Project Overload!!

I decided to clean out my basket that sits beside my chair in the living room.  You know the one, the one with all those projects in it.  I couldn't believe how many unfinished projects were in just that basket!  I thought maybe if I posted them here it would inspire me to start picking them off one by one.  Of course that means no more trips to the yarn store for awhile and we know that ain't gonna happen!  I think I took an article I once read too literally.  It said if inspiration strikes, don't put it off..start that next project.  I think they must  have been trying to sell yarn...it worked!

Here is a summer top that I have 1 side finished.  I am most inspired to finish it first with summer approaching.  It makes me think of a warm sunny day and a trip to someplace with a white sandy beach and tall tropical drinks. 

This is one of those blocks of the month projects.  I've kept up pretty well until this month.  I have the next block class this week and as you can see this is not quite finished.

A gray cardigan I started at the end of winter this year.  It is going to be lovely, but not high on the priority list.  It probably wont get picked up again until the Fall.

This is a Babies and Bears jacket I am making for my mom for Christmas so I have awhile.  Again, I have it half finished.

Here are half of my daughter's boxer shorts.  Yes, I said boxer shorts.  Never heard of anyone knitting boxer shorts?  Me either.  I told my friend who owns the yarn shop that if I ever came in to buy yarn to make more boxer shorts to please refuse to sell it to me. 

Mohair...what can I say about mohair.  I'm not a fan.  Unfortunately, I didn't figure that out before I started this project.  It is suppose to be a long sleeve shirt basically.  I really don't know if I will be able to make myself finish this one.  What can I say, I'm just a wool girl I guess.

 Orange helmet liner for my dad for Christmas..last year.  Maybe I can get it done before this Christmas!

A log cabin blanket I started because I have so much Eco Wool left over from an afghan I actually did finish.  No hurry on this.

This is a top I started for my daughter and really only have to sew up the sides and weave in the ends.  I think I am going to rip the neck out and do it with a different yarn.  I used yarn I already had and  not what the pattern called for and of course the stupid pattern was right!  Redo!

Well, that is about all..there are probably more lurking in the basement or in my laundry room but I'm not going to search for them yet.  I'm wondering if maybe this is a sickness!  OK, I'm inspired to finish something now!

Spinning Woes

I finally got around to spinning some of my wool from Laverne and Shirley (my Merinos). It is soooooo soft. This is only the first spool from 2 gigantic bags of roving I have in my basement. I still can't get over how much roving I got from 2 sheep! And this is still last years wool so I have that much again in the garage waiting to be sent off.

I have had problems with my wheel not taking the roving and it shows in one of the strands here. It just doesn't have the twist it should. Everyone at my spinning group has looked at my wheel but none of us seem to be able to get it working right. I think I will hold off spinning more until I can figure something out because I'm not very happy with the results and I really want to make this sweater. It is a pattern from Made in Brooklyn by Jared Flood. Aww.....so much roving.....so little time.

Verse and more projects

I've been making these mini ornaments for a friend of mine. She lost all her Christmas ornaments in the flood we had back in the summer. I felt so bad for her because she lost things that meant a lot to her. I hope she likes these. I'm going to try to make mittens and maybe a sock also to complete the set.

I promised a picture of my sweater so here it is. It is hard to see the pattern clearly but it has cables and seed stitch on the body with a welt pattern also. The wool is from my ram Rex and it is soooooo soft! I still have to find some buttons for it and it will be finito.

Here is a good verse for Thanksgiving time..

Psalm 100

A psalm. for giving thanks

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

We are headed to Arkansas for the week. First to visit a college my daughter is considering and then to visit family. It wont be the same this year and there is even a part of me that dreads it. My grandma passed away in August. She was 94 years old. We spent every Thanksgiving at her house and it was her favorite day of the year. We would cram 20-30 people in her small house but it was always such fun. I'm not sure how you have Thanksgiving without grandma but I know she would be upset with us if we didn't continue to all get together. So, we'll just have to figure it out I guess. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone.

So...long time no post. I will not even begin to go into why...just stuff. I probably shouldn't do this one at 1:30 in the morning but sleep is not happening tonight so I was lying in bed thinking of everything in the world and I started thinking of how long it has been since I posted anything. So here it goes...hopefully, since I haven't posted in so long, nobody will read this one and it will be far at the bottom of the page before anyone bothers to check it out.
Knitting has consumed me for the past few months. I made a sweater...a real sweater...with my own wool...that I spun....from my own sheep.... that I raised....by myself.....almost. Anyway, if you can't tell, I'm kind of proud of it. I'll try to post a picture of it soon.
I found a knitting store very close by that I did not even know existed before. It's one of those little houses next to her house in the middle of nowhere places. The best kind of store because everyone just goes and talks and helps each other out with knitting projects and there is even a spinning group that meets there once a month. See, this is why I miss blogging. Who else would understand why that is exciting other that those of you in blog world who love wool too?

Verse of the week

My skills are slowly improving. Above is the scarf I just finished. Learning to knit has been so fun. I love the flexibility it allows you. I spend quite a bit of time sitting in my car waiting for practices to be over and it is a great way to pass the time. I have made 2 hats and the scarf so far and am working of a pair of wrist warmers.

I'm still not sure I enjoy spinning. I am getting better but it takes so long!! Maybe it will get faster as I improve but I can't imagine having the time to spin all my wool. I have to return the spinning wheel on Saturday at my last class so if I decide I want to spin my own wool I will have to buy a wheel. That leads to what kind of wheel? I don't like the wheel I have on loan but it is a loaner and not in the greatest shape. Any suggestions on the best wheels?

I looked out my kitchen window one dreary winter day this month and saw this beautiful bird. Just thought I would share it with you because it is pretty.

I have started reading a new book called The Purpose Driven Life. I have had the book for a long time and am just now getting around to reading it. I'm going to use it and the scriptures it references for my verse of the week for awhile. I hope you enjoy.

Day 1

"It's not about you.

The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It's far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose. "

Colossians 1:16

For by him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.