Arne & Carlos Christmas KAL

 This is Day 1 of Arne & Carlos' Christmas Stocking SAL. The stocking starts with the toe, then will continue each day with 6 rows being released. This makes the stocking very accessible and easy to complete! Each day has a download. I really want to start, but my yarn isn't here yet. I'm hoping it arrives soon so that I can easily catch up.

I am looking forward to opening my Advent Calendars. I'm trying to ignore the boxes and haven't even peaked. That's quite unusual for me. Lately, though, I've been working on my WIPs and trying to keep busy so I don't bother with the boxes until it's time. Out of sight, out of mind, right? 

Another thing I have been wanting to do (and I'm really terrible at) is general crafting. Painting, clay, wood, etc. I have been looking around a bit, to find something I can work on. I have to search the net for some free patterns. Hopefully, I can find some cute things to make. I really don't understand the desire to do general crafts but it seems to get stronger every day. 

My kitty must have some desire to work on some yarn crafts, too. I had a nice and quite new skein of Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool that I had set aside in what I thought was a safe place. Notice the word "thought". Yup, my kitty decided that the skein was nice and tasty and left me with a skein that now looks like this:

I love my cat. I love my cat...

My daughter just got back from Japan. She said it is a gorgeous place to visit and the people are so nice. She said that is one country she definitely wants to go back to. I most definitely understand that want. 

A Little Over 2 Months Left!

 Can you believe that the year is almost done? Where did the time go?!! It seems like I just hung my 2026 calendar up with so many hopes and dreams of a new year. Things were accomplished, but health issues have stomped on some of them. I've had to learn how to cast on, how to hold the needles correctly and knit again, and/ following written directions had become a challenge. I know - one step at a time.

I was test knitting for one of my favorite designers, but her directions are written and they became gibberish. No matter how many times I tried, I couldn't understand them. It wasn't her fault, as other testers were producing the item with no problem. It was me. That incident plus a few other weird things took me to the doctor's office and resulted in more tests including another MRI. It looks like losing brain cells will be a fact of life for me. Another fun challenge! And no more testing - sigh.

Halloween Bonanza
Hobbii yarn

I am back to making plain vanilla socks and working on easy patterns that have videos to make sure I understand them correctly. It gets frustrating that I went from proofing and test knitting, back to learning some things again. 

My Hobbii knitting advent arrived. I've never gotten one from there before. It's called "Moments of Hygge" and was designed for the more intermediate knitter. Fingers crossed that I'll be able to do it by the time I open my first weed. I have been a good girl and haven't even opened the box. It starts at the end of next month when I get to see the contents and the patterns. I have put it up on the shelf and am trying to forget it's there. This morning, I got notice that my Missouri Quilt advent box (Jenny's Box) was shipped. I bought that as soon as it was available (which was at the beginning of the year sometime). This will be my first advent from there as well. Both are ones I've been wanting to try. Hobbii's projects look somewhat small, so I'm hoping that I can have each one finished before the next one comes out. Jenny's Box projects will probably be more involved, so they will be worked on after advent. I am so excited to explore these. Hubby got me the Jenny Box for this year's Christmas present from him and I can't wait! A gift a day for almost a month!!!

The leaves are changing color, the days are growing shorter and the nights are getting colder. Autumn is upon us and nature is getting ready for a long rest. Cozy season is here! Halloween is just a few days away and then the kick-off of the holiday season with the arrival of Thanksgiving. This year is just flying!

How Much Do I Really NEED?

 I had been "on the wagon" for a good bit of time when it came to not buying yarn. I love yarn but I think I became more a collector than a user. All the pretty colors and the hand-dyed ones were drop dead gorgeous. One thing I came to realize though, was that I would purchase a beautiful hand-dyed yarn online, but by the time it arrived, I was lacking the same enthusiasm that I had when I put it in my basket and hit the purchase button. What happened between the day I purchased it and the day it arrived? I really have no explanation, but that's when I decided to stop buying for awhile. I had not bought a single skein in over 2 years, but decided I would hop off the wagon and get a few solid skeins from Hobbii. With these, I could use them for anything I wanted to make. I find that the hand-dyed (although gorgeous) limited me on how they could be used.

Don't get me wrong. I think hand-dyed yarn is gorgeous, but many of the patterns I have cannot be used with them. It took me forever to realize that. The same with self-patterning commercial yarns. I see many older patterns on Ravelry that are nice but you cannot really see the patterns until they are knit in a plain color or something that is quite subtle. If you have noticed, many of those patterns have only a few projects made, and I assume it's from not being able to see the beauty of the how the pattern was designed - only the yarn patterning. If you look through the few projects, one will find that when made in solid colors or tonals, there's a difference, and the beauty of the pattern stands out.

