Emptyknitster

Two teachers in the knitting class I taught in March are inspired. At an early morning faculty meeting one of the new knitters showed me a magazine photo of beautifully cables fingerless gloves. She wanted to know if she could possibly aspire to knitting the gloves. Hmmm... I remembered recently seeing a very nice pair of reading gloves at my blog friend Andrea's . No cables but something that a couple of new knitters would be able to conquer.  At Easter the California Dreamin' Gurl said she'd like a pair, but she wanted them knit a little longer.  I quickly started the pair on mitts, "Just to see if they were a go for the new knitters."  I finally finished the mitts today and think that the pattern is a hit, easy to follow and easy to modify. Pattern: Susie's Reading Mitts Yarn: Less than a skein of Plymouth Yarn Galway, Colornep Colorway: Gray Needles: US size 5 Also, during the Easter visit Chloe told me her favorite book is The Secret Garden . It ...

This morning we were honored with the presence of an Olympic athlete. Joan Benoit was the first gold medal winner in the woman's marathon at Los Angeles in 1984. Joan Benoit told the students about how life has changed for girls in school. When she went to school there were no sports activities for girls and she had to wear a dress everyday except for "Field Day". This brought back memories for me. I too, had the same rules. The only “sports” that girls could participate in were dance or cheerleading. It wasn't until the year after I graduated high school in cold Montana girls were allowed to wear long pants to school – and never shorts.  She spoke to the kiddos about finding what you are passionate about, setting goals, and then persevering. I sat listening and I realized how I’m going through this process right now as a grownup. I’m beginning to look toward retirement and lately I’ve been thinking about some new goals. I 'm pleased that the goals I’ve been...

Last week I was delighted to hear - a fourth grade teacher at our school was having a G-I-R-L! Knitting for little girls is so much fun! My little gals aren't quiet so tiny anymore and lately all the babies at work have been boys. I immediately started planning:  Pattern: Summer Chills Cardigan Yarn: Cascade Pacifica, 40% Superwash Merino Wool/60% Acrylic Color: Baby Pink   I had been admiring this pattern for some time and I've just been waiting for the announcement of the arrival of a little girl. The babe in the pattern photo looks just darling! The sweater is knit in cotton yarn however, and I don't like knitting with cotton. It's not easy to knit and I don't feel like cotton is as durable as other yarns. Besides the baby is due in late August (hot, hot, hot, in Montana) and she will quickly need some warmth for the chilly fall days. Also, I don't know if this new little momma has an understanding of yarn and the care that each type of yarn may need so...

Wild Purl's is a great yarn shop to buy yarn, needles, and patterns. BUT most importantly, Wild Purl's is a place where everybody knows your name ! Making your way in the world today Takes everything you've got; Taking a break from all your worries Sure would help a lot. Wouldn't you like to get away? All those night when you've got no lights, The check is in the mail; And your little angel Hung the cat up by it's tail; And your third fiance didn't show; Sometimes you want to go Where everybody knows your name, And they're always glad you came; You want to be where you can see, Our troubles are all the same; You want to be where everybody knows your name. Roll out of bed, Mr. Coffee's dead; The morning's looking bright; And your shrink ran off to Europe, And didn't even write; And your husband wants to be a girl; Be glad there's one place in the world Where everybody knows your name, And they're always gla...

The NorDakPurl Gurl has been involved in Relay for Life for several years. In February her group has a silent auction to raise funds. This year The Purl Gurl called me, excited to have had a certain pair of sandals donated. "They're so cute! One pair of soles with several pair of tops to add!" "Switch Flops!" I hooted over the phone! I knew that very moment I needed them, and The Purl Gurl was instructed to buy the sandals at any cost. Last summer The California Dreamin' Gurl was visiting and we met her friend, Carrie, at Chico Hot Springs. Carrie's mom had sent her a pair of switch flops from Florida and we laughed until we cried over the name and sheer idea behind the shoes.The gal that invented them thought up the idea of interchangeable shoe tops to fulfill an assignment in a high school art class. She is now a millionaire so the joke's on us. Sure enough, I placed the high bid and the sandals were mine! It really wasn't much of a bat...

 All the families came into town Wednesday afternoon and the festivities began! The number one thing on The Pirate's list was for me to fix his b"LANK"et. "Lank" is the baby blanket his Aunt "Chick Who Flew the Coop" made for him when he was born. I had to resew the entire thing BUT I became a heroine! The grandkids were so happy to see each other, what a great reunion! They were pleased with themselves Thursday morning when they confided in me that Sadie Lou came up with the idea - if they got their pjs on and were in bed when the parents came to tell them it was bedtime, they could all sleep in the same bed just like they have always done! (It worked!) The carnival from last summer must have been a real hit with them, because they spent all Thursday afternoon planning another one. They added a chalk drawing contest and "The Crack Game" - rolling a ball up a crack in the driveway marked with  points at certain spots where the participa...

I have loved family stories and genealogy since I was a small child. I remember the day Mom and my Great-aunt Kit were cleaning out a shed in the back of Aunt Kit's yard in Boulder. Among other things it was filled with old, long, party dresses - my mom's prom dresses perhaps - and old photos. I asked, no really, I begged them to let me keep the old photos, but my mom thinking of the car trip back to Washington said no, they were photos of no one that either she or Aunt Kit knew and so they were thrown into the burning barrel. Later, when I began locating old photos on the internet including those of HER grandparents, Mom said she wished she'd listened and let me keep the old photos. The family lived in Lyons, Colorado where they owned an orchard. Years later - perhaps the same trip as the photo burning incident - I visited my Great-uncle John on the family place.  We walked back to the chicken coop and I was told that that had been the original home of the Jamison...