Now What Have I Gotten Myself Into

I think I have lost count of the number of projects I'm working on and guess what? I just started another! This one was a "must do" project. I like to quilt and have always been intrigued by mystery quilts, so when I got wind of a mystery stole, I just had to join in.

There are four of us locally who have accepted the challenge. The first clue showed up on the Internet yesterday. So it was no surprise that at our Pizza Night, the four of us were consumed by this project. This was the quietest Pizza Night we have ever had. Yarn overs, knit two together, slip slip knit and adding a bead every so often really put the damper on lively conversation. Poor Maggie. If she was looking forward to solving all the world's problems last night, I'm afraid we let her down.

I learned yesterday that Debbie Macomber will be throwing out the first pitch at the Mariner's Stitch N Pitch Night. What a high for me that night is going to be, three of my favorites - baseball, knitting and a chance to see one of my favorite authors! Now if Dale Earnhardt Jr. took a notion to fly to Seattle and take in the game as well, I would be over the top with how much excitement could be thrown into one day.

By the way, we still have some tickets for the ballgame, if any of you would like to join us.

Rights of Passage

Last night was a big night for my grandson. His school held a graduation ceremony for the sixth graders who will be going on to middles school next September. Now I know this is not exactly a high school or college graduation, but important nonetheless.

I've worked with the children in my grandson's class for the last two years as an art docent and I am so proud of them all. I couldn't help but wonder what the future holds for these young people and I realized that for some of them this might be the only graduation ceremony they will participate in and for others they will go on to do and become great things.

I couldn't help thinking about myself last night either, about my accomplishments, and yes, some of my regrets.

My regrets were small. I would have danced more, I would have sung more and I would have participated in protests against the Vietnam War.

As far as my accomplishments, I am very proud of my children and I adore my grandchildren. My family is the heart and soul of my life. After that come my many friends. I wouldn't want to be without a single one of them. This is very true of the friends I have made since opening the yarn shop.

Where can a person find nicer people than those who like to create, people who reach out to share their gifts with the less fortunate and with those they love.

When folks come into the shop looking for projects to start, it seems that nine times out of ten, it's going to be a gift for someone else. It could be for the hairdresser's baby that's on the way, a grandchild, socks for hubby or more charity knitting. I find myself applauding when someone says that they are finally going to make something for themselves.

In our goodness towards others, we often forget that it's important to be good to ourselves as well. We forget sometimes that other people depend on us and want what's best for us too.
So on your list of projects, make sure that you find your name on that list. Do your best work wear it with pride, whether it's a scarf, a pair of socks or a gorgeous sweater that took months to make. You deserve it, we all do.

My weekend is over

Just as I thought, two days off in a row seemed like an awfully long time. I did manage to get some things done though, that is until Beth gave me a book to read. It's the first of Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove series. I had a hard time putting it down. Reading can really eat into my knitting time, but I guess it's important that I have some balance in my life.

It's Tuesday and I'm looking forward to getting back to the yarn shop. I wonder who will stop by today. There are so many nice people that shop at The Yarn Stash and I enjoy each and every one that comes in. How did I get so lucky?

What will the day bring? Everyday is an adventure. Everyday has something new and different to offer me. It would be easy to think that my life is mundane if I only think in terms of generalities, i.e., get up, shower, have breakfast, go to work, come home, etc., but these routines that are so necessary all have variations that keep life interesting.

It's so true that everything is done one step at a time. It really is the journey, not the destination that matters and today I'm looking forward to the journey.

The scarf now has a beanie

The beanie is done. Wow, that was fast, don't you think? Harry Potter would be proud. My grandson is counting the days until the last episode of "Harry Potter" is available. "Grandson" is knitting the Ravenclaw scarf. He's quick on the start, but I'm not sure he'll keep up the pace to have it done in time. We'll see.

The right side of my cardigan is in progress. I think everyone in our group at least has the back done. Did I mention that the sweater we are making is the Blue Skies Cardigan on page 14 of the July 2007 issue Creative Knitting. All of us are enjoying this sweater a lot. It's easy, it's fast to knit and it's cute.

Tomorrow is Father's Day and the shop will be closed. Two days off in a row is going to seem like a vacation. That would be a knitting vacation of course.

I suppose you think all I do is knit. Not true. This morning I actually cleaned and vacuumed before I came to the store. Now this isn't something I necessarily like to do, but everything looks so nice when it's done, so it's worth the time and effort. I'm sure there are other things I do, but I will have to think on this for awhile.

