I've moved!

Come visit me at my new blog home!

Fiberworks Ramblings

Hope to see you there!

Moving the blog

I am moving my blog over to wordpress, I'm not to happy with the formatting blogger is letting me do. so you can find me at

www.fiberworks.wordpress.com

-peace

finally I have something to show you!

I am finally posting you some craft pictures! Really I have been crafting I swear!!

First up the Daisy baby sweater by Yarn Harlot
Yarn: Little Leigh in spring green
Buttons: Lavender daisys
Made for: Eleana Christine Lawton my new baby cousin. I knew they were having a girl, but I have issues with pink and blue and color gender identity so I went for green with flower buttons.

Size 3-6 months.

I have also finished some spinning!

4oz alpaca roving in chocolate brown from Esthers Place in Big Rock, IL.
Navajo plyed for 55 yds of yarn. I finished this for the Triwizard Tournament on ravelry.

It hasn't been soaked to set the twist yet, but I think it will be super yummy for winter!











Pictures or our house are up on facebook!

the forecast is...

Today's forecast is settling in a house with no moving for several years.

We have gotten most everything unpacked, we have more room then furniture right now(a nice change!) We love it and the cats are loving the bay window and living room to run through.

The shawl is back on track and I am finally on chart 3. woo hoo!

my wheel is fixed and I navajo plyed the alpaca for a total of 55 yards. yay!!

work is cutting back hours and I am trying to find a new job(again!)

applying for grad school to start in Jan.

yup life is pretty good!

M

HOUSE HOUSE HOUSE HOUSE HOUSE!!

Okay so now that I have your attention, we're moving to a house, assuming our credit application gets approved.

Granted this is a house we are renting not buying, but still HOUSE!

It's a great 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, living, dinning, huge kitchen, family room w/ wood burning fireplace, washer/dryer, finished basement and yard that I can garden in next summer!! Yay so excited! No more screaming kids running down the hall. No more people walking in to deliver packages, no more fighting to get to my pots and pans!

YAY!!!!

the lies we tell ourselves

I find it amazing the lies us knitters tell ourselves. My big one "blocking will fix it" . I'm still working on the Beltane shawl from Goddess knits, and somewhere I dropped a yarn over. I conviced my self I could fix it with blocking. Finally 15 rows later I realized I had a yarny mess that looked nothing like the diamond pattern I wanted. So I had to rip it all back!! Sadness especially since I am really slow at lace to begin with.

I am about to jump on the bandwagon and make the noro scarf.

back from the technology void

Sorry about the last post, I was playing with my new iPhone 3GS and trying to see if I could blog from it. Turns out all I can post is titles, but no body text. Silly! Must say it is the most user friendly phone and it organizes my life for me. *sigh*

In other new toy news we bought Scott a new toy last week as well, though his is slightly bigger. We traded in the old 2000 Dodge Dakota truck for a brand spankin new 2008 Jetta S 5 speed. Had 40 miles when he drove it off the lot. He's quite happy with it and I am quite terrified at the thought of having to learn how to drive stick!! If our realtionship survies THAT I think we will be good.

I will not be posting pictures of the apartment anytime soon, as we will hopefully not be staying that long. The comples here is awful, the staff overworked, the firealarms get pulled at 4am and their always children screaming up and down the halls. We found a nice duplex for the same price and serisoly considering moving.

What I will post picutres of is our trip to St. Louis this Saturday, we had a ton of fun playing tourist. It was 100 degrees that day and I didn't wear quite enough sunscreen and am now bright red!

At the base of the arch looking up, the sky was so clear that day!
I use point and shoot camera's, Scott is true photagrapher and has one of the Cannon Rebel camera's. Later in the day we went up the top of the arch. Yes she who is afraid of heights went all they way up the talles monument in the US!! This is the arch's shadow in the Mississippi river. And here we are at the top of the arch together, see I'm not even freaking out a little!

So that was our fun weekend and tomorrow it's back to work at the pet hospital. I must say I like working with animals better then people, they fogive you alot faster when you poke them!!

Also need to take apart the spinning wheel this week. The wheel is craking at the seam and not holding the drive band anymore. The ladies at my spinning group told me how to fix it, but it requires taking the wheel apart! sadness.

