Real wins!

I can't believe it's the end of August already! It's been a while since my last post; I'm fine, just enjoying real life as opposed to virtual life, I guess. Real life has been healing and surprising and exciting and out-of-doors and tasty. I wish I could say more here; maybe in time.

I will say a little bit on the virtual slice. A while back I started detailing all sorts of crafty pursuits and putting them on a "link party" site which I think overloaded me. I would check out all these brilliant things others were making and then look at my stuff and feel it wasn't as cute or cool or useful or unique. It seemed lots of people from this site would come to look at what I made but the only people who ever left comments were those I had already left comments for. Maybe I don't get it but for me, I would like someone to comment if they think something is truly lovely, not because they figure they owe it to me. I commented on those projects I thought were amazing or unique or green in nature, not because I wanted these folks to come and leave a comment on my blog. I had started linking to this site thinking I would connect with more like-minded souls out there and came away with a bad taste in my mouth.

I think for me I need to stay on my former path and if that means I don't connect with many other people, so be it. I need to get back to craftiness with regularity. I need to enjoy my own process and results and not compare them to one hundred other people who might just have more time, more financial freedom, more innate color coordination than I possess.

I may still connect to the Upcycled Awesome site when I have a project that fits in with this ideal. Plus I like to see what Upcycled Awesomeness I can be further inspired by.

I do want to get back in the saddle and catch up on all the blogs I read but it may take me some time.

Now to catch you up on my knitting!!!
1. I went to the fabulous Blooming Yarns, scored three skeins of Debbie Bliss Eco Cotton in Pumpkin, Dye Lot 7071, and have enough to finish my wrap. I also walked out with 7 skeins of Blue Sky Organic Skinny Dyed Cotton in two colorways (3 of one, 4 of another) which was also on sale at 30% off. The shop personnel as well as the customers were very friendly and welcoming (it may have helped my cause to have Wee One there as well, who was greeted with great cheer) and even invited me to an evening knitting group. Which due to Life I will not be able to attend for some time, but Life is the best reason, I suppose.




2. I am knitting the wrap again! Not with high velocity, or even total accuracy as I have had to rip back a few times and drop some stitches to re-cable them correctly. I am however making steady progress and yesterday I reached the official half-way mark! I must update her Ravelry status...

3. I know what I will knit next and I will be using yarn already in the stash as well as a pattern I already possess.

I think this says enough for today; now off to catch up on some blogs before Life calls (er, Wee One awakens)!

Complaining and Compassion; Does One Make Up for the Other?

Why do I do this to myself?

Of course, my knitting is going at a snail's pace so this isn't a huge deal quite yet, but I will need another two, if not three to be super-safe, balls of Debbie Bliss Eco Cotton in Pumpkin, dye lot 7071. I bought the eight balls I have at The Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival, of all places as part of a kit and decided to try a different pattern (this one HERE) instead of a boring all-stockinette wrap pattern included with the yarn. I really liked the color and vegan/enviro friendly yarn and it was difficult at best to find any non-animal, much less green, fiber there. No, don't think I will waste my time and money there this year...

So here I am, trying tonight to sit down and find more yarn in this dye lot. No online stores seem to list dye lots; I can't be the only one out there who has not purchased enough yarn for something before, right? Does anyone know how I would go about finding this yarn? I did try Ravelry already and would prefer not to call every shop I find to ask about the dye lot. I will however do this if necessary.

Enough complaining about my silly knitting troubles. Wanted to mention a sweet idea here and also **gulp** publically commit myself to this project.

The idea is from Christabel and you can read about it RIGHT HERE. The first week of October will be Compassionate Craft Week 2010. I'm thinking most of you who look at this blog might already know of it and might be thinking of doing it anyway. If anyone out there knows of someone who might be crafty, please pass the word along. Thanks for your help (and compassion)!

Resting Per Decree?

It's been a while; what has Ms. Knitsburgh been up to, you ask?





First, there was a large batch (37!!!) of pierogies!

Magnets, to be exact here. Both Nature Boy and Kay also assisted with some of the eyes and mouths.

The pierogies were part of a gift bag Nature Boy and I put together for the participants of the the First Annual Anything that Floats Boat Race, held during Old Home Day in Lopez, PA. Of course, this meant three boats had to be built, one for Nature Boy, one for me and one for Wee One.



Nature Boy made all three and I sewed a sail for my catamaran. Which by the way came in first place for the High Stakes Boat Race winning me $18! It was really a fun weekend and we had a great time.

I also made nine bibs for Wee One for a total of 12 reversible flannel bibs that do not stain or come off.

I'm trying to get things back to the usual but something out there is working against me here; maybe the universe is telling me to rest up? We have no water today so no laundry or cleaning will be done. Maybe tomorrow we will be back in the saddle again...