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)!

Wrapped!

I made an Origami Wrap last week-

Really my speed as far as sewing-three seams, no finishing. How 'bout that?!?! To be honest though, the folding was difficult to figure out. It seemed to me it helped to look more at the schematic than the written directions, which for some reason threw me off. Nature Boy lended support and without his eyes and opinions it may not have happened. If you try and make one and get stuck, get in touch with me and I'll walk you through it.

I used the knit fabric I bought and was using as a Wee One wrap, back in the day when he was itty bitty and liked to be held. Now he's heavy and very very wriggly!!!

The Origami only took up half the fabric (and one baby wrap). I still have a second piece but I'm not sure what to make with it. Maybe a skirt? Maybe another wrap? The folks I have in mind for a wrap don't love this color green like I do, so I'm thinking I'll need to get some fabric in another color for gifts.

The Every Way Wrap is coming along. I only knit three rows whilst camping. Pathetic, huh? Hopefully I can kick it into high gear and finish it up. Then I'll be able to wrap myself in wraps upon wraps, every day a new wrap. What's up with me and wraps?!?!

Proof!

We had a visitor! Tracks down the driveway

Closeup of footprints

He or she must have came by while we were sleeping. If you are reading this City Deer, you can come upon the grounds to see us anytime you like but we would love to see you and hope you will visit us before our bedtime. We also have some questions:

1. What were you doing, running down the driveway?
2. Where do you sleep, in this city?
3. Why are your footprints so very cute?

There has also been some slow progress on the Every Way Wrap. After getting this far with one ball of yarn, it's safe to say I will most likely require...wait for it...more yarn. Of course, as that is my way. Wish me luck trying to find more in the same dye lot! The moss stitch and cabling were just begun this week as I was perched on the couch watching The Hills and The City. I know, very educational. Hey, we've been watching America: The Story of Us on the History Channel on Sundays so I think it cancels it out and my brain cells stay the same in the end.

Mother's Day was fabulous indeed, Kay seemed to like all her presents and even wore her flower corsage out to dinner. Dinner was delicious, time with family was priceless. Oh and I didn't even tell you what Nature Boy did! He gave me a rather substantial gift certificate to a local spa that is VEGAN! I have never had a pedicure or massage in my life so I think I will go for those treats. It's hard to pick, but I figure with all the cleaning and diapering a manicure would not last two seconds and a facial wouldn't have the restorative healthy power I envision a massage would.

One last thing. Who has a neighbor that steals a yucca plant then pretends he found it lying in the alley? Even after you tell him you just walked through the alley 30 minutes before and it was not lying in the middle of the alley? Granted we put it behind our garage on the side of the alley but come on, lots of our neighbors put little shrubs and flowers on the side of the road and no one decides they are free to take. I swear, I might go and get that massage today. It is happily back where it should be and I told him if he needs something to just ask first. If he really needed a yucca he could so have it but he was gathering up materials to put through his wood chipper so I think that's where he intended it to go. Maybe that's his hobby, chipping?