The Kimono

After nearly a YEAR of lying in wait, my Kimono is nearly finished now. I just have to complete the last sleeve and sew that seam together. Yep, I will be wearing my new Kimono tomorrow and I will post a photo of ME wearing it. Another UFO that is nearly FINISHED UP. Stashbusting is working so great for me. I have completed 3 months of NO YARN BUYING now. I am working from stash and completing UFOs only.

You can see the Kimono pattern here. In the picture it is of Crystal Palace Merino Frappe. I am making mine out of Lion Brand Moonlight Mohair so it looks VERY different than the one pictured...mine is MUCH nicer.

The Untersberg in Austria

What does your drawing say about YOU?

Meowwwwwww WOW

You Are: 0% Dog, 100% Cat

You are are almost exactly like a cat. You're intelligent, independent, and set on getting your way. And there's no way you're going to fetch a paper for anyone!

Are You More Cat or Dog?

She LIKES it!

My Favorite Color SWAP 2 PAL has received my gifts in Sun City, Arizona. I was on pins and needles, waiting to hear her response. I am not a great sock knitter, and she is. She wanted sock yarn. I thought a long time about just what to send her. I have no real experience with it. But, I decided to choose some yarns from different countries. She is happy. I am happy. She is a really nice lady and I wanted to please her with my choices. I think I have done that. You might like to visit my downstream pal, Ollie, at: whatchagotknits.

She strikes AGAIN...

My SECRET PAL 10 has struck again. There it was, in my mailbox...another package. What a great surprise it was. I opened it to find, CHOCOLATES but cannot post a photo of them. Well, I ATE them quickly, before I had time to take a picture. I love the TWO yarns she sent me, too. And, the white bunny. It is not often that a 63 year old woman gets a stuffed animal, I tell ya. I will enjoy these things so much. She even sent me some hand cream, which I am already using, too. THANK you for the nice surprise my pal.

Secret Pal 10

Dear Secret Pal 10,

I want you to know how much I loved receiving your package this week. The luscious GHIRARDELLI Dark Chocolate 60% CACAO bar was opened first. I mean, RIPPED open! It is nearly gone after a feeding frenzy. OMG, It is so good. So good. sigh

Then, I recovered enough to briskly open up the delightful, soft, and wonderful yarn. SOCK YARN.
This yarn is Hand Dyed Especially for Article Pract from Oakland, California, by Pagewood Farm. It is a denim colorway and I can envision wearing these socks, once knitted up, with a nice pair of jeans.

Finally, amid the brightly colored tissue papers and squiggly little packing papers, there was this INDONESIAN TEAK scented candle from World Market. It was made in INDIA and I LOVE the scent. I am crazy about murky, musky, exotic scents like this.

Dear Pal, I just LOVE everything you have gifted me with. Thank you for your generosity and it was joyful receiving your gift.

From you pal in Western Pennsylvania.

Please visit my blogs at Beadznyarnworks and Knitty_Prof.

My FAVORITE THING

Favorite Accessories?

My favorite accessory for knitting are my handy little Yarn Tainers. I believe the vendor is SNAPWARE. You can find them on SALE right now at this website. They transparent tubes, with a lid and handle for carrying my projects. The lid and handle is in colors that are sharp and contemporary. There is a hole in the TOP of the lid so you can put your yarn through it and you are ready to go anywhere with your handy little (or bigger) Yarn Tainer.

They feel great to carry and the are so practical. Each one holds ONE project. I have several of them sitting about. When I want a project, I just select which one I want to work on and take that little yarn carrier with me. I bought them at JoAnn's and they only cost about $8.00 or $9.00 each. But on the website listed above, you can get TWO for a better price. I think they are just beautiful to look at, very practical, keep my yarn and needles together, keep my yarn from rolling about on the floor, keep the yarn clean, etc. I have bought them for daughters and grand daughters. Everywhere I go, people remark about how nice they are. I love them!!!

The are most fantastic for traveling. Have you ever lost your ball of yarn while sitting on a plane. It is an embarrassing situation - this solves the problem nicely.

I AM a STAR - Don't you know it!

You are The Star

Hope, expectation, Bright promises.

