Melted Crayons Shawl

I have no problem with cathartic crying...no problem at all.  But in social situations, cathartic crying isn't really socially acceptable.  In that case, I present to you a project for cathartic knitting: The Melted Crayons Shawl.

I really have to admit that this pattern is nothing new.  In fact, there are only so many times that the wheel can be reinvented.  The difference in my pattern is that it includes a "Quick Shawl Primer" and a guideline pattern to make your very own dandy Melted Crayons Shawl.

You may have come to this site via L & B Yarn Co.  If that is the case, WELCOME!  If you have come to this site via any other way, WELCOME!  See, it really doesn't matter how you found me...I'm just glad ya did!

If you'd like to read a lovely review of this project, please check out L & B Yarn Co.'s website.

To get your very own copy of the pattern, either click on the "FREE PATTERNS" link at the top of the page or just click here.  It's that easy!

{be inspired}

Dearest Loveys,

Pardon my ridiculous neglect of my weekly Friday inspiration installment!  Silly me! 

I do hope it was worth the wait....

Meet Grant.  One of my oldest daughter's BFF's.  His face and expression completely hits the nail on the head when it came to how I felt about the last week.  Thanks, buddy!  The world would be a much more enjoyable place if everyone felt this way about yarn.

{remember that blah is ok}

Today's late post is brought to you today by the feeling:  blah.

I think these days of chill weather and these evenings of burning the midnight oil have caught up with me today.  And I feel like blah.

I've become a person who doesn't like to consult a physician with every ache and discomfort.  But instead, I believe in healing myself as much as I can.  Now don't get me wrong, I'm not going to pioneer through a 104 degree fever when I could see a doctor.  And I'm not going to live with chronic pain without consulting a physician either.  BUT, I will do everything in my power to make sure I don't get a 104 degree fever or have chronic pain. 

I am a believer in homeopathic remedies and mega doses of vitamins.  So today, I'm listening to my aching, tired body and taking it easy.  I've had more vitamin C taken in the form of Emergen C today, as well as D3, Omega 3, B12, Sovereign Silver, and Jarrow Probiotics.  I have also had lots of water and easy to digest foods.  I am already a gluten-free vegetarian so I feel lucky that my system is already getting a rest from gluten and meat.  But now I'm just tired.

This is the point where I would insert a picture of me feeling like garbage, but since I am the photographer of the family, I don't have a single picture like that.  So here's a picture of my husband, Greg.  And his expression pretty much sums up my feelings.

On that note, friends, I'm out.  Wish me better health tomorrow!

{enjoy some quiet time}

I'm that type of gal that needs some "quiet time" everyday.  Sometimes that quiet time comes in the form of five stolen minutes holed up in my workspace before dinner or a blissful hour and a half on the couch whilst the youngest is down for her nap.  Either way, anytime I have a portion of quiet time, I feel more grounded and capable of moving throughout my day in a more calm and relaxed way.  But it must be said that more often than not, my quiet time comes after midnight.  And that's fine by me.

After midnight, I get the best knitting done.  My husband and kids are asleep, the dogs are asleep, and the Directv DVR remote is all mine.  It's always just me, the couch, a cup of herbal tea (licorice is my favorite), a box of gluten-free vegan cookies and some fine yarn.

So while Greg's parents were here this past weekend, I burned the midnight oil after all were fast asleep.  And I crocheted!  Yep, not knit.  I crocheted.

My friend Elizabeth refreshed my memory on how to crochet on Saturday while we were at work, and so I came home and just had to perfect what I had just learned.  So, I stayed up until 3AM and knit granny squares. 

I stayed up and watched a documentary on running marathons (I trained for a half marathon a year ago but was sidelined due to an inury).

 

Then, Greg scared the skittles out of me when he woke up to check on me.  Loving: yes.  Scary: absolutely!

