Where have I been?

I've been stressing about posting more regularly because it is something I really want to do. However, as with anyone's life, there has been a lot going on. In order to cut myself some slack, I've established some new rules.

1. Sometimes it is okay if a post does not have a picture.

2. Who is this for anyway? I need to be okay with whatever I want to post and whenever I want to post.

3. I teach high school full time and three college classes. Time is a little scarce.

4. I knit, a lot!

5. Do I remember to write down everything I complete, no. Is that okay? Yes.

6. Can I do better next year? Yes :)

Sometimes there are just kind people in the world who share of themselves and their goods. I'm thankful for these people in my life, and especially in my knitting group, specifically Connie. I was gifted with enough wool for a cardigan and I can't wait to knit it. I'm pretty sure I've decided on a pattern (the Woolen Cashmere Twinset cardigan from Knitting Classic Style) and need to psych myself up for the challenge of knitting such a large project on size 3 needles with sock weight yarn. Something really neat about this yarn is the yarn band that doesn't give the yardage but does give the date and it is from 1973. It's like I will have a vintage sweater even before I knit it!

Gypsy Wools in Boulder

Okay, I'm fairly certain that I am obsessive about my knitting. I challenged myself at the beginning of this year to abstain from buying yarn as a New Year's resolution. Clearly, that didn't happen. So, I've resigned myself to failure and have accepted defeat in this situation. Recently, I had a fabulous opportunity to study Japanese Internment Camps at the University of Colorado in Boulder with TEA/NCTA which is a great chance to learn about an interesting topic and then share that knowledge with my students. One of the side benefits is that I also got to do a little shopping in the evening. But, let's be real. The only shop that I went to was Gypsy Wools on Pearl Street. This is a lovely shop with a fabulous selection of hand-dyed yarns. One of my favorite is Kona Sport and I took advantage of this shopping opportunity! I've justified my expedition in some ways by choosing yarn that I will knit into Christmas gifts - not that I don't have enough already. Anyway, I love this yarn and I've already started a project with it. As I was talking to the owner, she mentioned she was finishing some dying and I asked if I could take a picture. Isn't it lovely? I fight the urge to spin or dye my own yarn. I can only handle so many addictions so I will just have to support others in their endeavors! And trust me, I did :)

I am suspicious of anyone who says they are a knitter and goes on a week long training without yarn or needles. Just sayin'.

Pink

I just found out that one of my best friends, Kim, is going to be a grandmother. Not only is she going to be a grandmother but she already knows that she will be cuddling a precious little girl. I can already imagine the fun she will have with her planning tea parties, playing with dolls, dressing her in pretty pink bows. To some of you, my description may sound a little sexist. Why can't she play with trucks? Why does she have to wear pink? All I can say is, calm down. Of course she can do all those things. I believe girls have the ability and should have the rights to do anything that any boy has the right to do. But, isn't it also okay that she wear pink proudly? I love pink and all things that are stereotypically girly. That's okay, too. Right? Kim will be one of my first close friends to have a grandchild and I want to knit and sew thoughtful items that will make both baby and grandma feel special. I can already envision the Ysolda Teague Tiny Shoes I want to knit and for which to find the perfect buttons. There is a little dress, Clara, that I've been wanting to knit but really didn't have anyone in mind and now I can knit it for someone special. I love to knit, but I really love to knit for babies!

I love spending time with family and can't imagine not living close to my children. We all get busy and lead very separate lives but still manage to intertwine ourselves in a way that makes us supportive and inseparable while still being able to stand on our own. It is an interesting paradox. In many ways we are stronger alone because we are never alone. I took this picture a few months ago when I drove up to Prescott with a friend and it makes me think about growing up in a small town. Yuma seemed like a small town when I was there but you certainly wouldn't know that now. However, even though we live in a large city now, I think we make small towns out of our communities - church groups, knitting groups, co-workers, etc. I pray that I always live close to my children and am able to provide them with a sense of community and small town feelings. I hope they always know there is a place to come "home" and will never feel lost or alone. I wish, however, at this "home" that I had a porch on which I could sit in a rocker and knit. Not the old lady kind of mindless rocking but a place where you can enjoy the outdoors and still produce a beautiful piece of art - with a lovely view, of course. I suppose that I am dreaming a little bit. The weather is currently 113 for a high and the low is 93. Definitely not the weather for rocking on the porch and knitting, so for now, I will sit in my air conditioned sewing room and create! It's really a beautiful room.

I have mentioned many times that I love knitting baby items. I don't know what it is that draws me to these pieces. My friend, Stacy, asked why I like little things so much and I didn't really have an answer for her. But as I begin to contemplate some of the things I have recently made, it might be the immediate gratifications as small items knit up more quickly or it could be the the sheer tininess of the item that causes me to smile.

Something else I learned about myself recently is that I'm not really fond of pop culture cartoon characters. Mostly, I prefer ideas or concepts that are more enduring rather than trendy items that are simply a passing fad and quickly fade from our cultural minds. I tend to be drawn to classics like Teddy Bears, flowers, hearts, farm animals and such. Maybe you think that's weird but have you ever thought about what causes some of our likes and dislikes? I'm sure our upbringing has a lot to do with the choices we make, along with our likes and dislikes, but there has to be outside influences that help us make these determinations.

Perhaps this is just too much contemplation. I've been knitting a lot lately and the themes seem to be Teddy Bears and Flowers. I like them :)