Friday, September 30, 2011

the "blocks your uncle" is done


as a few of you asked
I made it this morning
it took all of
a few minutes
wish so many other things did

Annie...you should be able to do this easily!!!!!
the pattern is up on the top of the home page






today I'm sending you off to more than one place
I missed a few
weeks back there somewhere
so let's play catchup
by just going hither and yon through my list

here's 'Nilla...she lives in Sweden and she loves to knit and crochet and do things with her children
I wish I could remember how I found her or maybe she found me!!!
...but I'm so glad I did.  Now if we ever need a recipe or pattern translated...we have an expert because I don't know if you have ever tried to read a translated Swedish Pattern.... oh boy what a laugh...
Google needs to hire some Swedes!!!


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
that's my favourite saying!!!

Elaine is an artist
a true artist
she knits up a vision
and I drool
she dyes her own wool and does all sorts of other artsy things

wow I should become a reviewer!!!!

Her blog is full of all that she has created
and her colours
make me swoon
so before I pass out completely
I have linked you to a page that has one of Elaine's creations
 that when I see it
makes me put my chin in my hands and just
follow the circles

make sure you go to the home page too
to see all her other lovelies


OK one more
Tammy
who  lives in the land of sand
I visit her nearly everyday
she is always busy doing something
 and
she gets to travel with her husband and sons
and takes us with her
so to speak
they just came back from
Paris...
France!!!!
she is a sweet heart
always positive always a bright outlook
even when the dust blows in and covers everything

she has a cat too


who lives the life of Riley
she sits and watches the birds outside
or sits in the flower pots on the balcony when it isn't too hot
the cat
not Tammy
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


my brain isn't working very well today
so this doesn't do their blogs justice

I'll do some more next week
and you'll see how many wonderful places I go
I know you do too
coz I found some of mine on yours
!!!!!!

see you later

:)






Thursday, September 29, 2011

yes...



..... we've discussed this before
but
I still can't get over people wanting to charge
to show how to do a stitch
be creative and design something different
with all the stitches there are
come up with something that isn't out there
and we'll gladly
pay you
but don't ask for
$5/?
for a granny square
or how to do a
double crochet stitch
geese
what a cheek
!!!

it makes me want to throw up a tut
just to get over it!!!!!




the "crocodile" stitch has made a
re-appearance
it's popping up everywhere again
it was spotted last year on
Flickr
and
a couple of us went to work
and after a few hours we'd cracked the code so to speak
then the lady who had posted the photo that started the kerfuffle
I think
gave us a site to go to
but Daniella and I had already done our own versions
but it's good to watch someone else and you learn to count in
Portuguese

While I was talking to my basket wearing friendthe other day
she requested a new hat
for winter
so I went a lookin' this morning
didn't like any
never do
and I don't want to make her the same thing again
even though it would be OK if I did
but I don't want to
I found a picture from one of those books
you know
 the ones we can't
 read them but we love the pictures
(eyebrows raised up and down)
and we work the charts
hm mmm???
well I saw the sweetest hat made with blocks
so
I
sat
stared
magnified until it pixelated
and
picked up some yarn
a hook
and




blocks your uncle

(groan if you want)

nothing difficult or terrifically terrific
but it works up really fast
and I think I may make a go with these
I'll make a tut if you need to make them too

looking at it it isn't very clear in this colour
sorry
I'll do another colour and put it up on flickr
if it's better

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

things around here are getting to be the way they'll be, I suppose
I haven't cried for about two days
I think we are rid of all the reminders
and that can consist of little dust bunnies in the corners
I will forever miss her
but I know she's gone now
and please know how much I have appreciated all your little kindnesses

yes, I've said this before
but I will never stop saying it
I have the best friends and readers
in all of blogdom and real life
thank you all

:)

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

the herringbone stitch...



