Hopping to another project on Easter Weekend!

I'm dragging today literally, worn out from the busy week. I decided to repurpose/ or purpose some leftover yarn I had from the light pink lacy keyhole scarf. I had a little bit left and it is a a cotton/silk blend and so soft, I simply knew it would be used for something. Somewhere. One day.

Staring me in the face in my my knitting basket was this small, little ball of soft pink left and I decided to freelance a small coin purse. I call it Mama's Pretty Penny-Pinching Petite Purse. I remember the days of when I was a little girl and my mama could make a penny go a mile and would keep a little one with her. She worked in a bank for nearly 20 years and taught me everything I know about money and I'll say it has been useful information my whole life as there are some tight penny pinching times like now.

While most of us now use electronic banking and such, I still think that penny purses are so cute and remind me to pinch my pennies. :)

About a month ago at Joanne's Crafts, I found this really nice little top for a coin purse. They came in all sizes. This one is the smallest. I think it was only 1.99 but it's actually very nice weight and quality.

So on this Saturday, my simple mind went to seeing if I could stretch (no pun intended) the little bit of precious yarn I had left into at least the front of a penny purse.

I gathered my materials, and using no pattern, winging it.

 

 

Going to bind off here and make another side to join.

 

Using # 5 wooden needles of which splintered on the end.....ouch!  These are going bye bye after this project.

My stash liner fabbie.

Hoping I can figure this out with sewing in the little holes. I have never done this before.

Keeps my mind busy for sure.

 

and crossing my fingers I have enough to do the back. if not, I will wing something else. :O

So what's up on your Easter weekend? Are you project-hopping too?

Purl of Wisdom today:

For those who have followed my blog for a while, you know how close to my heart the book The Velveteen Rabbit is and has been since a little girl. A few years ago, I purchased some books by an author who actually wrote several others using the velveteen principle for women.

Sometimes and often, I have to remind myself of the Velveteen Rabbit story. Especially at Easter time I think of it when I see all the little bunnies.

Of course the rabbit in the story wanted to know how to "become real". I've drawn many lessons from that simple story. It's truly a story of authenicity and from that we can draw that as the Old Skin Horse said patiently "Real isn't how you are made. It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but really loves you then you become real". It doesn't happen overnight and we get quite ragged and loose in the joints but these things don't matter because "once you are Real, you can't be ugly except to people who don't understand".

That's a powerful storybook for children and adults. 

What matters what is real, is the contentment of our souls. Let's use our creativity to enjoy the ups and downs of life.

Luscious Grey Color for a Cambridge Seed Stitch Scarf

First of all, welcome to newcomers to the blog where I journal my fiber experiences and also my love of learning new things, sharing with others things I find helpful in "feathering your nest" and also my progress on stitching and knitting, junking, repurposing things for around the home, and some of my favorite things.

 

I also appreciate and love all your dear comments! Recently and mostly through the year I have been inundated with so much spam through the blog that I've had to weed through, that I had to add a feature that may slow down your commenting but I hope not. I really didn't have a choice. It's one I myself don't like to do on other blogs but it's the putting in the code to make sure you are human.

I clearly had to do this from some of the vulgar and insane links and spam mail from folks who I guess don't have much of a life but to do this. After a link to pole dancing I decided that was it, I had to moderate more strictly.

 

I've also had some obnoxious "anonymous" comments to moderate. Right now I have not put on the settings to not accept any anonymous comments but it may be in coming as I know of some folks who basically stalk me on the internet and it's how he gets his thrills..............

 

But on to more positive things, as this is a happy place, and let's keep it that way!

 

I'm BAAAAAAAAAAACK!  Home sweet home. For security reasons, I could not put specifics of my location or things but now I'm back to the regular daily grind.

Abbie and Mr. Darcy gave me a VERY  warm hot welcome and last night I slept 12 hours so I definitely needed the rest.

I went to Washington, DC to a work conference and after conference and on the last day, I had a plane delay I went to Looped Yarnwork shop, a very hot spot in the DC area for knitters. I had the most fun sitting around with other knitters, mostly younger than myself, hipsters, and lovers of yarn, to knit with a group. I showed them my project of the blue scarf I designed and knitted through hours of conferencing and it was just a very happy experience.

