With a Little Help From My Friends

Ahh, at last a moment to sit and do some blogging! Seems like life loves to throw curves just when I think I will have a moment to blog. Finally a chance!

First things first... I want to thank my computer graphics guru friend DottieB for my new Knitted Zebra blog button. I am placing it in a sidebar so it will be visible on the front page all of the time. Thanks, DottieB!

I love that sense of accomplishment when you finish something. That definitely holds true with knitting, so it seems about time I showed you a completed project. My first project was a simple scarf: knit and purl, alternating between the two. This scarf gave me the opportunity to practice my technique. I definitely improved as I went along. Having the variegated colors kept me going because I wanted to see how it all ended. This is the scarf in it's almost completed phase.

When I got to the end of the skein, I was going to add fringe. Susan {my Knitting mentor and Knitter with a capital K} suggested I enhance the scarf with a crocheted edge. Now if you thought I chuckled when I decided I was going to knit, you can only imagine the chuckling about me crocheting! I told Rori, Crocheter extraordinaire, that she would never believe what I was going to ask her. After she got over the shock, she graciously agreed to teach me. Our letterboxing, postcrossing, knitting and crocheting friend from Nashville Barbara introduced me to a great group of knitters and crocheters in Broken Arrow when she was here on business recently. I told Rori that Barbara would never believe I wanted to crochet! Rori had her work cut out for her because I injured my index finger years ago and I just cannot hold my finger up in the air indefinitely to keep the correct tension. I told Rori she would have to teach me to do the edge of my scarf so that I did not have to hold my finger up. I'm sure Rori was thrilled (ha!), but she acquiesced and graciously taught me. Thanks, Rori!

My friend Kat, Knitter extraordinaire, sent me tutorials to study before my first blocking attempt. The tutorials were very thorough and I felt confident I was doing it correctly.

Additionally I was able to study the pictures of some blocking Kat showed on her blog Creative Popoffs. Thanks Kat!

{Updated note:  I am replacing the photo of the scarf so you can concentrate on the beautiful Noro colors.} It was fun to watch the various colors emerge on my size 8 Addi Turbo needles.

Variegated color: Noro Silk Garden Lite
{45% Silk, 45% Kid Mohair and 10% Lamb'’s Wool}

Solid color: Noro Cash Iroha
{40% Silk, 30% Lamb's Wool, 20% Cashmere and 10%Nylon}

With a little help from my friends...
Carpe knitting,
KZ

Missing a Me!!
{A tribute to a special fur kid!}

When our son was younger, we would often go on family outings. On our way home, DH {Dear Hubby ~ pictured above with our special girl} would call out "All who had a great time say 'Me!' " We would all shout out "Me!" Occasionally DS {Dear Son} would jokingly wait a moment to say "Me!" and DH would respond, "We are missing a Me!" Then we would hear that awaited "Me!" from DS. As time went on and DS went away to college, DH and I would often say "I'm missing a Me!" when we went somewhere we thought DS would have enjoyed. Recently one of our fur kids went to Rainbow Bridge. If you have ever had a special fur kid and lost them, you know of the emotions you experience when that special loved one passes on.

Precious, our Lhasa Apso, loved her family and wanted to be a part of everything. If someone closed a door in front of her, she would hit the door and spin around. When someone left the house, she went to the door to tell them "Farewell," hitting the door and spinning around after the door closed. When they returned, she was right there to say "Welcome home!" Precious was always with me when I worked around the house, made stamped greeting cards, beaded or knitted. She was my "shadow" who followed me to the garage to make sure I was safe while I put the clothes in the washer or dryer.

No matter what Precious was doing, she was always willing to take time out of her busy schedule to play. "Play" was her middle name. She could entertain herself with an empty water jug or play with her "niece" and "nephew" who are staying with us while their "parents" work on their undergraduate degrees or her adopted big Sis. Here she was having fun running in the snow {Winter, 2006} with her niece, Gabi.

A few days ago when I came home from work, I noticed Precious did not come to meet me. I immediately went in search of her. To my dismay, I discovered she had passed away in her sleep. She had gone into the bathroom and stretched out on the cool tile floor. She looked so peaceful, so I know she was not experiencing pain at the time of her passing. In the days since then, I have thought of all the fun times we had together and I celebrate her life.

We cherish every moment we had with her!

Precious, we are missing a Me big time!!

Flat Stanley visits Oklahoma

We have had the pleasure of hosting my nephew Trevor's Flat Stanley for 2 weeks. What a fun time we have had together! The Flat Stanley concept was developed from a book by Jeff Brown, Flat Stanley. Mr. Brown's Flat Stanley was smashed by a bulletin board that fell on him. His family was dismayed but soon learned being flat could have it's advantages. Flat Stanley no longer needed a plane ticket to visit relatives and friends. He could now travel in an envelope. Thus began his adventures determined by those who host him.

Shortly after Flat Stanley {FS} arrived, we went to visit Margaret at Hummingbird Hill Farms {Sapulpa, Oklahoma}. What a great time we all had there! Margaret gave me a spinning lesson and I was able to try my hand at three different types of spinning wheels, including a Schacht Matchless wheel and the Schacht-Reeves Saxony wheel shown below with FS.
{Hopefully I have correctly remembered the names of the spinning wheels.} I was so impressed with the quality of these wheels!

When we took a break from spinning, we went outside to meet the Alpaca and other animals. Here is FS with Margaret and Juerga:


I have been intrigued with dying wool (roving and spun wool), so
Margaret gave me a lesson using Jacquard dye. The roving on the right was color set in a microwave. When I got home, I spun the water out of the roving in my washing machine and hung them up to complete the drying.

The fun didn't stop there! We saw a baby Boers goat, along with sheep and other goats, plus the farm dogs and cat.
"Ewe" are right, FS! We had a great time!!

The next weekend FS and I went to a Renaissance Fair in Tulsa where we met a lot of people in medieval costumes. I did not have a chance to ask permission to post their pictures on the internet, so I will not be able to show any here. Each person was gracious to allow their picture taken with Flat Stanley so Trevor could add them to FS' photo album.

While we were at the Renaissance Fair, FS got to meet Jane of Angora Jane's Fibers. He was tickled to once again see his new friends, Margaret and Vince from Hummingbird Hill Farms.

For any spinners who might be reading this, I leave you with a "never die" joke I saw on the internet:

"Old spinners never die, they just whorl away."

{To get a closer look at any photo in this blog,
click on the image and a larger version will come up.}

Carpe knitting,
KZ