Mist’s of Avalon

Here is the picture of my Mist’s of Avalon scarf. It is really more of a shawl wrap since I blocked it that way. I love it so much I am making another one with 5 repeats of the pattern for me!

Back in the Saddle again.

Yes, it has been a while. Our trip to the mountains was quiet and sleepy and I only knitted and ate. Yes, paradise! I did finish the pink llama lace shawl for my friend. I actually made it more than once, but had to unknit one side due to operator error. So I now have that pattern firmly memorized! I also finished my Mists of Avalon lace scarf. Haven’t got a picture of it yet. Here is the pink.

It is 60 inches long with the border on both ends. It is knit in two parts and grafted together. I tried the 3 needle bindoff and it was fine.

Then I finished my tea set of green crochet. I really love it! But I am done with crochet for a while.

I am inspired to knit lace shawls for my girls and an extra for a future daughter-in-law. They can be used at weddings or other events. Just thinking legacy and lace and how I tend to give away everything I ever make! Can’t decide if I should do white for each or soft peach or pink. Also if I should do the same pattern or say roses for one and ivy vines for the other and the third perhaps traditional shetland patterns.

Back to the living!

After a week with surgery and pain pills, I am finally feeling like myself! God, I hate pain pills! Triggers my vertigo every time! And I can’t knit or read!! But, except for a constant burning sensation in my back, I’m much better. You can always tell when I’m feeling better because the knitting is out.

I finished another baby bib and put buttons on the others. Ready for the hope chest. These bibs are so easy and very functional! They are from Mason/Dixon knitting. I also worked on my Mists of Avalon lace last night while catching up on Hero’s. Wow, what a story. I hated the opening show and didn’t want to watch the series, but DH plopped the laptop on the bed and now I’m upto the 11th or 12th show. Maybe it’s the drugs talking, but I like the show. Anyway, I’m about halfway done with the lace. I’m thinking of starting another lace scarf with water as the pattern. I have some beautiful blue llama laceweight down in my lair.

I’m on a roll with my knitting. I need to get spinning. I have a civil war demonstration in May at DD’s old elementary school. I love showing them stinky wool and wierd things to spin and then have them spin cotton with cotton swabs and a cotton ball. They always love it! The boys almost always spin longer threads. Can’t explain that, just fact. Even the male teacher spins longer than the women teachers. What a hoot!

This all makes me wish I had my triangle loom again. I loved weaving shawls on that loom! I sold every shawl I made from that loom. I don’t have anything to remember it by…But, I sold it when we needed other things. sigh… I’ll buy another one day. There is even a small traveling triangle loom that makes smaller pieces. I always thought I would have one of those when we retire and travel! I can spin on a drop spindle in the car. I could also weave in the car. See how practical I can be?

Here is the site to check out the triangle loom.
http://www.hillcreekfiberstudio.com/Tri-looms.html

Catch up day.

Well, I guess I haven’t sat down to post in several days. My, my. where has the time gone? Well, DH and I had lunch at a wonderful southern kitchen resturant on Thursday. Fried green tomatoes…need I say more? Then Friday was a cleaning day on account of company coming for several days. Oh, and there was game night with best friends Friday night. Saturday was a family day and our company arrived! So, here it is, Sunday morning. I must go to work in a few hours but wanted to update the KFLBP and, of course, knitting.

I am having a hard time sitting to knit for an uninterrupted hour. I knit on and off all the time, but it seems to be the straight hour or more that impacts the numbers the way I want them. It is like everything else concerning my BP. Dieting, walking, knitting- they all seem so easy that I put things off until later and then find I have lost an entire day. Stupid considering it is impacting my health. Oh, well, I will try to do better today. I am holding off on walking or working out until I see the cardiologist on Wednesday. Too much chest pain when I do anything. My doc says it’s probably stress and not to worry until I see the specialist. So, I worry not! But I do need to knit!

I am pretty far in the lace scarf for my Mists of Avalon group. I have gotten several more chapters in the book read as well. Love that book! I have one toeless sock done and will start the second today. I also may knit up a cupcake from One Skein for the fun of it. That is a great book. I must own it.

Well, must scoot. Man, I hope my band set their clocks ahead!

Feeling groovy!