Lost in new technology

i need help

I am sitting in my craft room surrounded by 14 batts of fiber(and that isn't all of it) trying to decide what to spin and instead decided I was running low on fiber and need to go buy more. I need help.

Finally Settled

I thought everyone would like to know that yes Scott and I survived the move, and no we didn't kill each other. Truth be told we're doing better then ever, yay!!

We are safely settled in our little 3 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment and the plants have adapted well to growing on a balcony. Okay so it's not THAT little. :) It's a good size, he has an office, I have a craft room that doubles as the guest room, then there is a bed room, we each have a bathroom and the balcony is nice when in the evening. The kitchen, well it's teeny tiny with an electric stove, and I hate it more everyday. oh well.

Sadly the staff here leaves lots to be desired, we waited a week for them to come fix the cabinet door that was falling off when we moved in. There were holes in the ceilings that needed fixing, doors to be re-hung. ugh it's been a mess. Scott could fix most of this himself accept for the lease says they can fine us if he does. So stupid and frustrating and property here is so dirt cheap anyway...once the lease is up we will probably by a house. (Seriously cute starter homes in the $40,000)

Scott is loving his new job and is actually happy, which is so good to see! I am not so happily unemployed at the moment. My transfer didn't come through (boo). A lot of people go laid off the week after I left and I have a feeling my position may have been one of them. So I am waiting on unemployment to kick in and working the party business until I find another job. There are lots of MA type jobs open up down here so keep your fingers crossed. Plus I'll be doing grad school come Jan. hopefully anyway.

I have found the farmers market here and it is wonderful! all our produce has been fresh and it just tastes divine! I made blueberry muffins this weekend (half minus the blueberry's) and they have been the best breakfast! Also met the local knitters, and they aren't as cool as my old group (mainly no beer) but they are all really nice so I am looking forward to that. Plus there is a group of spinners that meet once a month, so that will be fun!

Otherwise nothing new to report. If anyone wants to come visit just give a call, we've got the room (and a pool!)

The Great move of 2009

Dear Blog World

I would love to post about projects but my life has been taken over by boxes and house hunting. Scott got a job downstate and he start 2 weeks from today. Yup, stressful to say the least. Currently we don't have an apartment yet, but we do have a couple leads and lots of boxes to pack in!! We are both stealing from work, which the movers should find interesting.

No news from the Dr. yet which is frustrating because they have had my lab results for almost 2 weeks now. If they don't call tomorrow I am going there Thursday and demanding copies of them.

Off to sleep for a few hours now. If anyone would like to help pack or bring beer over please feel free!

On the Death of Dr. Tiller

I am going to deviate from my typical knitting theme on this blog and talk about the assassination of Dr. Tiller on Sunday. If you do not wish to read a political entry, do not agree with abortion, or are do not want to hear about what happened consider this your warning to stop reading.

On Sunday morning Dr. Tiller was shot down while ushering at his church. This is a man who dedicated his career to providing safe, medically accurate and legal health care to women around the country. One of three providers in the country to provide abortions past the 21st week of pregnancy he helped countless women through some very tough times in their life. Just a few months ago he was acquitted on charges of illegally performing late term abortions which angered the religious right anti-choice movement. This is a man who has been shot in both arms, has had his clinic bombed, his life threatened, his health center vandalized. He was forced to hire a personal security team and wear a bullet proof vest into work every day. No individual should have to go through that just to get to work! In fact the only time his security team wasn't with him was when he was at church, which means his actions were closely observed by another group. The murder of another human being is not pro-life or Christian, and doing it in a church is a further blaspheme.

Dr. Tillers assassination was pre-meditated and organized by an extreme ant-choice group. If this isn't the definition of domestic-terrorism what is?

Everyday abortion clinic workers walk past protesters, prayer groups, and graphic signs. These people endure death threats, violence, being screamed at and condemned to hell everyday. As many of you know I am among these people, working at a Planned Parenthood. It is mentally taxing and yes it is terrorism. It is terrorism that that people follow employees home, it is terrorism that I can not walk to the neighboring restaurant alone for lunch. It is terrorism that our cars get stopped as we enter the driveway, that we are told we are "bad people" and "hurt women" and are threatened with law suits (or worse). These groups, Operation Rescue and the Pro-Life Action League to name a few, aim to terrify us out of going to work. These people play on workers and patients mental health and wish to install a deep unseeded fear of the entering a clinic. For workers it is that we will be killed, for patients it is the threat of hell.