It's funny how that all came to light while I was not buying any yarn. But the wildest thing is, it has spilled into other areas of my life as well. I look at things differently now. I'm no longer buying things, putting things away for someday or buying just because it's on sale. I don't stock up on many things now. Clothes last forever as long as I chose carefully. Gone are the days of buying cheap clothes that I bought on a whim. Same with practically everything else in my life. 

We do hit grocery sales and stock up when the price is good - but we don't overdo it. Same with other household needs. Only buy when the price is good and when we NEED it, not WANT it. 

It amazes me that by just stopping getting on item for a bit a time, that my whole perspective has changed. I has come at a good time, too, because of the economy. Prices keep continuing to go up, but not our paychecks. But what I think amazes me the most is all the stuff I don't buy any more! I look at things that I like and think, "Do I need it or do I just want it?" and almost all of the time, it doesn't come home with me. 

Yes - the Wagon was a GOOD thing!

Spring Fields Started & Some Plans

 

I could not believe my luck when I stumbled across a Secret Needle Night kit on ebay. It screamed to me to add it to my list of things I need to make. So much so that it hopped into my cart and was on its way even before I knew I had purchased it! This kit is probably 80% full coverage - which is not typical of the designs I've done from The Silver Needle SSN in the past. It's cute but called to me was the sheep farm. The barn, the sheep, the hills, the apple trees - everything I remember about my grandparents farm. Yes, they raised sheep, Suffolks to be exact, so I HAD to have this kit.

It arrived on the 18th and I had to start it ASAP. It was great timing, as I had just put my last stitches into Spring Sampler. I've been on a SSN kit kick this month. I'm having so much fun stitching them! I have filed them all in order, so I just reach in my box and pull the top one out - until this kit arrived, and it wasn't waiting its turn, but jumped the queue and ended up in my hoop. I'm currently working on the lighter green hill and I am really enjoying it - but I have had some trouble with the perle cotton tangling and knotting, I have to keep an eye on it while stitching to make sure I don't get knots and loops on the back. 

I am slowly making plans for next year. Some of my goals so far are to make a much more useable craft room. Right now, I swear I spend more time looking for things because I know I have them, but I cannot remember where I put them. Hubby laughs and says I must have found a good safe place to file/store them! Everything is in such disarray that I really need to make it much more useable. A nice neat sewing station would be awesome. I have so many projects I want to sew - project bags and other small things. I also want to take my FO's and make them into FFOs. Then there's the Current WIP, Older WIP and BAP lists I need to work on. I'm in the mood to get these done - well at least some of them done. I've got a WIP list for my knitting/crochet as well. 

One of the things I have been having issues with is the feeling that I'm not a "real" cross stitcher and am looked down upon because I love doing smalls. I've done large pieces in the past, most models for shops and designers, but lately smalls are giving me a lot of satisfaction stitching. I guess lately I've been comparing my stitching to those that have HUGE BAPs like HAED going - and not only one, but lots of them. Now in my 60's, I find myself drawn to Mill Hill, designs in magazines, as well as old pieces in my stash like The Sweetheart Tree and Just Nan. I enjoyed stitching Teresa Wentzler designs when I was younger, but now, not so much. My tastes for enjoyment have changed. I am leaning towards less backstitching, fractional stitches and huge, complicated designs for more relaxing, simple, smaller ones. I really have to stop comparing myself with others and just enjoy what I like. 

August Ends The Race

 August - A busy month with my daughter's birthday and the end of the race. August also was the month that I fell out of the shower and decided to get some issues taken care of. The last lap of the race started, and I was doing ok on my socks - then I found that I really couldn't wrap my head around the instructions for the final part of the foot. I ended up putting it aside, as I knew it had to be me when everyone else seemed to be finishing them. After a visit to the doctor, a ton of tests, etc., I was told I had had a couple of strokes. Sigh. I guess I'm getting older. They couldn't tell me when they happened, only that they did. 

My son bought a house last month and he's now in the process of fixing it up. He had an inspector check it before he purchased it, but there were a lot of things that weren't pointed out or maybe missed. That happens with anyone. I know it did with us. We helped him paint and a few other things that "old" people can still do. LOL

Finished items for this month -

The first finish for this month were the Candy Corn Socks. These are a plain vanilla sock pattern (my own) using the colorway Candy Corn from the Wheat State Wool Co. Etsy shop. These were finished on August 13, 2025.

These socks were iffy to me, as I wasn't exactly sure about using this yarn for them. These were made using the free pattern called Slip Stitch Lines by La Maison de Saba. I was told to keep going, as the beginning of a sock sometimes just doesn't do the yarn justice. You have to see it at least 50% done or a whole sock finished. That advice was spot on for me. I used Yarn Is Love By Lisa in the colorway Unicorn. Finished August 19, 2025.