I just wanted to tell you
those of you who have made comments
that you don't need
gigantic needles to make the herringbone stitch

I used those needles because of the yarn
it's thick and hairy and it gets tangled up with smaller needles
!!!!!

so use smaller ones and thinner yarn
and you'll see how lovely it is





I also came across another way of doing the stitch
which is a little whole lot more cumbersome
this one is as easy as it gets

knit 1 slip a stitch yo psso
then
purl 2tog don't remove stitches and purl into first one again and remove

the end
promise
you know me
I don't do complicated
I still can't make the
Queen Annes Lace
scarf


...............................................................

yes it is!!!!!!!





Saturday, September 24, 2011

bad memory...




I tried to remember a pattern
I found some time ago for a very simple lace stitch
can't find it so I tried to do what I remembered
didn't work



and I ended up with this
almost like the
knot stitch
but not quite!!!!


the light is once again really bad so the colour of the yarn is not correct
think
berry
purpley watermelony
really pretty
believe me
!!!!
there's a very short and to the point tut on the top of the page
 just in case you can't remember the stitch
!!!!!



and then we have the


herringbone stitch



on steroids




and the popcorn flowers
are
too


the yarn is chunky funky mohair

I'm still working on the doily
got eight more rows to go
I have to do it in short spans of time
the hook is really small and the pattern repetitive
doilies are like that!!!!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Yeah Ruth....







it isn't Friday
but we're going on a visit anyway
we're going to England
to see
she has something new to show
and I think we'll all be visiting often
it's so exciting when someone tries something new
so let's all wish her
well
and
good luck
tell her I said Hi!!!




found on Pinterest
I couldn't help myself

but I will return soon
in the mean time
take care
be good
and if you can't be good
be excellent
!!!!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

my prize


even in the depths of  sadness  right now
we musn't ignore or miss the




good things that happen
I received my prize from the giveaway on Lisa's blog
Lisa is the most amazing artist
her art is with
felting
her blog is called


and it's in the big woods up north
and out of those woods come
art and knowledge and whimsy
and a huge talent and imagination that mustn't be missed

I know it isn't
Friday
but for those of you who haven't ventured up to the
big north woods yet
today is a really good day to go
there you will find
a little pixie
a little wood elf
dressed in her finest
vest
that her mummy made her
just wait till you see her
!!!!!


now you have to understand that this is all made by Lisa
she felts the wool
makes  the dye herself
in this case from actual mushrooms she finds in her woods
she dyes the wool
 and the thread that she embroiders with
she cuts the little wood chunks
the woman does it all
 and she has a family too
four little wood chucks and a hubby
I tell her she has magic fingers
well
because
she does


she of course didn't know when this would arrive
but it arrived at a good time
because it made me smile
and will continue to do so

thank you all for your kind words
it's going to take a long time for this to stop hurting so much
I'll try really hard to be up and positive in my posts
I didn't talk about it before because I didn't want it all to be a downer coming here
I know I have posted some negative things lately
but that's life and the way a blog works
I guess
if it's real
so we'll go on with the stitches and sillyness
and we'll smile when we can
and be greateful for
little mushrooms that find their way to us
and kind readers

:)





(and to that person who doesn't understand how one can be so sad over the loss of a pet
...get a heart)





Monday, September 19, 2011

farewell little one



the sooner I write this
 the sooner it will sink in
that today
there are just
two of us in the house
this morning we had to call the vet to come
and now we are two





she lived with us for 17 years
almost as long as the boys
and she  took their place when they both left
she kept me company when the husband was still working
and he adored her just as much as I
he is the one who found the strength this morning to call
and he is the one who oh so gently wrapped her in a big fluffy yellow towel
that he insisted I give him
even though he's had pain in his feet recently
he managed to make a place for her outside
and he bid her farewell
as he covered her up
it already feels so strange with out her
and it's going to take a long time to get over this

bye bye baby girl
we loved you so much
and we are so sad to have to let you go

Saturday, September 17, 2011

'nother toot....


I made a tutorial for the
cross stitch
stitch
for those of you who asked
it's up on the top of the page
I will now have to figure out how to combine a few patterns so I have room to put more tuts
help?
 :o


I ended up on a page the other day where they were discussing what this stitch was
no one seemed to know
so I thought it might be nice to share it
I did say on the page what it was
don't know if anyone paid attention
!!!!!!!!!