Yep, knitting lowers my BP! Of course, I only did 40 minutes today of uninterrupted knitting but my BP started at 137/67 and ended at 122/73. I really need an hour or more to get it down to what I want. Must try to find a way to get paid to lower my BP! Now that’s what I call a perfect job!

I spent a lovely morning at The Dinner A’Fare making my dinners for the next month. You must try this place! The food is wonderful and it is fun to show up and make these meals with no clean up!! And cooking the food leaves very little clean up as well. Perfect. Ah, tonight I made Vegas Chicken with Crab succatash. A salad, green beans and brown rice rounded it out. The rice took the longest to make. Delicious. And cost effective! Since we are a family of three now, I do the half size. Just the right amount per serving with no leftovers. Yum, yum.

As far as knitting goes, I started a pair of Pedicure socks from Knitty.com. DD in college wears flip-flops year round and these are for those chilly nights. I am using hot pink Paton’s Classic Wool. It is basically socks without toes. Kind of like fingerless gloves, just for the feet. I am using #7 needles so they will go quickly. I read on the label this yarn felts. I love felting stuff! I must try needle felting sometime. Has anyone tried needle felting? It was new to the spinning guild I attended years ago. I just never tried it.

Well, that’s it for tonight. I must read tonight and get caught up in The Mist’s of Avalon. I worked several hours on the scarf last night. On to the sofa!

Knitting for lower blood pressure!

That title sounds like a charity knit-a-thon for people with high blood pressure! Well, that’s what my doctor said this morning. I need to relieve stress and although I was hoping she would tell me to forgo exercise and knit instead, she, in fact, said to add other things to my arsenal. So, I promptly came home and plopped on the sofa and picked up my Mist’s of Avalon lace scarf. I already did my “Turbo Jam” workout this morning and will walk for half an hour later with my DH. I do have to have an echo cardiogram soon because my benign heart murmur has changed. (whatever that means).

You know, I wonder how my BP is affected when I knit. I think I will do a little experiment. Before I pick up my knitting I’ll take my BP. At the end of the knitting time I’ll take it again. I warn you, I think I should post the numbers inorder to keep me honest in following through with this plan. I wonder if the project itself affects my BP. I mean, a dishcloth I can do in my sleep verses the lace scarf. Hmmmmmmm. Wow, what if my condition is SO impacted by knitting, that I need to knit all the time? How wonderf… I mean, oh, dear!

Ok, so I’ll still take my med’s which now number two and, ugh, workout and walk, but now I’ll take my BP before and after sitting down to knit. Let’s see what happens. I won’t be sitting there loafing, I’ll be following the doctor’s orders! I like the sound of that!

I must note that I spent a wonderful evening with one of the most gifted craftswoman and artist I know whom I love and adore (you know who you are!) this Saturday. We want to make a ritual of getting together every full moon for a glass of wine and to just be “Moon Women”. Life gets in the way but this time we did it and it was a total eclipse! Very cool. A little Pinot Noir and a full moon. What more could you want?

Perfect Day!

Ah, what a lovely day! Best friend picked me up for a birthday lunch out of town. Yea! Road trip!! Ok, so it was only 40 minutes away, it was in a darling little town. The Blue Willow Inn is a beautiful Greek revival mansion that serves REAL southern food buffet style. Man, the food was amazing. Fried chicken that would bring tears to your eyes. And the dessert table was groaning with cakes and pies! Perfect day! Oh, and the gift shop was packed! I bought this darling teapot. You can never have too many teapots or tea accessories!

Oh, and DD sent a picture of the grocery bag bag.

Tonight is game night so after dinner we will pull out the UNO and ROOK cards. Hard to knit and play cards, but I’m a brave woman. I am 50 after all. That means fearless and brave! (Within reason!) Popcorn and mocha latte’s are our specialty! I figure if you can eat and play cards, you can knit and play cards. Maybe not socks on 4 needles, but my Mists of Avalon scarf should be the perfect piece.

Speaking of knitting and tea, I am noodleing in my noggin a set consisting of a multicolored tea cosie, tea bib, lacy coasters for saucers and a heart shaped trivet for the table. All in crochet thread size 10 maybe. I like the bright multicolored over white because tea stains. And I use my tea stuff whether it will be stained or not. An antique appraiser once told me to use my antiques and enjoy them. So, I do! I’ll strike out on that adventure this week. I have some bright multi that is perfect for spring.

And now – to cook!