Remember Bobby?

In January 2009 so many very talented people sold their marvelous crafts for the Australian bush fire relief fund. I bought Bobby from the very talented Rachel Slater and told myself that someday I would learn how to do something like that.

Rachel's Bobby is on the right. We used the same pattern, but different weights of yarn and sizes of needles, which is why mine came out so much larger. The pattern said to use "oddments" of yarn, and I had no gray oddments, so I used gold for the buckle, buttons, and badge. Yarns and needles have different definitions in different countries, which makes it a bit confusing when the internet makes it so easy to shop internationally. Oh, but I am so glad it does! Fifteen years ago I wouldn't have had any idea how to search for a pattern for an English Bobby. Thanks to Google and Jean Greenhowe I was able to find the pattern right away.

The next Bobby I make will be the smaller size, but I am very pleased with my first attempt. It's not as cute as Rachel's, and the head looks kind of blobby, but I find the badge on his hat very charming.

My reintroduction to knitting started in January 2010 and I've enjoyed it ever so much. I have a lot of people to thank for this, starting with my mom who first taught me how to knit when I was seven years old. Suzanne and her mum sparked my interest when they sent me an adorable Aussie koala, baby sweater and booties, and darling doll, all knitted by Sue's mum. Then there were all the blogs with hand knit socks - Lucy Locket is an amazing knitter! And Lisa Boyer, quilter extraordinaire, was knitting socks, mittens, hats, and sweaters when she wasn't quilting. Ginny has made the most gorgeous shawls you've ever seen. Her daughters fight over who gets to wear them.

I found myself needing a quiet portable project for visiting my mom, and the knitting began. First the snowmen, then a pig, a cat, and two bunnies. I tried a hat; the first time something had to be a particular size. Then the socks - seven pairs! Now Bobby, and then back to more socks. My first sweater is going to be doll sized. This is fun!

Still here. . .

My nephew once wrote me a thank you note, and the subject line said, "Not dead yet." As you can imagine, it was a rather belated thank you note.

That's how I feel. I'm not dead, just busy.

And it's spring! It's hard to do things inside when the sun is shining and you can finally go outside in shorts and sandals. We wait all year for this - ahhhhh. . .

I'm taking my knitting outside. It's a fun project, but not blog ready just yet.

Paleantology

In an unusual display of scientific inquiry, the Martin family has pursued the ruins of past life. Instead of the customary procedure of digging down, they chose to dig upward, to the attic, in fact.
The study of dinosaurs has always been a topic of hot debate among the Martins. The skeptic among them (that would be me) feels that it is quite ridiculous to find two or three bone fragments and fit them into an enormous skeleton, bestow skin type and color, assign eating habits and child rearing techniques, and have school children memorize these "facts".

In the same spirit, the above pictured creature was a lover of cheetos - or perhaps carrots - judging by the color of his hands and feet. He ate a lot of dum dum suckers, as evidenced by his tongue. He had access to excellent dental care, as his teeth managed to remain so very white in spite of his poor eating habits.

Cute, isn't he? I made him for David when he was in kindergarten (18 years ago!), and found him in the attic this week.

It's that time again

Now that spring is here we are enjoying working in the yard, and would love to have it look like this beautiful piece of fabric.

Graduation is looming, and I know a darling girl who will be famous one day. I covered her last name for her privacy. I like to make some of these wall hangings into miniature wall safes, with a secret pocket on the back.

Just right for a little gift.

Wishing you and yours a happy day. I have a new knitting project in mind I will share soon.

Going shopping

You've heard me say over and over that I am not a shopper. I dislike shopping, and the only way I enjoy it at all is if I can walk to get there.

But. . . you've also heard me say that though I love my sewing machine and it has given me 37 good years, it's tired.

So today, being my day off, I am going sewing machine shopping. Fortunately for me, Jodie is also going shopping and she asked her many readers for recommendations. I read every comment and even took notes so I am ready.

Exciting!

Thank you, Mother Nature!

I am so happy that spring has come!

The hyacynths smell heavenly.

I got up early this morning and started the bread dough, and let it rise all day. We had warm rolls with our dinner!

We'll have some tasty sandwiches and toast this week.

Yesterday we awoke to howling wind, and while we were exercising, the electricity went out. We are such creatures of habit that even though we KNOW the power is out, and carry a flashlight into a room, when we get there we still flip the light switch. Duh. Luckily my "beauty routine" can be done just as well in the dark, since I had to be at work at 7:15 a.m.

I am thankful for the electricity that we take so much for granted. It was funny to hear the birds chirping away just like always. It didn't interrupt their morning that our lights were off. I'm also thankful that I don't count on hot coffee in the morning - I would have been stuck! Instead I had a cold breakfast and packed my lunch by flashlight. By 8:00 a.m. it was back on, and thankfully my workplace had an uninterrupted power supply. We're quite helpless there without our computers.

Wishing you a great week ahead.

Surprise!

A great big box came in the mail today from my friend Ginny. Wow! It was full of delightful surprises. Miss Ginny used prickley pear fruit to dye the fleece, then spun this yarn by hand and plied it. What a treasure! Thank you so much, Miss Ginny. It's perfect for socks - and we all know how much I've been enjoying knitting socks. I feel comfortable enough with the pattern now to use really special yarn like this.

Even more sock yarn!

Look at all these beautiful balls of yellow yarn. They can be a shawl, or several pairs of socks, or a lacy sweater. Miss Ginny made two swatches and a hat with a very elaborate lacy pattern. So far that is beyond my skill level, so it is especially nice to see her lovely work.

And all the fabric needed to make a quilt! Such generosity. And who knows better than my blog friends what I like to do. Thank you ever so much, Miss Ginny.

I'm going to have some fun!