The Star is one of the great cards of faith, dreams realised

The Star is a card that looks to the future. It does not predict any immediate or powerful change, but it does predict hope and healing. This card suggests clarity of vision, spiritual insight. And, most importantly, that unexpected help will be coming, with water to quench your thirst, with a guiding light to the future. They might say you're a dreamer, but you're not the only one.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

FAVORITE COLOR SWAP #2

whoooooohooooo.......I GOT my package from my PAL in Canada. My secret pal is Debbie aka Jinxsa! She did such an amazing job at finding things that just suit me perfectly. Can you believe this? I am sooooooooooo spoiled by my pal. I LOVE everything she sent to me.

First off, I cannot stop myself from touching (fondling) the CASHMERE she sent me. It is from hipknits in the UK. OH, MY! it is in a color that I am so crazy about - soft yellow-oranges. This is a cashmere lace weight yarn and I am just thrilled with it. And, if that one was not enough, she also sent me a skein of "Sweet Socks" Merino and Tencil yarn, "Hand Dyed with Love," in the colorway "14 Kt." and this one is from my pal's favorite yarn shop, TheSweetSheep.
These two yarn companies are now on my list of favorite places to shop, too. The yarns are just beyond anything I could have asked for and I am so happy with them.

And, then, there is still so much more in this box of surprises. There is a Boyds M&M bear...so cute. And, in ORANGE. My favorite color. There is an orange covered photo album which I will greatly enjoy using to show off my family photos.

My pal must have found out that I love to make jewelry. She sent me a Photo Bracelet Kit featuring Swarovski Crystals. There is a key chain from Australia, Cadburry Popping Mine Eggs, lovely note cards, lip gloss and wool SOAK for washing my lovely hand knits. And, then there was this nice big candy bar - uh, oh, well, it's gone now.....

Oh, did I mention the very beautiful bracelet she sent me? Yes, I am wild about the color of it. It is in aquas and turquoise glass. Wonderful, I love it.

Permeating this entire package is the scent of Patchouli. My Pal knew I loved this scent and she got me a bar of handmade soap from DoBeClean . It is handmade hemp soap - my favorite kind. I love to bathe in Patchouli soaps and use Patchouli lotions.

This is just the best package ever. I am sure one lucky lady with this surprise package from my pal. Thank you Debbie! I appreciate this all so much.

I have to also say that I am working on getting a package together for my Favorite Color Swap #2 pal at this time. I had a delay due to a death in my family, and personal health problems. My pal is patient, but dear Pal Olie, I am putting it together for you and you shall have a surprise very soon.

Questionnaire for Knitter's Treats

Knitters Treat Exchange Questionnaire

1. What's your favourite type of yarn? Cashmere, Merino's, Lorna's Laces, Sock Yarn, Manos del Uruguay, Mountain Colors, Vermont Fiberworks

2. What's your least favourite type of yarn? Fun Fur and many novelties unless they are really good quality yarns.

3. What's the first thing you do when you visit a new yarn shop? TOUCH the YARN, SQUEEZE the YARN, SNIFF the YARN, BUY the YARN

4. What other crafts do you do / would like to do? I am a fine artist who also knits and makes intricate woven bead works. I have two studios, one for fiber working, and one for painting, etc. One is a summer only studio, and the other is my winter studio. Lucky me, right?

5. What magazines do you currently subscribe to? Knit & Style only.

6. Put this type of magazine in order of preference:
Knitting Only - I do like fitness magazines or bead work magazines.

7. What items do you like to knit? Clothing that I wear and clothing for my grand children

8. Are you allergic to anything? Nope

9. What do you like to* smell of? Patchouli and Sandalwood - deep dusky murky scents! NO Fruity, light flowery, or Food type scents. Ugh!


10. What's your favourite way to relax? Knitting - BUT I don't relax much!

11. You're stood in front of a Victorian style sweetshop, an Italian cafe, an old fashioned bakery and a dainty tea room. Where do you go first? I would be standing in front of an Austrian bakery.

12. What do you come out with? Austrian Pastries

13. Where do you go next? To the Village's two yarn shops

14. Any other words of wisdom for your pal? My favorite colors are in the orange family from deep russets to yellow oranges. Also love Blue Greens or Blue Violets. I like really good chocolate but my waistline does not.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Here's a delightful site to visit to see information on St. Patrick's Day. Find out what is really true and what is BLARNEY!

Here in Western Pennsylvania we are enjoying a nice weekend of snow. We always know that we'll be getting our "St Patrick's Day Snow." Around here, for those who have lived here a long time, we know it's coming. We always just smile when we hear some say that spring is coming. We know for sure it won't be coming till after we get the St Patrick's Day Snow.