The time to stop this is now. It is time for women to stop being afraid and hiding in the shadows as if we have done something wrong. The time of the silent majority is over, it is time to stand tall and say yes I work in this field or yes I have had an abortion and I am not ashamed! If we hope to stop this violence and keep our freedom of choice we need to go on the offensive and take to the streets. We need to work in the courts but we also need rally in our cities and states and the time has come for another march on Washington. It is not just for women's lives anymore, it is for all health care providers lives.

I challenge you to organize in your community. Write a letter to the editor, your senator, congressman, and even the President. Get involved with your local clinics and organizations (I can help in the Chicago area).

I challenge the President to take a strong stance against this violence. If a racist preacher deserved it a murdered doctor certainly does!

I challenge the health care providers to continue going to work and doing their job!

I challenge all people who truly value life to denounce these extremists, contact them and tell them that they are hurting their cause. Let them know the only way to decrease abortion is to increase education and access to birth control.

What happened Sunday was a tragedy, but sadly it is not uncommon. We would all like to decrease the number of abortions and increase access to birth control and education. It makes me sad that it takes violence to wake America up the terrorism in their own backyard.

Please share your thoughts and stories on this blog if you would like.

pics

Project Pictures are up on ravelry, yay!

I would like to show....

I would like to show you all my new projects. I have had project ADD and I would love to show you them, but the pictures on our new Camera and I can't figure out how to get them off onto my computer yet. Soo you will have to imagine:

My Beltane Shawl in malabrigo color Tuareg (a pretty peacock blue). It's very complicated pattern requiring a lot of concentration, great for Dr's offices and my paranoid brain

My basic toe-up socks in self striping Universal yarn, done in 1x1 rib.

My Teachers Pet Cardigan in brown recycled yarn.

My Daisy baby cardigan for my cousin's new baby in green Little Lehigh bright green yarn. They are having a girl, but as they will have more then on child I want it to be versible. That and I am anti-pink for babies.

You will also have to envision the 60 yards of beautful yellow top wool I just pulled off the spinning wheel. I think I will replay it though, I don't like it to much the way it is, to tight.

And most importantly you need to envsion the picture of my boyfriend outside the convocation center Friday night in his masters robes and hood and diploma holder. He was actually beaming (as much as he does anyway) and I actually cried a bit (I blame the hormones).

On the health front I have an appt. with the Endochronlgist on May 28. I have been told to ask for a more in depth thyroid test as well as a vitamin D test, any other ideas?

the one where I return to the void

So I have been in a void and that void's name is theater. I've been knitting and spinning but I have no pictures to show for it. To busy again. In some ways I enjoy being busy it keeps me sane instead of focusing on the job I hate. It also keeps me in the city, which i love. yay!

However it is starting to take a run on my health. I think part if it is working with 25 neuritic women all day 5 days a week, in an environment where the rules change everyday. One day I can be employee of the month and the next day I can be the worst and have done nothing differently. That and most of our patients have waked hormones which hasn't helped. Whatever it is has landed me at a specialist for hormones.

See my body seems to think I should go through menopause now and is treating me to night sweats, hot flashes, migraines, the works! AND I am still getting my period, how is that fair??? My PCP did a ton of blood work and it all came back normal, so off to the specialist I go.

I think this is going to be a long process, I feel the need to cast on a shawl.

Yes I am crazy

My friends and I are crazy, we know this. What makes this craziness blog-worthy? We have decided to start a theater company, in Chicago, in a recession. Yeah...

Anyway we will be blogging about the process so check it out at Mind the Gap Productions

It's gonna be fun!

In knitting news I have started hey teach and a basic pair of toe-up socks. One for home and for the train commute to rehearsals. I love socks for that!!

PURPLE SOCK HELL

For the last little while I have been in purple lace hell! Purple shawl, purple scarf, and purple socks! The socks took me FOR-EVE-R!! Bu I am happy to report they are done! They are comfy, and pretty, and being corn fiber will prevent my feet from getting stinky whilst running my butt of at work. YAY!!

the light is coming..