In the end:

• I finished making twelve granny squares and came up with a new knitting pattern which marries crochet and knit quite nicely.  (I'll get photos and details up soon.)
• I got to watch what I wanted to watch (guilt-free)
• And, I'm in a bit of a sleep deficit

But in the end, I am a happier Mom and able to go through my day a little more smoothly (albeit, a little sleepy, too.)  Do you forgo sleep for quiet time?  Is quiet time even important to you?

{take it easy}

This past weekend was oh so pleasant.  The weather was cool (perfect for wearing handknits), working at the yarn shop was stimulating and always visually exciting, knitting and sample knitting was accomplished (more posts on that this week), and my inlaws came to visit from Wisconsin.

From what they've told me, they had a lovely trip.  We even indulged in an early Thanksgiving while they were here.  It was a good trial run at the real day because I was able to experiment with some vegetarian dishes.  This upcoming Thanksgiving will be my first as a vegetarian.

So instead of getting a post up yesterday, I spent the morning saying good bye to my inlaws and spent the afternoon with my youngest.  When Logan got home from school, we had a pleasant trip around the block (Logan on her bicycle and me on foot).

It was so emotionally and mentally relaxing to see the shift in seasons.

But I think Logan was even more excited to find the last dandelion in the neighborhood.  

Not long after, I fell asleep at 8:30PM from a full weekend and a perfect day.  And that was exactly what I needed.

I hope you take it easy, too!

postscript:  If you like the hat Logan is wearing, let me know and I can make one for you, too.  Its actually a pilot cap with a chin strap but you can't see that whilst she's wearing her coat.

{be inspired}

This week's inspiration is so simple.

Meet my beautiful, precious daughter Logan.

I hope you're inspired to kiss a lot this weekend, too.

{reminisce}

On weekends, I have a day job at L&B Yarn Co. here in Norman.  I adore my job.  I teach classes, help other knitters, and manhandle fiber all day long.  Normally every weekend, I get asked the question of: how long I've been knitting.  So I thought I'd share my response with you, too.


I had never picked up a pair of knitting needles in my life until shortly after September 11th.  In fact, if my memory serves me correctly, I believe I rushed into Michaels and bought a "Teach Yourself To Knit" kit later that week and tried to decipher the black and white hand drawn photos and confusing information.  Back then, as you all remember, there were no websites like youtube or knittinghelp.com for assistance.  Or at least if there was, I was completely oblivious.  As a matter of fact, I vote for oblivious.

I remember being so confused.  So as I was still trying to unlock the mysteries of knitting, I was watching a crafting day on QVC and saw a Suss knitting kit.  I purchased it right away.  When I received the package in the mail, I ripped it open and lo' and behold, there were color photographs!  Apparently that was all I needed.  I used the included 100% cotton variegated yarn and bamboo needles and proceed to properly cast on for a square hat.  It took me a week to finish the hat.  I remember I kept making the rookie mistakes of slipping stitches and most frequently, dropping stitches.  But I finished.

From then, I knitted on and off.  Knitting got me through my husband's two year stay in Japan.  And knitting got me through the divorce of that husband when I discovered he had been having an affair for those two years.  Knitting was my companion when I was a single mother.  And knitting made me slow down when my new-more-awesome-husband and I rekindled an old relationship we had begun in high school.  Knitting was there with me when we married.  And when I had my gall bladder out.  And most importantly, it got me through five deployments when my husband was gone.  Knitting got me through a miscarriage and the birth of my youngest daughter.  Knitting has always been there for me.

Years have passed (nine, to be exact) since I taught myself to knit.  And so much has transpired in my life and through my stitches.  But one thing I have learned, is that knitting has made me a better me.  More patient, more grounded.

It has given me comfort.

So today as my youngest is nursing an earache, I'll knit sometime today.  It'll help comfort me so I won't worry as severely as I would if I weren't knitting.

So if you're in Norman, Oklahoma sometime and would like to learn how to knit...let me know.  I'd love to pass on the love.