Claire Slade of Verily Knits posted a preview knit that I actually had time for. The race ended and I had some free time with no real commitments or deadlines to meet. This is Mharvan and is available for sale of Ravelry. I really loved this pattern. I used Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool in 98 Natural. Finished August 22, 2025.

My last finish for the month was another pair of socks. This one is named Friends' Thanksgiving and is my own vanilla sock pattern. It uses the colorway More Turkey Mr. Chandler? This was a set that came with a bag, 100g. skein of main color and 2 - 20g. skeins of contrasting color. This colorway was from Ramblin' Needles on Etsy.

What Has Happened

 I was chugging along on my projects and life and found things weren't right. I was tired and had no energy, headaches, off-balanced just to name a few things. Life was piling up around me and I had no real want or need to do anything. Cooking, cleaning, laundry - everything was a chore and didn't always get done. It took falling out of the shower to figure out that I had to get something done about my current state. Blood tests, as well as all kinds of tests ended up showing that I had suffered a few strokes as well as had some vitamin deficiencies. Well, now there's a reason for everything that has been going on. After treatments and meds, I'm feeling much better. No more dizziness and balance is pretty much back to normal. I'm back to cooking and all the wonderful retired woman chores that demands to be done every day. 

During all this mess, my crafting life had kept me somewhat sane. Which is good. The garden came and even went with hubby fighting all the pests including a family of 4 woodchucks, we still got a nice haul of corn, peppers, kale, swiss chard, tomatoes and peppers. All the cabbage and other veggies not listed were eaten by the critters. Sigh. Even so, life is still good.

Our son bought his first house. He paid off his student loan, paid cash for his car and then started saving for a house. It took him years and tons of sacrifices, but he feels it was all worth it in the end - until he had to remove all the paint from the hardwood floors and all the things that still need done. He found that he's got a leaky sewer pipe that's letting methane in the house, so he's home until that all get's taken care of. He was doing quite well, focusing on house and work, then unfortunately got rear-ended and had his car totalled. Just when you think things are looking up. Things will balance out soon. It always does.

I am planning on posting what I had finished during the time I was away. Hopefully that will be soon. Until then.... I wish you all a great day.

It's Christmas

"Over the river and through the woods..."

Christmas has arrived and I still haven't figured out how it came so quickly. It seems like we just finished putting up the straggling vegetables from the garden, then blinked and it was Christmas. I guess I'm not the only one that says that, because everyone I've spoken to has had the same feeling. One of my dear friends said two days ago that she still doesn't have all her shopping and preparations done. That's so unlike her!

We have decided that since we are all adults in our family, that we wouldn't exchange gifts. I know for a fact that no one has kept to that decision. We will get together and exchange things after dinner. The menu has a huge beef roast, mashed potatoes, gravy, carrots, stuffing and cranberry sauce. I didn't make any pies this year as we have so many other things to eat. Maybe for New Years Day.

I am looking forward to the posting on WIPGO today. This is my first time participating and I'm looking to see what will be chosen for the first 2 WIPs. 

Wishing everyone a great day today!
 

Christmas Eve

 

We have snow today!

Happy Christmas Eve to everyone that celebrates Christmas. I have nothing needlework related to report as I didn't pick up and put any time into anything yesterday. Instead, my son persuaded me to brave the crowds and go to town with him. He took me to the Eastern European Market to get some of the traditional foods that my grandmother used to make and serve each Christmas. It's always a way to spur  so many happy memories but at the same time, a sense of longing for those days gone by. 

We left the European market, did some regular shopping, visited a few friends and then he took me out to dinner. He sure knows how to show me a good time. Our son is a treasure that I'm so very blessed with. I couldn't ask for a better one.

Wishing you all a great day today!

Plans and WIPGO 2025

 

It's been a long while since my last post. Life quite got in the way with starting seedlings and planning a garden to working the garden and weeding and weeding and weeding. I'd like to say that all that work panned out well, but it didn't. The lack of rain, the bugs, birds, squirrels and chipmunks, deer and the dang ground hog left very little to harvest. This has probably been the worst year for getting much out of the garden. It seemed like I worked to feed the wildlife. 

Then there was the saga of the missing bell peppers - a mystery for sure. I was out the day before and there were quite a few that were nice and big and ready to be picked. I didn't want to get them then, since I thought the freshest bells would be the best for making stuffed peppers the next day. Well, I got everything around for making them, went out to the garden to pick them and they were ALL GONE! I mean ALL of them!!! I posted to my local homestead list and everyone there insisted it had to be human that would have stripped the plants like that. I don't know - but it is strange.

