Dawn Magic Sky and a Curly Whirly

A very quick entry today, duty calls me from home and hearth.
I was lured outside into the freezing early morning by this magical dawn sky a few days ago - it was spectacular and fleeting purples, roses, shimmering golds. Definitely A Gift and so I say thanks!





A couple of weeks ago, I happened upon this blog:
Curly Whirlies
There are loads of links to a variety of patterns, and some great pictures of others' fun making swirly, spiraly, ruffley scarves. Since I love to make corkscrew and spiral embellishments I thought it might be fun to make a whole scarf. These are my samples and experiments:







And here is my finished scarf, done in crochet:
I didn't use any particular pattern. This was made on a chain of 120. I used one skein of handpainted spiral wool I got from Over the Rainbow on eBay last year and edged it with LaGran mohair.

I've decided to wish people "Merry Knitmas!" and declare it a year-round, perpetual celebration fiberlalala la la la laaaaaaa!

Mug Wisdom,Gifties & Secret Pal 7

"SHE WHO LAUGHS...LASTS"

Thank you, Mary Engelbreit! It is very nice to have my morning tea in substantial mugs that remind me of such important things. Another favorite of mine is "Bloom Where You're Planted."

Thank you to dear old friend-from-Miami (now in North Carolina) Joanne, who sent me these lovely balls of a bamboo yarn in spring colors. I haven't worked with bamboo fiber yet. This is like a heavy silk. I'm thinking little pouches....

And my e-friend Peggy in Arizona sent me an actual snail-mail letter and enclosed a card from Wee Wonderfuls.
What a treat - so thank you, too, Peggy!


My friend Cheri from right here in Terre Haute gave us yummy brownies AND blondies from GreystonBakery. They are, of course, gone, so there is no picture. But they looked just like the picture on the home page, only in an uncut slab! Very homemade-y and incredibly rich. Since Greyston is a socially conscious business, their brownie calories seem to be Guilt-Free, if not fat-free.

On the subject of gifties - I'm thrilled to have discovered that sign-up is in progress for Secret Pal 7.

I have been reading about Secret Pals in other blogs and was wondering how to get in on the fun, so when I found the link I ran right over and signed right up.

New Goodies and a Spiral Square

Just time for a quick note, as I have to spend most of the day out at the nursing home. I'm trying to tend to my spirit by going to my art and creative activities as much as possible. Between that and meditation, even 10 minutes, I am able to keep on trucking.

Just received a package from one of my favorite fiber people on eBay, Bob of Winderwood Farm. Today's delights:
a small Kromski niddy-noddy
8 oz. of beautifully dyed merino/tussah silk
a 4 X 6 Weavette


I have several vintage Weave-It looms, and I'm hoping to start something take-along soon.

On the knitting front, I'm always knitting a scarf in some kind of Noro and have started making some more large squares in Kureyon. Perhaps I shall make another 3-Square Shawl, but I'm also going to explore creating a vest out of the squares.

Meanwhile, I knitted this interesting spiral square, from a pattern in Hand Knitting / New Directions by Alison Ellen. I made it very big, using a whole skein of Kureyon for all the garter stitch raised rows and Cascade 220 in black for the alternating 2-row stockinette. I haven't blocked it or anything and it measures about 15" on each side. I'm thinking of making a shawl with this as the center piece and doing something else for the sides. We shall see....

3-Square Silk Garden Shawl

It is cold and gray today in Indiana. I haven't had much opportunity or even the will to update my blog here for nearly a month. The situation with my mother has continued to be difficult and depressing, though certainly nothing that an enormous number of other people don't experience as life cycles spiral on.

As always, during such times, I am grateful for knitting and spinning. What a blessing to have the ability to occupy my hands and mind in these soothing and rhythmic acts, acts that connect me with the earth through the fibers, grounding me, and with a community of knitters and spinners that stretches back through history, assuring me I am not alone. I doubt there's much I can say to add to the body of writing that's out there now on the meditative and spiritual rewards of fiber work. Just sending my gratitude out into the universe....

My creative concerns and doings over the last month: I've made more of the beautiful ribbed scarves using 2 different colors of Kureyon and Silk Garden. I've also begun to explore what I can do with very simple knitted shapes - specifically right now The Square. I'm continuing to play with Noro yarns.

I finished this shawl just this morning. It didn't take me very long at all - perhaps a week all together. It is made of 3 squares of Silk Garden #34, a colorway that makes me think of lichens. I used #13 needles and size G crochet hook for the edging.

Each square is garter stitch and made of 2 balls. I started with 1 stitch and increased 2st (1 at the beginning and one at the end) every other row until I had 71 stitches and had used almost 1 ball. I then started another ball and started decreasing 2st every other row.




After sewing together the squares,
I did a single crochet edging around the neck and front edges and a crocheted shell-type of edging all around for the bottom edge. I think a knitted, ruffly lichen-like edging might look good, but I was in a hurry to finish this so I could wear it today to church, so I went with the crochet.

I'm pleased to say my shawl was welcomed and made to feel very good about itself! And me, too.