I have a feeling
I don't know for sure
but I think it's an old stitch
you know like
ancient
it would make very warm clothes
as it is almost double
I'm finishing something I made
using chunky mohair
and
 my biggest fattest clunkiest needles
and if all goes well
I'll post a little later
I'm also working on the doily
from a size 8 hook
'coz I can't find my 7 anywhere
to
size 19/15.0mm
knitting needles
well it's good flex exercise for the hands


:)


PS
Andi.. you can have the yarn, if I can have Don......(even though I think the guy might actually be a dud)
xxxxx

Friday, September 16, 2011

that day again...


the end of another week

I don't have much to say today
it's the first cool day of the season
you'd think it was snowing the way some are complaining about how
cold
it is
it isn't cold
it's refreshingly wonderful
if a bit cloudy and dark
but we're thinking positive here




I have four new balls for the
stash
no plans for it
just had to have it
I know the majority of you
understand that
you see it
you want it
you get it
the end


:)






the light is lousy so these are not
neon pink they are deep berry colours

I used the flash because not using the flash turned them
to mud!!!
:(


two are pima cotton and two are wool

yarn porn

:)



found this under a pile 
love love love this stitch
cross stitch
knitted


it's so textural
so squishy and squashy
yummmmm

if you want to know how
say and I'll act accordingly

:)

 now I know you think that I forgot about going
 to visit friends on friday
but I didn't
the last few fridays have stunk
so I didn't do it


but today all is well and wonderful
I'm in a good mood because the elephant has finally removed itself
 and hope you are all well too
 so today we are going to one of my very favourite people on the planet.....
 I adore this one....
if I had had a daughter....
well you know!!

  :) :) :)

this bit of lovliness is not mine
it belongs to
Andi
of
my sister's knitter



I met Andi on Flickr
I kept making smart comments on her photos
and she was always sweet about it
then I found her blog
and I was
smitten
don't remember how or when
  I just know I am so happy I did
I won't embarrass anyone here by going on about how sweet she is and how funny she is
or how talented she is and just how adorable and generous and big hearted.........

OK
:)

andi
has a lovely blog
she shows us what she's working on
 tells us about her day or her week
entertains us with videos
she finds
or music
 that gets stuck in your head for days
tempts us with food and drink
yum.... slurp.....
and she also sends us to wonderful places that she likes
so it's all good
lovely people going to lovely places and being sent on to more
lovliness'ss
hope you have a lovely time
all my lovlies
I better go now before I really annoy you!!!
have a good whatever it is where you are

:)
PS  Is anyone else getting big numbers in the stats??
Mine have jumped enormously
not complaining
just wondering if there is one of those web scanner thingymados happening
:)x

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

winning hoping helloing and hooking...



hello all
it's another day here in the
roomontheleft
who knows what it will be


I do know it has started out
really well
I won a giveaway
from one of my very very very favourite artists
I won't say who or what
until I get it
but I am one of those who can't keep the news a secret
and if you read her blog you will see who and what
but I won't say
for now

???????????????????????



I want to thank you for going to visit the
new blogger yesterday
I knew I had really special readers
and you showed it by hopping over and leaving her a message
you are all stars and I thank you

I guess now is a good time to welcome all the new followers too
who have been popping up over there on the right

I will get around to visiting you and getting to know you asap
welcome all to this little space
enjoy what you will and let us know who you are
it's always merrier with more

(I want to make this one sooooooooooo bad!!!)

and thanks for all the compliments on the
doily
I am actually enjoying the teeny tiny hook and thin thin yarn
it isn't as hard as I remembered
I made a ton of doilies years ago
when it was all the rage
and had one under everything I owned
I made them for friends and we glued them to things
and made bowls out of them with starch and sugar water
(which wasn't the smartest thing to do as it brought the ants and flies and wasps!!!!!)
we sewed them to our clothes
and now it seems
what goes around
comes around
again
but as is always the way
the doilies today are much prettier



(allertadele
do give it another try
there are so many free patterns on the net to choose from
and then you can use your new lens
to take us some pictures!!!!)