It started snowing during the night Thursday. It snowed all day long yesterday. And, it is still snowing a little today. We have about 3-4 inches out there and the world is all white once again.

NOW, Spring can come. Regardless of what that willy nilly Groundhog in Punxatauny has said.

I have a cold and am not feeling like doing much of anything today. I am relaxing and knitting on the nice Irish Spring Green top I have started.
It's the "Penelope Blouse" pattern from Oat Couture. I just finished the first ball of Lana Grossa Yarn and have tied on the second one. My goal for today is to finish the second ball and tie on the third. There will be 8 balls of yarn in this blouse in all.

Happy St. Patrick's Day Knitting to Everyone.

Snapshots of my Mom

Some Snapshots of My Mother

Esther Luella Kirker McKinney

April 20, 1920 - March 3, 2007

Eulogy Delivered by Lynda Lambert at Esther's funeral service

Our family loves to take snapshots at family events. It is a way of keeping memories alive and to remember each other and the things we did together. In this photo Mom is flanked by her great great grand-daughter Delaunay, and her great grand-daughter Brandi. The photo was taken about six months before her death.

I would like to share just a few “snapshots” of my Mother, Esther McKinney with you this morning as we celebrate her homecoming together.

This first snapshot was taken in the early morning hours before dawn.

I called my Mother to say, “I am leaving now.”

She replied, “OK, I’m ready.” In the pre-dawn darkness I walked down the familiar road that runs through the Village of Wurtemburg where generations of our Mother’s family have lived. I walked past the house my Grandfather built for his family of seven children. The house was located right at the corner where I turned to begin the steep climb up the Heights Hill. Just the thought of this house brings back a flood of memories to me. It is where our Mother spent her childhood and when I look at old family photographs I see that most were taken somewhere on the grounds of this old house.

As I hiked up the hill, short of breath, I looked up and there at the crest of the hill, I saw my Mother coming to meet me. As always, she was cheerful and ready to go. We began our morning walk together. It was something we did for years. Each morning we walked anywhere from one to two hours. We walked around Wurtemburg, and around Frisco. Our path was never the same from one day to the next. But our meeting place was always the same at the beginning of our journey – the Height’s Hill in the darkness of the morning.

On our walks, she always shared with me whatever stories she had read in her Christian magazines. She especially loved Guideposts, and she loved the “700 Club” on TV. Unfortunately, I was not so thrilled to hear those stories she so glowingly told. I would squirm as she “preached” the gospel to me though other people’s stories. Mostly, I hated it. Looking back today, it is clear to me that I was her personal “mission field.” Sharing those stories with me her assignment from God, and I was his target.

In her late 50s an affliction of arthritis progressed in her body. She had to get up early in the mornings to soak her hands in hot water, trying to find some relief. Despite the crippling pain, she was always ready to go most anywhere.

My life is so intricately woven with my Mother’s that there is not an event or a place where I cannot find her memories.

She had a number of professions:

Counselor: She taught me how to be a wife and how to deal with my children. She was never farther away than my telephone, and usually within a few minutes she was there in person whenever I needed her. She counseled my children and my grand children and she delighted in the presence of her three great great grand children.

Traveling Companion: She sat in on lectures at Slippery Rock University, and she hung out in the printmaking studio at West Virginia University. We went on drives through the WV mountains together. My Mother did not like the country and she would become extremely anxious when I would notice that I forgot to put gas in the tank and it was now on “empty” and I had no idea where this road was going or where we would find some gas.

Art Connoisseur: Though contemporary art was a mystery to her, she attended all my exhibition openings. My artist friends knew my Mother. I can still see her seated at one of my shows, with artists coming up to greet her as she sat smiling and proud of my efforts.

Pen Pal: For a number of years she was a pen pal to some prisoners in southern Ohio. My Mother and Father were on the prisoner’s visitation list and made trips to the maximum security prison to visit the young men she wrote to. Her faith took her many unexpected places. She cared deeply for other people who had situations and problems and she put a face to the word “love.”

Shopper: “Yard sales” were her specialty. She was crazy about them.

Our Friday mornings were often spent going from one yard sale to another. She looked for small things like a piece of Tupperware, some glasses, or coffee mugs to add to her kitchen “stash.” My Mother was delighted with little things. She also love to shop at the mall and her closets were full of the things she liked best – shoes and coats. In fact, my Mother loved to shop, period!

