plan to read Grapes of Wrath for my banned book, To Kill a Mockingbird as a book suggested by my BFF, and Anne of Green Gables as the book published before I was born. Several books would fulfill multiple categories but I want to read as many books as possible. It is a reading more challenge. :)

Summer of Socks

Last year I had a summer of shawls. I did a personal Stash Dash (via the Knit Girllls) and knit 3000 meters of yarn with the majority being used in shawls. I wasn't going to try to Stash Dash again, but if I complete the projects on my needles I can easily obtain that goal. Last summer I was casting on almost entirely new projects.

I am planning on participating in Little Skein's Sock School. I purchased two skeins of the Sock School's ode to Pippi Longstocking yarn. One speckled skein from Highland Handmade and a striped skein from Must Stash. I was actually able to order when the presales went up. I've never been able to catch an update from either store. Cast on day is May 15.

I'm also participating in Must Stash's Droid Wars. I was able to get a pre-order of "The Droids You Are Looking For" companion set which included 2 skeins 50g each of different colorways representing R2-D2 and C-3PO. We cast on May 4th.

I've also been working on Hermione's Everyday Socks as my softball park knitting. I had an OMG heel put in (One needle Mini Gusset) and I put it in 1/2 inch too short. So I've ripped it back and planning on putting it in again today. I need to work on the leg tomorrow while we are playing.