My show opens tonight! Yay! So excited! It's been a long few weeks but it is all going to be worth it! It's a good show and I good check, which is paying for a new tattoo (among other things).

I also got time to knit 4 rows on a sock this week! YAY!

Other job still sucks, but 2 out of 3 isn't bad!

i need my stress relief!

It's not fair that when I am the most stressed out I have no time to indulge in my stress buster knitting! Life has been crazy, and work has been, if possible, worse then usual.

-my boss has known for six weeks that I will not be able to stay past four. since most days close at 3 this shouldn't be an issue.
-Friday she schedules me to train in AB checkout, this is of course the one day I CAN NOT be late to opera rehearsal. At 4:30 I tell her I have to leave, she says I can't blah blah blah. Suffice to say I get mad, go the locker room and punch my locker a few times, go back to work and don't leave until 5:30.
-did I mention I worked 9.5 hours that day and didn't get a lunch break, wasn't even offered one?
-Did not lose opera position thankfully, am calling my RD tomorrow, see what she says. will probably get fired Tuesday.
-long day of rehearsal today, very tired do to lots of 3 hour nights of sleep. At the end of rehearsal the truck delivering prop furniture hits an overpass. peels it open like a tin can. We now have unload it ourselves instead of the paid crew tomorrow morning. I'm supposed to be meeting a friend for dinner.
-I haven't been to knit night in 2 weeks, next week doesn't look good either.
-I have knit maybe 6 rows on a sock and nothing else. I need socks badly, I don't have time to wash any.

Thankfully I was able to meet my friend just a bit late for dinner tonight, so yay! I also have a great boyfriend who lets me sleep for 3 hours afterwork on valentine's day (and gets me roses!). I also have two cats who love mebut want more lap time (they have trained my boy to sit on the couch with a blanket on his lap for them, though I think they still miss the yarn)

And truthfully I would be greatful if my job fired me, then I can collect unemployment.

Okay I am off to sent a report and then probably either bed or t.v. knit time. it's 12:37

okay okay I'm sorry!

So it's been pointed out to me that I haven't blogged in a long time. In truth I haven't blogged since 2008! Now then I had holiday knitting to blame it on, but since then, well I've been busy working AND crafting!

I finished mom's shawl, Allia's market bag and Ryan's hat in time for Christmas. Also they all loved them! Mom is planning to wear her shawl to a wedding this spring, Ryan wouldn't take his hat off even inside and worke it sking in Colorado, and Allia has promised me I will find her carrying the bag in England 10 years from now when come visit! So all well gifted.

Over the holiday's I agreed to do another Opera, and then they changed our hours at work. So now I am working later and am using all my PTO to do the opera, grr. I was happy to take the time unpaid, since Scott and I are planning a cruise in Aug. and I was hoping to go on a fiber retreat in June. *sigh* I've also been doing Party's like crazy and made bonus for the first time this month. Money equals good but lack of time equals bad.

Crafting I've been busy making things for me! After spending months knitting for others it was time for me. Plus we had a deep freeze so I made myself the Bella Mittens. I like them because they are long so no wind up the coat sleeves. Plus the are wool Patons SWS and supper warm!


I've also been spining! I finished 2 more hanks of the Navajo Churo, which is good because I was getting bored with it. I also spun a bunch of yarn purched from the HistoricStichers shop, including the Halloween Batt, a sample of the Llama/silk blend (yummy!!!) and tonight I started the Yellow Falkland hank in honnor of the super bowl. Okay so really it was because I was have a super knitting/spinning bowl during the game at my place and we decided the yellow was fitting. I have say the Llama/silk blend is where the drafting/feet combo really clicked!
I only have a picture of the Blended Halloween bat. I must say the color blend on this was beautiful, I can't wait to knit it up!

Lastly I leave you with pictures of my idea of a super bowl party! Knitters, food, and funny comercials! Jess and Heather witht their socks. Heather and I both had our wheels out, but after some beer switched to knitting!
Caroline and her almost done baby blanket! Cassie Marie, Carolyn(trying on her sock) and Beth! My hunny is in the background refilling triskits!

I must say it's a rare man who would let his girlfriend take over the widescreen and invite her knitting friends over for the super bowl! I think I'll keep him.

And that as they say is that, I can't promise another post before the opera ends though.