One more project in the "completed"pile

Wow, it's been three days since I posted anything on my blog. What have I been doing all this time you may ask, knitting, of course.

Here is my Griffindor scarf and the matching beanie is close to done. I love the decreases on the beanie. Instead of K2tog in eight places, you divide the hat into fourths, place markers and SSK before the marker and K2tog after the marker. It almost looks like darts have been sewn into the hat. I think it has a very classy look.

I finished the left side of the cardigan and started the right side. This seater will be done before I know it.

But right now, if I weren't at the shop, I would probably be taking a nap. It's a gray, slightly rainy day in Seattle. My idea of the perfect nap day. Oh well, we can't have everything can we?

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What a great day

This morning I woke up in such a good mood. For some reason I'm really looking forward to today. The sun is shining, it's not too hot, so far, and everything seems bright and rosy.

I have a list of thngs that I want go get done today and all of them sound interesting to me. I'll fringe the Griffindor scarf and take a picture of it for the blog, then I'll start the beanie. The book I'm using is "Charmed Knits" and it is loaded with great patterns for Harry Potter fans.

I also plan to finish the left front of my cardigan that I spoke of yesterday.

Another thing that makes me so happy is watching people come into the knitting community wanting to learn to knit. Some start out all thumbs. They drop stitches or add stitches and not realize what they have done. After swearing to quit, that knitting is just not for them, they finally complete a project, and then the transformation takes place. They are hooked.

I have one such customer. She was so tentative at first, but now she is knitting herself a sweater and it is coming along nicely. Not only is she a customer, but she has become a good friend as well. I always enjoy having her in the shop. Sitting and knitting and sharing the ups and downs in our lives is what it's all about. How could I be any luckier.

Yes indeed, this is a great day.

It's Monday

It's Monday and the shop is closed, so where will I be today? At the shop of course. This is Beth's and my chance to get some things done at the shop that we can't do when it's open. Such is the life of a yarn shop owner. I love being at the store so this is not a bad thing.

I finished knitting the Griffindor scarf. All I have to do now is fringe it, block it and I'm done. Today I hope to get to work on my cardigan sweater. This is a project that five of us are working on. We found a sweater that we all loved and decided that we would each knit one. Even though we are knitting the same sweater, we each selected different yarns.

My sweater is being knit with Cascade's Butterfly. It's a variegated yarn in shades of lavender, blues and greens. Butterfly is a worsted weight yarn and it's going to be a nice warm sweater come winter that will go well with a number of different outfits.

Finishing a project is always exciting because as I'm nearing completion, my mind starts spinning over what I will start next. I have enough yarn let over from the scarf to make the Griffindor beanie, so that will be next on the docket.

We both must be waiting

Last month I hung a Fushia basket on my front porch in the hopes of seeing some Hummingbirds this summer. I have buds on the plants just about ready to open so my hopes of seeing these elusive little creatures has been running high.

This morning I was out on the porch inspecting the progress of my Fushia when I saw what at first looked and sounded like a very large bee until it stalled in mid-air. There he was - the Hummingbird checking out the Fushia right along with me. He hovered by the basket then faced me and it was as though he was thinking "Soon, I'll be back soon."

Well my little friend, I'm looking forward to your return and I hope to see you often.

To me, this is what summer is all about - being outside and enjoying whatever nature has to offer. Summer is also all about knitting for me. I know many people put down their needles when the warm weather arrives. Not me.

OK, I won't be working on a heavy wool throw, but the socks and other lighter projects give me something to work on when it's too hot to do anything else. It sort of gives me a head start on Christmas and other gift giving occasions that will come up.

My Griffindor Scarf has passed the halfway point. This is such nice, mindless knitting that I have a hard time putting it down. Everyone needs a project like this every so often. Don't you agree?

Welcome to my blog

Wow, I'm pretty new to blogging, so this could be interesting. I am the co-owner of the Burien Yarn Stash. My daughter and I opened the yarn shop just a little over a year ago and I think it was a great idea.

I have been a knitter since I was six (no, I won't tell my age) so I have been knitting for a LONG TIME. Was this enough to qualify me to own and operate a yarn shop? Definitely not, but my daughter has a great business head and we both felt that we had something to offer our community. I love color and I love people and every day I feel like I am sitting in a rainbow and the friends I have made are my pot of gold. What a lucky lady I am.

I am one of those knitters who has more than one project going on at once. Do you know anyone like me? Currently, I am working on a lace shawl, a cardigan sweater, a shop model and of course I always have a sock in progress.