Dancer: At every family wedding, my Mother barely left the dance floor. She knew all the latest dances. She danced the night away and would leave the wedding limping because she never sat out a single dance. Just a couple years ago, when I took her back home to the Assisted Living Home, I had to tell them to give her some Advil because she was going to be hurting tomorrow!

Health and Fitness Expert: Long before health and nutrition were fashionable, my Mother was doing exercises to the “Chicken Fat” album – a fitness routine set to music. She led the grandchildren on “fitness” marches in the house, all to the music of the Chicken Fat record on her stereo. She had every health magazine available, was on every vitamin company mailing list. In fact, she actually broke her hip in her 70s doing the “electric slide” at the gym where she exercised all the time. In the back yard, she and my father had an enormous garden for growing fresh vegetables. Summers were spent canning and freezing the harvested fruits and vegetables.

Beauty Expert: My mom knew true beauty when she saw it. Beauty was something she saw in the faces of her family members. Until the final months of her life, she would look at you with a big smile and say, “Oh, you are so beautiful!”

I envision that the next time I see Mom, she will be coming over the crest of the hill to meet me at the halfway mark. We’ll be laughing as we begin another journey together. And, I will look at her and say, “OH, you are so beautiful.”

Lana Grossa hp No. 31

My SCREAMING STASH has called to me yet again. OMG, this is becoming a pattern. While I do have other UFOs that I must work on, I keep getting enchanted by my STASH. That is ok, because I am on a STASH DIET for one year. I started on this diet on January15, and now have completed TWO months. It feels so good to go to my stash and work from it instead of going yarn shopping all the time. I love it.

What I am beginning now is the Penelope Top by Oat Couture. Take a look at this site. There are WONDERFUL things here.

I brought 8 balls of Lana Grossa mercerize cotton yarn home from Germany last summer. The yarn is hp No. 31 Print. It feels so wonderful to the touch. It is a nice variety of spring greens that I bought. The yarn comes in a ball of 126 yards, 50 grams. It sells for approximately $5.95 on the internet, as I just checked on it. It is cotton with a woven texture.

Right now, I have just started the lace edge that encircles the bottom of this summer sweater. I have made a lot of errors, and begun it several times. I seem to be brain dead at times. I have learned to put in a life line so I can tear back to that and begin again without having to rip out the entire thing every time. I have not had much experience with lace knitting so this is a challenge for me.

You can call me Countess

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Countess-Palatine Lynda the Laconic of Pease Pottage Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

Just a bit of silliness, mirth, and frivolity on Saturday afternoon, the 24th of February, in the Year of our Lord, 2007. Yes, just call me "Countess" for short.

Here is a little collection of new items that I can now check off of my "to do" list for Stashalong. I did them in between "bigger" projects that I am working on. I have been working on this group of little things that will be gifted to family members next Christmas. Doing the Stashalong is helping me with my gifts for next Christmas - wow, a bonus I had not anticipated.
Here is what I was able to make from only 2 cones of Lion Brand Cotton Yarn. I got 3 dish towels and 4 dish cloths from each of the cones! Unbelievable. I have finished up two cones, and now I have begun making more from the other two cones I have - pictured here. At the same time, I have 6 balls of Sugar and Cream Cotton yarn in a Moonlight color. I am making them up into dish cloths for Christmas gifts for a family member who likes "dark" dish cloths. They are very beautiful.

The pattern I used is found here: http://www.knitlist.com/99gift/towel-and-cloth.htm

This pattern is by Donna Stratioti and I just love the way these towels look and feel.
The pattern is "sand" stitch. It gives them an elegance and they FEEL so good to the touch. It is a four row pattern, so even I can remember that.

Lunesta

Lunesta was rescued from a tiny cage outside where she had no food, water, or even hay to keep her warm. The night she was rescued, the temperature dropped to below 0 degrees and the weather here has been sub freezing ever since. We have had her about 3 weeks now. She has an entire room to herself. She is a delightful little bunny. She is very tiny.

At first she was greedy for any food that she had. If you tried to touch her food she would growl and thump and lunge at you. But shortly she figured out she had "enough" food and it was not going to go away, so she quit those behaviours very quickly.

We named her "Luna" or "Lunesta" because she was rescued on a night when there was a full moon. Now our pet family is Lunesta, a guinea Pig (Sparkles), and two cats (Blaise and Angel). The little critters are very special and we are blessed to have them.

