I'm knitting and stuff...

Its college football and time and I'm so excited. College football is a BIG DEAL in the south. Especially in the SEC Division. So I thought it would be fun to have a knitting project to do while I'm watching or listening to the games. This past Saturday, the Tennessee Volunteers had their first game under their new coach Lane Kiffin. OMG. It was awesome. I don't know how I got any knitting done. But I did, in fact the game inspired me to do a two color sock. The end zones at UT are checkered orange and white and so that's my pattern. Next week they play UCLA so I'll finish this sock and start the mate.

Some of my other knitting projects are things I'm doing to get ready for Christmas gift giving. I know it's a little early, but I'm usually caught short of time and this year I really want my holiday knitting done so I can enjoy the time.

This headband is from One Skein Wonders, 101 Yarn Shop Favorites, by Judith Durant. I took the headband from one pattern and the flower from another. I used 2 strands of Patons Classic Wool. The headband came out really nice, and I'm thinking about making a couple more of these. It's a great one day project and super for those left overs from other projects.


Another addition to my gift giving, or at least what was suppose to be gifts, are these two Circle Cloths. I found this pattern on Ravelry and just loved it. You can get really creative with this pattern by using two colors. I just stayed with what I had, but I may end up keeping these and making the two color ones as the gifts. It's another make it in a couple of hours projects that looks like you spent a lot longer on it.

Along with these I've been trying to finish up some things that have been on the needles way tooooooo loooonnnnnggggggg.

Again I'm amazed at the healing that comes with knitting. Recently I've found myself in a situation where I've had to make HUGE decisions without much time to look at all sides. For me that is " walking on thin ice." I've always been one when faced with life changing situations to look at it from every side and then make the decision. Knitting has been so therapeutic for me. Calming my mind, clearing my head and allowing me the space I've needed to make these decisions. Thank heavens for knitting.

Blessed Be

Gunther and Knitting

Good news, Gunther has made it to week 4 in the Cutest Dog Contest. If you have voted thank you so much and if you haven't please vote for him. The info is in the post below. It's a week by week thing, so every Saturday he has to start all over with votes.

This morning I was thinking it's been awhile since I posted any photos of what I've been up to so today is picture day. I hope you like.

Have a great day!

No pictures yet

Let me start out with what we've been up to. We've been traveling, knitting, worrying about Truman, working and joining Avon.

We went up and spend about a week with my mom in TN. It was wonderful. We went to a county fair and had the best time. Can you believe that I had never taken my kids to a county fair. We don't have them around here. GA has a state fair and I think that's about it. Anyway, it was a lot of fun. We also went to a little drug store that had the soda fountain / restaurant in it. I can't even begin to tell you how good the food was. And the people had to be some of the most friendly people I've ever met. I got to go to the craft area of Gatlinburg and visit spinners and knitters and came away with no purchases. But plenty of ideas and a few job offers.

Then it was back to reality. Truman is now on his third round of antibiotics. For those of you who don't know who Truman is, he is my 5.5 month old Great Dane puppy. He has a serious infection located between his vertebra's. Though it's getting better, it's not getting better fast enough of me, or the vet. We'll decide after this next round of meds what our next step will be.

Avon. Well my cousin has sold Avon and made a really good living for herself. I really hadn't paid much attention to it until I was up at mom's and see ever thing they offered, and seen their prices. Even paying full price I could cut what I spend on makeup, facial cleansers, moisturizers, shower gels, nail color and shampoo by 3/4s. Yes, you read that correctly, I can have my bathroom full of goodies for a quarter of what I am now paying. And the stuff is good stuff. I use the mineral foundation ( I use a lot of natural products) that you see on tv or at ULTA, and Avon's Mineral Foundation is less than half of what I pay. So I talked to my cousin and it only cost $10 to sign up. So I'm really excited. Here is my Avon website. www.youravon.com/sandramelton . Please go buy something LOL. Actually I would like to do this full time, but I gotta start somewhere. Oh and they also sale clothes, handbags, undies and all kinds of jewelry. I gotta tell you if I can shop from one catalog or one website and get it all done, I am there!

Now for knitting. I have for some reason gotten the bug to knit Tams. I've got three made all ready and ordered the yarns for my next one. I'm going to start making fair isle tams for gifts. Hell, I make sale them. Anyway, I'll have pictures of those soon. I've also made a few more washcloths. I love making those. While up at mom's I realized that it's about time to get both of the scarves that I started last year out and get those bad boys off the needles.

So be patient with me pictures are coming soon!

Knitting, Stuff and More Stuff

Finally I have pictures.

Last year I bought some beautiful sport weight hemp and made soap pouches out of it for gifts. Well while I have been on this washcloth kick I remembered that I had some left over so off to the stash I went. And I had just enough for this washcloth. It's my own pattern and I will post it soon. Well actually I'll post it as soon as I figure out a way that I can either add a page or start another blog for just my patterns. (any suggestions or help in this area would be great appreciated). I'm going to name this washcloth pattern after one of my students. LOL. She'll know it when she sees it.

Then in an email from Knitting Daily I seen this book. I had to have it even though I had promised myself I had enough knitting books to last me a life time and I wouldn't really purchase anymore for awhile. I just had to have this book. I have a lot of family members that are very much into Eastern culture, martial arts and Eastern Philosophy. Knitting them kimonos will be the perfect gifts for them. I can't wait to pick one and get started on it.

Back in the Spring I started another Fair Isle Felted bag. Well finally I got off my ass and finished and got it felted this week. It didn't turn out as nice as I had hoped, but that's what I get for getting in a hurry.

here it is before felting

Now I have to pack a few OTN projects to take to Tennessee with me. The kids and I are leaving in a few days for mom's. Hopefully I have some quiet days of knitting in the Smoky Mountains ahead of me.

Blessed Be

Christmas is on it's way

It's good to have friends that work in yarn departments. The girl who works in the yard department at the Hobby Lobby where I teach, showed me some new stuff. It wasn't even marked yet. In fact she was holding it in one of the boxes to be put out for me.

See me and her had been discussing some things I wanted to make as gifts for Christmas and when this yarn came in she held it for me. SWEEEEETTTT!

The red, beige and green will be wash clothes and hand towels that will be given with a long with a handmade bar of soap. (closer to Christmas I'll have pictures) I all ready have one washcloth made. LOL. You can see the beginning of it with the first ball of cotton up at the top. By the way I'm using blocks from the 200 Knitted Blocks book for my washcloths. That is one of the handiest books I have for quick ideas and patterns. I love it.

Now I have to decided what to make with the green and beige. I got that just because I loved the color. LOL.

Sad news, once again I have frogged the Black Purl sock. For some reason this damn sock is driving me nuts. I do believe though that I have found a pattern that will show the yarn off and still be fun to make. Not too complicated, easy to memorize and yet classy. Cross your fingers for me.

Just when I posted things were going good, things got crazy again. Ok stop laughing I can hear you. I know that you know exactly what I'm talking about. (it is a little funny) Seriously though I almost lost my new pup. You can read about on Gunther's blog. Gunther. And if that wasn't bad enough, one of the thorns in my flesh from earlier this year has raised "it's" head and started stirring again. But, it's all good, a pain in the butt, but it's still ok, because it's nothing compared to what the kids and I faced at the beginning of the year. And that just brought out the best in us. I will say that it is truly a shame that people take forgiveness as weakness.

Knitting again, has brought so much peace into my life. It has also brought some of the nicest woman you will ever meet. I can't imagine my life without them. They are such a precious gift. I am grateful for each of you.

Blessed Be