 

Because I love my man so much and he is one, hot gentleman, I picked out 3 skeins of dark gray yarn to make a Seed Stitch Cambridge Scarf  by designer Stephanie Japel. This pattern is included in the Knit Lab Craftsy class I took in December (and still go back for reference). The yarn is 100% Peruvian wool, not thick at all, and the color is reminescent of a business grey.

 

I'm an English knitter, so it's going slower than other projects I've made. Definitely ready to get to the basket stitch section! One item I can't live without is a row counter!!!

 

 

 

 

The luscious, gray Peruvian wool is  making a nice man's dress scarf. The first seed stitch section almost done. Next a basket stitch section in all kinds and number. This is not a TV stitching project but counting the purls and knits are definitely soothing.

 

 

the Seed stitch closer up

 

 

the texture up even closer. (the white hair is not Abbie's but in the wool!) :)

 

 

 

 

 

I had to "tink" (that is the word for frogging knits, it's the work knit spelled backwards) alot starting this scarf. I want it perfect for Mr. Darcy for the Fall/winter so I'm going slower. I have had to restart twice now.

 

 I learned today on a lesson on Utube about placing a thin thread through the 1st section to make a "lifeline" in case of messing up and not having to start ALL over which was the best tip yet.

 

 I also brought a little Spring with me back even though the air was frigid on my trip there. This is so cheerful.

 

 

A felted, zippered bag with a large side hook for the arm.

 

 

I love all the colors on the bag.

 

 

Pinks and the blues

 

 

 

Great storage for needles and a project on the go with some beautiful color therapy as well. It is lined with cotton.

 

 Well I best get back to unpacking------ my most favorite thing to do----NOT!

 

Today's purl of wisdom~~~

 

"~~~~~a cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

Eccles. 4:12

 

As an introvert, I have learned to avoid isolating myself but to include daily in my life, people who I love and those who love me. It's strengthening, healthy, and protective.

 

with love,

Jennifer

Exploring the One Row Lace Scarf freebie on Ravelry

Good afternoon, friends!  I hope your Saturday is going well and restful plans for the evening!

I've had a day of conferencing for work and now I'm going to Ravelry and found a great One Row Lace Scarf. I've knitted a few rows and really like it. I'm doing my next section in the blue scarf with this pattern. The pattern is free on Ravelry.com and called One Row Scarf. I plan to sample this out finishing up the blue one and then make a nice and airy thin, Spring scarf with this simple pattern of lacework. I have some fingerweight yarn to try with this.

Things I've done in Washington, DC:

• studied new research in Women's Health
• found a yarn store called Looped and did a major happy dance while watching other knitters join in on the fun of yarn, looked through all the Knit books and dreamed for one day garment making.
• got a free canvas bag from Looped
• ate the best Clam Chowder ever--warm and just right for the cold night.
• ate Eggs Benedict with Virginia ham for the first time and it was great!
• forgot my camera disc card, therefore relied on cell phone camera
• dropped my camera on a marble floor and now it's only saying "no sims card", hoping when I get home it's fixable free.
• rode the Metro again and got lost a few times but found my way with a few angels to help me
• window shopping
• repeated myself to alot of folks because I must speak really Southern here and I speak softly
• road in a taxi and passed a store called "WTF" and went "Wha?
• missing the country life now--I love to visit the city when I have work conferences but ready for home in the country by day 3-4.
• wished I had more time and the money to go exploring more in the city but limited
• thankful for the hotel they put me in as it's supernice!
• enjoyed networking with other health care providers in women's health
• thankful for no 5 in binders of syllabus but now online (those things are heavy to pack back on the trip)
• enjoyd some free time in the evenings to just plain rest.
• appreciated my well water when I took a slug of this city water.....yuck
• thank God I'm able to get up every day and hope to claim His promise that He will take care of me.
• missed this precious sweet baby

•  and re-posting a freebie for HOPE. Hope for whatever situation in health life is throwing at you right now, hoping it's good, but if not, hang on to hope because there is much research in gender medicine.

 

Hope

designed by Feathers in the Nest

copyright 2012

reposted 2013

 

Send me some of your "hope" if you stitch and finish this one up! I would love to see this in all the creative ways I know each of you have!

 

You can use this to change colors for different health issues awareness's, i.e pink or the above for breast cancer awareness, teal for ovarian cancer awareness, purple for domestic violence awareness, red for cardiac health awareness, etc.

 

Because this is what we have in today's world~~hope, whether living in the city, or rural areas of the country. We share a common bond in our hearts and hands.

 

Love to each of you,

Jennifer