:)





or you can make those really really
horrendously ugly ones from the
30's  40's and 50's
with all the frills and froo froo



 I got two books with some really nice ones
I had added them to my wish list on Amazon that the husband keeps on his acct
so when he wants something to add to get free shipping on something he orders
he has something to choose from
(don't ask, that's the way we roll around here!!!!)
anyhoo I had forgotten  about them
of course....
 and he got both of them
and didn't say
so it was a nice surprise



I plan on making a few more
I need some pretty new cotton though
in all the lovely colours
that used to make me sick
but now make me happy
weird but true

hope you all have/had a great day

:)

all pictures from the two books!!!

Monday, September 12, 2011

from the fields of corn...to this patch of clay





sometimes things are just a
big black hole
you wonder why you even thought you could


whatever it is you want to do
or think you want to do
just remains out of your grasp
you try and try
but it just keeps slipping away




and then you  buckle down
put your whole..... um ...mind to it

and with the proper tools
and a little bit of help




you achieve what you want and it feels so good

now this could be about me making this
doily
that needs a teeny tiny hook and some thin cotton
that I haven't used for years
but it isn't



I got a call this morning
from a friend who
said she had tried and tried
but couldn't do it
and why should she
and what reason could there be to
who was she anyway
...................
after many many laughs
and pushing of buttons
 and
cursing the machines
we have a new
blogger among us
she is a friend of mine
the one who wears my baskets
on her head
she "made" a blog this morning
and I invite you to go and see her
it's new
it's still under construction
it's all strange and weird
but we remember that don't we
all those buttons to push
and pages to write
and photos to load
and and and
and now it's all second nature and we don't remember not knowing we could
and this time next week
if the printer ever stops printing
:) :) :) :)
a slight glitch occured
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
she won't remember not knowing how


and the big black hole

turns into
 a light at the end of a tunnel

or something like that!!!!!!!!

:) ): :) :) :) :) :) :)


welcome and enjoy
"KELLI"
kelli
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


























Sunday, September 11, 2011

nine eleven...


I found this on


she is known for finding wonderful meaningful quotes
I thought this was
appropriate
for today




The moment we choose to love
 we begin to move against domination,
 against oppression.
The moment we choose to love
we begin to move towards freedom,
 to act in ways that liberate ourselves and others.
That action is the testimony of love as the practice of freedom.
 Bell Hooks

Friday, September 9, 2011

the rain train...


kept on chugging last night
it was our turn to get swamped
to the north of us it came down
to the east of us it bucketed
to the south thunderstorms blew up and it all came over us
at one point or another




this was after I posted yesterday
it just got deeper and deeper


and foggier and foggier
a tree fell in the woods across the street at one point
will have to go and check it out
and yes it did make a sound even though no one saw it fall
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
they said if all this water had fallen on Texas it wouldn't have been much
more than  a 1/2"
they need more than that to solve their problem

they forecast more for us for two or three days
Katia may visit the UK in a few days
she
is going past us at this moment
out at sea with the fish





thank goodness the skylight isn't leaking!!!!
but it makes for pretty patterns on the glass




then this morning
 for a while
the sky turned a very strange
forgotten colour
it was

um...err...ooooo
yeah
blue



and the reflections on the lake were pretty enough for me
 to put my shoes on
go outside
 into the
heat and humidity
mosquito infested back garden
and
take this
there were two rather large turtles sitting on a log that made me think about going out
but
of course
as always
it never ends
they slid into the water the second they saw me
curse them



so I turned blue around and saw this fine thing
another huge magnolia seed pod
with moth attached
I think it's a moth
I wasn't going to disturb it and ask
yuk!



and you'd think that with all this rain we'd have some fine specimens of these
but noooo
not one fine one to been had
just this little fellow
all curled up and tucked in beneath his blankie
oh well
maybe later



and this wonderful thing is what the husband bought a while ago
a hummingbird feeder
that looks like a hot air balllloooonnnn
he saw it and had to have it
but I have to make the nectar and clean the thing
!


and because he is one of those who must have it all
a
little
up
side
down
brolly
filled with water
to keep the ants from
invading
 HUH!!!!

ummmm
I think the hummers have left already
too much
rain
maybe

:)