RADical!

Dahlia Field

Orchid
Green Man
Up late baking some yummy autumnal goodness so I thought I'd quickly post about our day. The Wee One and I went to Phipp's Conservatory for FREE!!! That's right, for FREE.

We had a great time and I wanted to let everyone in the Pittsburgh area know how many great things are scheduled to take place and they are all free! Go HERE for the calendar and information on the RAD program. One of the best things about living here, at least in my humble oppinion, is all of the great cultural, artistic and historic opportunities we have within our reach (oh, and also the Penguins and Steelers of course). This is a way to check out some really great things--the Carnegie museums, the National Aviary, Pittsburgh Filmmakers screenings, dance troupes, opera, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Andy Warhol Museum, to name just a few offerings. These totally free events run through October 24th so there is probably an event and date that would work for anyone. I'll see you out there in the city!!

Out of the Woods...

We are fresh back from camping in our favorite place for Nature Boy's Annual Birthday Camptacular. What fun we had! A full orange giant harvest moon. A roaring campfire with vegan s'mores. A tiny Wee camper who roamed the camp site and even hiked a bit in the forest on his own two little legs.

I will now reveal, with much fanfare, the Worthy Cause my Compassionate Craft Week efforts will be going to....

Pathways to Spirit's One Heart One Mind Program! You can read about this project HERE.

I had originally looked at a local domestic violence shelter for my Worthy Cause but upon reading their information online, it appears they really prefer new clothing items and I was not sure how happy a woman or child would be to receive a handmade sweater, nor did I feel I could finish one quickly. I decided maybe I should look at other programs but still felt strongly I wanted to do something to somehow empower women.

I scoured the net looking for projects and One Heart One Mind just called to me. I used to live in Colorado and this program operates from there. I feel these young girls who live on a reservation need to know that someone cares and feels sorry for what our ancestors did to their ancestors. I emailed Pathways to Spirit about my interest and got a response right away, letting me know they appreciate any items for the mothers and children but they really are in need of items for the newborns. They thanked me for my interest and also said I could feel free to spread the word about this program, so I'm giving them a bit of a plug here.

I'm really excited to plan out my little projects and see how many of them I can accomplish in a week! Friday, October 1st is the official start date so I will post here and on Ravelry to update on my progress. Wish me luck!

Is anyone out there participating in Compassionate Craft Week? What items have you made for charity in the past? What groups have you made things for?

Merry Belated

I had been planning to wish everyone a Merry Mabon on Thursday, however, a quick moving storm came to Knitsburgh Wednesday afternoon and knocked out our power. We did get the power back yesterday but we had much to do to get caught up on our chores.

It was kind of nice to have no power for a bit...just some hurricane lamps and candles and a radio. I will say I did miss it soon though, especially my clothes washer!

Hope everyone is enjoying the start of autumn and has a fantastic weekend!

PS--I am now quite sure on my Compassionate Craft Week cause--will update you next week!

To Catch You Up

Wow, it's been a crazy few weeks! Where do I start?





Here! We went to our old stomping ground and had such a great time. Wee One met the ocean and seemed quite excited to be doing so. He played in the sand, swam in the ocean and splashed in the surf. He picked up shells and enjoyed finding sea water inside upside down clam shells. A yellow bucket and gray shovel were sadly lost at sea; we only hope wherever they washed up, they were found and used by another. I connected with some old friends too although it was brief (hi Felicia, hope you are enjoying lunch today!). We really do miss it there!

We also announced to family and friends another Wee One is going to be making his or her way to Knitsburgh. We are quite excited but at times I find myself tired and nauseous so I've been trying to rest more than usual.

The above two statements might explain why I have not been the most regular blogger of late. Secrecy (I didn't want to lead every burglar to the Estate door by blabbing how I was going out of town or posting while I was away, nor did I want to blow our cover until we told the fam about our new Wee) certainly played a role as well. I admit, I also have had little to no interest in knitting or crafting but I am hopeful once the nausea departs, I will be back to my usual crafty self.

So I leave you much where you had known me to be; in the midst of a damn near unending Every Way Wrap. There is only one way I want it and that is finished. I've been reading like some mad woman too and that definitely cuts into the knit. Three historical fiction novels by Sally Gunning (in reverse order of course, how like me...)and a fiction novel on Charlotte Bronte's life. We visited the library today and now I have three more books to divert my attention. At least I knit a bit on the wrap last night.

I do hope to get a fire under me soon as Compassionate Craft Week is coming up. I need to get my final project idea down (I have some vague thoughts on this already but need to shore them up a bit). I will try and keep you posted on this and hey, it you are crafting for this week too, I'll see you on Ravelry!

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...