You have been tagged...

I just tagged FIVE other people this morning...ha!

Here are the rules:
1. Get tagged
2. List five things that have not been revealed on your blog
3. Tag five other people

Please TAG yourself and join in the fun...you don't have to wait to be tagged. Just do it.

OK, in good spirit here are my answers:

1.) I am an artist and my career is archived in the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC. My degrees are in painting and fiber arts.

2.) I have three biological children and two adopted children. All area grown up now, thank God!
Two of my children are avid knitters and bead workers, just like ME. And, three of my grand daughters are knitters. One great grand daughter knits, too. I am so blessed with knitting kin.

3.) I got a rabbit recently...I will post photos of her soon. Her name is Lunesta because she was "rescued" during a covert operation on the night of a full moon.

4.) I visit Puerto Rico every March; Austria and Germany every June & July.

5.) PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is my favorit charity. I fully support the philosophy of this organization. I love animals, but would never even think of eating one.

Making Progress - Here's Allison

Allison Bolero Sweater

Here I am today, happily modeling my new Allison Bolero Sweater. It was made out of my stash. Since I joined the stashalong blog I will be working on project for this entire YEAR, using only my STASH. I have a LOT of stash! This "Allison" was not on my list of UFOs nor was it on my list of New Projects for 2007. Instead, it was one of those "Screaming Stash" projects. downloaded and remembered the Paton's Pebbles (Moonstone color) yarn in my stash. This yarn is so nice to work with. This color is a DEEP Chocolate BROWN with flecks of ivory in it. It is MUCH, MUCH more beautiful in person than it shows up here. And, I cannot tell you how comfortable and soft it is.

See this yarn here: https://secure.webquarters.ca/wooltrends/detailedproducts.asp?pid=20
I have knitted up 10 balls of it by making this sweater.

I took this sweater over to the gym yesterday and the girls there were all trying it on and LUSTING after it. They WANTED my ALLISON! I, too, am CRAZY about this sweater.

Another 13 or 14 balls will be finised up because I am making another project from Paton's Pebbles, but this pea coat is in the Sandstone colorway. It is a very soft ivory with small very soft pastel lavender running through it.

Allison Bolero Sweater

I finished knitting the Allison Bolero Sweater out of my stash. It was not on my list of UFOs nor was it on my list of New Projects for 2007. I guess it is what you have called a "Screaming Stash" project. I was looking through some magazines, and my binders full of pattern. I saw this pattern I had downloaded and remembered the Paton's Pebbles (Moonstone color) yarn in my stash. This yarn is so nice to work with.

See this yarn here: https://secure.webquarters.ca/wooltrends/detailedproducts.asp?pid=20

I have knitted up 10 balls of it by making this sweater. That FEELS GOOD, to know I have de-stashed so much yarn in one project. I still have another 3 1/2 balls of it left over so I am envisioning a scarf or hat. That will be my next project, to finish up this very beautiful and lofty yarn and not return any of it to my stash.

You can find the pattern at http://www.dailyknitter.com/allison.html

I will sew it all together later today and plan to wear it this week to work. I will take photos an post them after it is finished. I LOVE making things I can wear. It feels so good to know you are wearing one of a kind original works of art.Of course this project has led me to think about another "Screaming Stash" project. I have another 14 balls of Paton's Pebbles in a very light "Sandstone" shade. Now, I am searching through my patterns and books for just the right pattern. I bought a pattern for the "Trends Peacoat" by Sudha Mehta of http://www.glory-ousknits.com last year. I think it might be perfect for this bulky weight yarn.

I am envisioning using up another 14 balls of yarn from my stash and that is exciting!!! It is soft and oh, so, beautiful to work with and the finished product is lovely. I am excited to know I will be able to wear it this week.With these two projects, I will use up approximately 28 balls of yarn from my stash! Way to go, huh?

Yesterday, in between working on this sweater and another bead work project, I sat down and typed up a list of my UFOs. I have it hanging here with my computer, at my desk so I can view it and keep my goals in mind to stay focused. My progress is slow, but I am vowing to knit from my stash for the next year. Can I do it?

I AM a CENTAUR -

You Are a Centaur

In general, you are a very cautious and reserved person. However, you are also warm hearted, and you enjoy helping others in practical ways. You are a great teacher, and you are really good at helping people get their lives in order. You are very intuitive, and you go with your gut. You make good decisions easily.

What Mythological Creature Are You?