Well, hello, again... familiar distraction. I sit surrounded by slightly ordered chaos. A warped loom with a partially-begun project on it that frustrated me... lengths of fabric that were purchased through the years clutter the ironing board, some obtained recently, some years ago. Blue and black checked wool for a skirt, solid blue wool for another skirt... both bought back in the day when color and style meant everything to me. Two piles of dog print fleece for beds and pillows... one for him, one for her. The medium weight denim with embroidered watermelon slices... meant for an apron for the daughter that loves to cook. A bag that contains the nearly finished ribbed knit scarf that I made this year... need to finish it with all this snow!

I worked and worked on this room and it is liveable again. Vacuumed the floor. Now all that is left is to sort and organize the piles, maybe hang the pictures, clock, and thread rack. The room smells wonderful because of the stone warmer with the scented wax in it... given to me by my wonderful son so long ago. The television is on and hooked up... my laptop is hooked up and in the room (I am typing on it now).

What is stopping me? It feels almost as if I am bound and unable to move or think. Frozen as if caught in a slowly hardening drip of sap...

...help...

Have to find my way back...

Well, I have left the weaving alone for quite some time now... it sits and waits for me patiently like a faithful pet.

I've taught myself knitting this year and actually learned the difference between knitting and purling. A ribbed scarf with my own ideas for decoration. Black, thick yarn tassels wait to be attached. Almost done.

It sits also... waiting... perhaps the knitting and the weaving commiserate with the bolts of fabric and the bags of craft items, the cutting board mat, the cutting table, the baby blanket with the binding pinned to it... all waiting in silence for my return, wondering which I will give my attention to next.

I am starting to wonder... is it possible to have adult onset ADD?? The framed picture of my mother looks on... even though she has been gone these years, she is not surprised... the smile in her eyes tells me so.

Learning to Knit

Well, I'm in the middle of two projects: the hand-woven blanket and a beginner's knitted scarf. I joined Ravelry and added my first project. Talk about bravery! ;)

I am weaving!!

Yes, I finally warped my loom again! I know... hard to believe, isn't it?? I am in the middle of a creativity crisis in my life. I am trying to teach myself to knit, I am in the process of joining the Embroiderer's Guild of America (EGA) and doing projects with them, I have warped my loom and am attempting a blanket for my daughter's baby (without a pattern or instructions)... that's three things I keep jumping between. Oh, and I am going to start teaching my friend's 16-year old daughter how to sew in a week or so. This way when I get frustrated with something and want to stop, I can put it down and pick up where I left off on something else.

In theory, it should make me UBER-productive, right???

Here's where I am on the blanket so far:



I caught a few spots where I messed up and the selvages aren't perfect, but... it will work for now. I think it is going to be smaller than I wanted also, but... it will be good enough. I won't get better unless I actually do it.

Right now, though, I need to go and get my EGA project ready for the meeting tomorrow night. We are doing a stumpwork project that the EGA provided us materials for and I have been nothing but frustrated with it. The square of fabric they gave us is some sort of cream-colored heavy satin which I don't like. The instructions call for putting the work into a 6" hoop which is just annoying me to no end. I have decided that I am going to start over. I bought dark brown heavy satin and 10" stretcher bars to put the project on. It should be a whole lot less frustrating that way.

Anyway... good night. :)

The Sewing Room - An End in Sight

Yes!! I finally made some notable progress on the sewing room!!

Post and pics HERE.

Fail

Every day I think to myself "I am going to go and warp my loom" and every day something else comes up. Hmmm... methinks I am feeling intimidated.

A Little One in Need

What did I do today that was fiber-related? Not much, unfortunately. Got a call early in the morning that little Lilly had a turn for the worst and things were tenuous. Wendy and I left to be with Barb for strength. I was in Indianapolis for most of the day and didn't get back until midnight.

On the bright side, though, Lilly is hanging in there.... lots of love and prayers going her way. If you have some to spare, send yours! :)