Emptyknitster

I caught the bug and thought I'd give quilting a try on my beloved sewing machine, "Betty Singer." Kinda liked it, so Sadie and I made twelve Christmas placemats and coasters for the holidays but I forgot to take pictures before packing them away... I had some leftover material and a new book, Quilt As-You-Go, which I'd received as a Christmas gift. I was going to "just try one square"...  I had a blast, and finished it this afternoon! I'm starting another this weekend!

I've been for a walk  On a winter's day  I'd be safe and warm... If I had a pair of these socks! I just  finished another pair of Berkeley socks. This time I thought I'd only use yarn with bits of green. They look like lucky socks to me! Pattern: Vanilla Socks with a Fish Lips Kiss Heel Yarn: 80/20% Wool /Nylon Amount: Bits and Pieces Needles: US Size 1

There are members in every family who have no one to carry on their life story. Perhaps they didn't marry, or never had children, or saddest of all the children didn't live to adulthood. It is with these relatives in mind that I'm going to journal from time to time on a family member who doesn't have a DIRECT descendant to remember them. This week I've been working on my maternal grandfather's family. Grandfather Jonathan had two brothers, Charles and Henry, and one sister, Mary Caroline.   Grandfather Jonathan Plowman Cheney , was the youngest child in his family. He married Sadie (Sarah) Jamison and they had three children, eleven grandchildren, eighteen great grandchildren and at least 13 gg grandchildren. Although the youngest growing up, he was the second of the siblings to pass away. Charles Murray Cheney, the oldest of the siblings, married and had three daughters. I believe he had only 2 granddaughters and there are several great grandch...

I was summoned to jury duty earlier this week and knowing there would be lots of waiting, no matter what the outcome, I went prepared. I wasn’t sure how I’d be received with craft supplies in hand but I was heading to District Court, not Federal, and thought it was worth a try. Into my purse went yarn and needles. We were told to turn off our cell phones but nothing was said about knitting supplies. I immediately cast on. We were detained for two hours on hard wooden benches. Both cases were settled out of court and never reached the point of jury selection. But I must say toward the end of our wait even the men were looking longingly at my yarn and needles and good use of time! Pattern: Fish Lips Kiss Heel, Vanilla Socks Yarn: Premier Yarns Deborah Norville Serenity Sock Weight Colorway: Chili, and Woodsey Green Amount: 1 Skein Chili and just a bit of Woodsey Needle Size: US Size 1 I know this yarn will wear well. I’ve made myself a pair of socks with this brand of birth...

The CaliforniaDreamin' Gurl brought me two lovely hanks of yarn after a visit to New Jersey last summer. Smiling Sheep Farm was selling this beautiful handpainted 100% Romney yarn at a farmer's market. This is the first time I've knit with Romney. It is bright and warm, a great thing to wrap up in after a turbulent day. I'll wear it happily for the next four years. Pattern: Boomerang by Steve of Dramatic Knits with some changes at the end. Yarn: 100% Romney by Smiling Sheep Farm Colorway: Rainbow Amount: 2 200 yard skeins Needle Size: Size 7 (called for size 6)

I love doing these socks and they are the California Dreamin’ boy’s favorite. The socks are for the runner in the family who has very muscular legs. At Christmas he commented on a pair of socks I’d knit as the”best fitting” socks. This is the formula I had used: I knit on 32 sts but increased 3 stitches along the top/back of the heel and also 5 stitches across the cuff bind off in the stretchy bind off. They give me such a lovely feeling of “frugal-ness” and I was surprised to see my leftover sock stash is beginning to disappear! The Berkeley Socks are beginning to make a dent. Pattern: Vanilla, Slip Stitch, Fish Lip Heeled Berkeley Socks Yarn: Sock Yarn Colorway: Blues Amount: Bits and Pieces of 80% 20% yarn Needles: US Size 1 (Now, I must dash off to make more leftover stash!)

A new buzz phase has been making the rounds since the inauguration - "Alternative Facts." (By the way Kellyanne Conway, I don't think this cleared things up at all - just saying.) I'm going to give "Alternative Facts" a whirl in this blog today. I'm so excited I bought enough Knit Picks Sport to knit three sweaters. The baby sweater pattern was great, no errors in the book I bought. The Teddy Bear looks ridiculous in the sweater. Can't wait to send this to my new Grand-niece. Pattern: Seed Stitch Cardigan by Nicole Reese Yarn: Knit Picks Brava Sport Colorway: Freesia Needle Size: US Size 7 ~"Alternative facts?" Call me old fashioned but, is that a euphemism for lying? I'm just asking.   Chicago Tribune~