Our daughter came to visit for 8 days and went home on the 4th of July. It was so nice to see her, as we haven't seen her for 3 years. Way too long, but it's life. The visit was too short and we traveled around the state with her so that she could do something new and fun. She had a list of things she wanted to see. Unfortunately we didn't have enough time. Next time...

We also added a new addition to the family. A sweet 4 week old kitten appeared on our back patio with 2 siblings. No idea where they came from, but we couldn't catch them. That night, one was killed and the next, the other disappeared. We finally caught the last one and she's been with us ever since. She's a sweetheart. The vet gave her the age of 4 weeks when we took her in the same day we caught her. She was definitely small and needed bottle fed. She had blue eyes when we caught her, but they changed the next day. The vet was surprised to find she had no parasites, fleas or ear mites, leading him to believe someone dropped them off. Sad. She weighed just under a pound then. Now, she's 7 months old and a ball of energy!

Not much was done over the year for cross stitch or knitting. I was so busy with that stuff and trying to put up small batches of what we did get out of the garden, that I had no real time to do anything else. Ah well, there's always next year.

Speaking of next year, I've decided to join WIPocalypse and WIPGO next year and focus on my oldest started projects. I actually have one back from the 90's that really needs worked on. So many old ones that I loved at one time and have decided to either finish them or pull them from my pile. I'll be posting more about that in the near future.

Merry Christmas!

I can't believe Christmas has already arrived. It's been a long year full of heartbreaking news of a loved one with terminal cancer and the near loss of my hubby. With all this going on, it seems that Christmas has snuck up on me - even though I've been trying to prepare for it.

To be honest, my heart's not in it. Gift purchasing seemed like more of a chore than anything. I had a hard time with Christmas carols this year because I could see and hear my Mom singing and dancing around the kitchen as she was helping us decorate cookies. It made me miss her so much. Quite a surprise, as she's been gone for 28-1/2 years. I don't know why it hit so hard now.

My daughter lives on the other coast so we don't get to celebrate with her. My son arranged for a family Zoom where we will all be opening our presents together. I miss her as well, but have settled in with the idea that she won't be coming home. She loves it where she is. Sadly, we haven't seen her in person in more than two years. We had plans of visiting her his past summer, but plans changed drastically with hubby's emergency surgery. He's still on the road to recovery, so we'll play it by ear.

I wish you a happy and healthy Christmas. May it be full of family, friends, love and good food. (hey - nothing better than a good home cooked Christmas dinner!)

Disappointed with Ravelry

On June 23rd, I logged in to my Ravelry account and as usual, looked at the Ravelry main page to see what amazing patterns or designers were being featured. Instead, there was a posting saying that they would no longer allow support of our President and his administration. Those that supported them would be banned. Instead of a NO POLITICS, there was a NO TRUMP policy. Why? Because according to those that run Ravelry, those that support President Trump and his administration were white supremacists! Then, they stressed the importance of inclusiveness and how everyone should be included. My chin hit the floor.

If I voted for Trump or if I'm a Conservative is no one's business but mine. I have never posted anything political, racist or anything offensive about anyone. I went to Ravelry to gather with like minded fiber artists for education and encouragement - and that sharing ran both ways. I have been on the receiving end of help as well as giving it. Unfortunately, that feeling has gone by the wayside. I am no longer comfortable in what is called an inclusive environment when it is obviously not.

People became labeled as white supremacists because they didn't believe what those that ran Ravelry does. Tell me how this is any different than the bully on the playground telling you that you had to do whatever he said or think the way he thought, or you'd pay one way or another? I remember being a child that befriended someone that my friends didn't like. They told me I had to stop being friends with that girl or they'd stop being my friend. I thought it was absurd and didn't follow their rules. I was mocked, kicked, punched, shoved, etc. every time they went past me to let me know that I was going against their "rules". Yes, we made up and became friends again, even though I never unfriended the girl they wanted me to, but there was a level of distrust from then on. I always wondered what I'd do to make them angry again. Tell me how Ravelry's new policy is any different?

When we allow labels to be put on groups, then we notice a difference and hatred gets a foothold. Don't believe it? Watch a group of young children play together. They don't notice race, religion, IQ scores, or anything like that, until it is pointed out to them. They do see differences, but accepted it like hair and eye color. Discrimination and hatred is learned as soon as it is labeled.

Tell me, why can't we all just be a group of people who love the Fiber Arts? Why does politics, religion and sex have to be allowed when it should be excluded - they are hot topics and have no real place in a group that many of us use to escape from our daily lives. It WAS a safe haven for me. Obviously, it is no longer.