because being away from loved ones is poopies!

I started a new project today even though I really should not have.  I have a friend who moved away from her family with her new husband to Virginia.  January and February are just the hardest months of the year if your are single or away from those you love.  I started her scarf today. 

I have other projects I should probably be working on at work.  None for Christmas.  All the Christmas projects require my sewing machine but I do have a couple more crocheted gifts to make.  They are whenever they get done. 

But this one needs to be done in January or February.  I also have a lot of yarn to spin for it as well.  The Tall Short person that it is "a happy place for the momma lady."  She is right.  It means this will get done in a timely manner.  I may even get a chance to put in a hat for the friend's husband even though I do not know him that well.  I will see.

long Christmas weekend

We did what we normally do over Christmas and went camping.  It was the normal type of camping in December in Texas, one day it was 70 degrees, three days later it is in the forties, raining, and blowing.  We are prepared for it but it does not mean getting out of bed in the  morning is every very simple.

And tea does need to stay close to the fire to stay warm!  Sometimes it is not even hot.  We camped very simply.  Much more simply then normal.  I did not mind but it was good the day it rained consistently was the morning we were planning on leaving.

My best friend gave me a foldable rocking chair for camping and on the warm days it was lovely.

I had been given water buffalo bone crochet hooks for Christmas. Four in all.  A little personal shaping and I think I really like them.  They are not as warm as wood but they do have nice feel in the hand and they do not slip out of my work as easily.  Sitting in a rocking chair by the fire or picnic table working on a scarf with them was nice.

And I did get a scarf finished!  It is another very long one.  The Tall Short Person says her neck is always cold.  The darker middle is merino and yak.  I did not have quite enough of that yarn to make the length I wished so I spun some yak and silk yarn for the ends.  The ends are a bit asymmetric because I guessed at was half the ball.  I am pleased with the scarf.

I enjoyed the time camping.  Some ways I am glad to be home but in some ways I wish I was back out there.  Both make me smile.

one down, one to go

I finished the scarf for my best friend last Friday.  I made it long enough to wrap twice around her neck and still have some length.  Film sets can be cold places.  This merino yak I spun is so soft and should keep her very warm.  I used a shell stitch with nine patterns.  Very simple but I am very pleased with the end product.

I am working on the second scarf for the Tall Short Person.  I am enjoying the process greatly.

working on a present

It has been an evening of curry, tea, tequila, friend, cookie baking, and crocheting.  I am working on the Christmas present for my best friend, that is until I get more parts for my spinning wheel.  She is a Kundalini yoga instructor and I have ideas on a yoga rug for her.  But I need parts for tools!  Life is good.

I am really enjoying working on this scarf.  The yarn is a merino yak that I spun.  I can tell where I had more issues then other places.  There are thick bits and thin bits.  But using a shell stitch is make the fabric of the scarf lovely.  I am making it very long so she can wrap it around her neck twice or wrap it around her body.  She is on enough film sets that who knows how it will be really worn!  The blanket I have made her may end up in a film eventually but that is if the crew lets it out of their site.  I am told it is well loved and well used by many people.

More cookies and more crochet tomorrow but less people.  That is okay.

by the fire

We have been having some odd weather here this week.  It is very damp still but more fog then humidity.  It is also neither warm or cold.  Which means that my body is hurting and anything that is aggravated by the damp is not happy with me.  My right ear was hurting today at work today so I wore my new hat in the office.  The proof of the pudding was that I needed to make it a little tighter to keep my ear warm.  Warmth makes my ear feel better.

The boyos had built a fire in our pitiful fire pit this morning.  They kept it burning all day.  When I got home from work, I pulled out my crochet hook, took my hat with me, and sat at the fire to rip it out and rework it.  I actually simplified the shell stitch to which made for a nicer band.  It was just a very nice bit of quiet after a week of having people needing me all the time.  I have people waiting for me at my office door when I get to work.  This quiet was very nice.

My hat fits better too!  I was thinking that I need to make some rug yarn but I am not sure I have the right tools.  A rug made by a fire.  That would be nice.  Now how to make the yarn . . . ponder.