Cotton Spice Blog

The September 2007 issue is finished. It’s online and at Tammy’s being burned. It’ll be mailed out soon. So, this leaves me with a few weeks to play! My plan is to finish painting the trim and paint the front door. Make some curtains for the kitchen. I have some gifty projects underway I can’t talk about it.

My first embroidery stitch - Herringbone. Plain and stacked. I just finished Stitch #2 and #3, pictures soon. I like doing these embroidery stitch’s… I’m sure they will show up in my designs somewhere, somehow.

My bonsai tunic is coming along beautifully, I’m so thrilled with it.

This was a few days ago, now it’s about 10″ long, and I’m beginning the ribbing.

The really fun fabric I received the other day. Love playing with this… You’ll see some projects made with these fabrics in the December 2007 issue. More on it later.

Off to resume playing…

I tried and tried to make a gauge for my dollar and a half cardigan. It didn’t work out. It never turned out the same way twice, I couldn’t find any needles to get gauge. I finally wrote to the magazine to ask for help, no answer. I’m sure they’re busy.

Since the name of the pattern is unique, I googled it. And found that this sweater pattern is one of the awful ones. Many mistakes, and the people who did finish it were geniuses. I saw pictures of it made up and am in awe of those knitters. I read stories written by expert knitters and saw (rather than read) their pages of corrections and pictures to explain what was going on. I decided I didn’t need to turmoil or the frustration in my life.

So, I spent a few days looking for another pattern that would work with the yarn I bought. I finally landed on this one.

I’ve got about 4″ done and it’s turning out great. Pictures soon. Also coming soon, pictures of neat thread boxes, and embroidery lessons. But today, I’m working on my classes, and knitting and enjoying another day off.

I also received some very fun fabric in the mail, that I’m going to play with. Pictures of that too are coming.

More later!

I submitted a tutorial to whip up and they liked it. Take a look…    (toy bag from dishtowel)

Just about everyone I know loves to people watch. We are very interested in what other people are doing, wearing, eating and buying.

I’ve found a wonderful place to people watch. Right behind home plate. Watching the Cardinals games like we do every night, well, every night they are on, you can watch a lot of people. I’d say more than half of the camera time is spent on home plate - hitters hitting, runners scoring, catchers throwing people out - mainly Molina. I guess I don’t remember what was a strike with the other pitcher, and now it’s a ball, cause I’m busy watching the people sitting in the most expensive seats in the ball park.

One time, there were 2 ladies, obviously friends, sitting next to each other in the first row, in the center. They were beautifully dressed and perfectly coiffed and they talked the entire game. This is not to say they didn’t watch the game, but every single time the camera was on home plate, they were chatting. Laughing, eating, talking to each other or on the phone. If that’s all you wanted to do why would you do it in such an expensive place? there are die hard fans sitting on the bleachers who would’ve given their beer for those seats.

When we play in Houston, you can nearly almost always see George and Barbara Bush Sr., sitting behind home plate. They’re fun to watch too, just cause they’re the Bush’s. You don’t think of the ex President doing something like going to the ball park. Once maybe, but not every game! They laugh and talk and cheer their team on just like the other fans.

I also like the watch the ‘waiters’ for want of the proper word, going around the green seats, taking orders for food and drink. We common people have to wait in line for our beer and hot dogs. They have their order taken and their food delivered.

Some day I want to sit in the green seats.

(i might be thrown out when the actual ticket holder arrives, but I still got to sit there)

I knew, when I do decided to do the Take a Stitch Tuesday, I’d need my thread. When we moved, I had it all in one bag, horribly arranged, and I put it in the attic. Out of sight, out of mind.

So, today I ventured into the attic, and brought it down.

You know how it is when you haven’t seen something you have for a long time? You kind of forget about a lot of it. What you have, the colors, the FUN! Look at this and tell me it’s not fun!

I found a few skeins of hand dyed thread I’d been hanging onto forever…

and these lovely sweater clasps… oh, and yes, some Dayquil. You never know when you might need it!

Now, I wonder if I have any even count fabric? hmmm….

for the sweater I planned to make. I really hate making gauges. But I know I’d hate it more if I made an entire sweater and THEN found out it didn’t fit. So, I am making a gauge for this sweater.

The yarn is gorgeous, I love the way it knits up. However, I’m not crazy about the sweater pattern. The first gauge on size 5 needles is too small. And I knew somewhere in it I made a mistake. So, out come the size 6 needles and I realize that I can not do this lace pattern. It doesn’t like me. It never turns out the same way twice. It makes me doubt my knitting ability. Perhaps I should take it down a level or two. Or Three. Maybe I should stick with knitting dishcloth’s.

I thought about finding a new pattern to use the yarn and am not sure. Maybe I’ll ask about the original sweater pattern on their blog. Couldn’t hurt right?

I also have this thing about gauges. I never know how to use them. If it’s too small, does that mean I need larger needles or a different yarn? And why does the gauge have to be 4″ long? Can’t I count the rows in a 1″ swatch? Don’t even get me started on number of stitches in 4″. By the time you’re counting the 6th st and you look back to the beginning of where you started counting… well, which stitch did you start with anyway? Depending on how you look at it, it could start here or there. I’ve concluded I’m gauge-phobic. Maybe there’s a support group for wierdo’s like me?

I notice that I say that a lot. Mostly about things I’d like to do. I get my work done, I get some extra curricular things done, some housework done and I try to keep up my end of the chore list. But there is a List hanging around here labeled: I’ll Do This When I Have Time

The List is in my head, and some of the things I forget. But every now and then I come upon something I Really want to do and I don’t forget.

This week, 2 things like that happened. The first is some SEO and Marketing classes that have been recommended to me for a long by various people.  And they are free, it’s not like I had to save up the money! so, I’m signed up for them, the first Lesson was emailed to me today. I have some work to do!

The second thing actually happened last week - I found this blog and her Take A Stitch Tuesdays and immediately wanted to join in and catch up. Never mind that it started on Jan 1, 2007 and has a new stitch every week. I can catch up, really I can! yeah, maybe not.

But, I am going to start with Jan 1 and work my way up. I noticed the stitches get more complicated as you go down the list of stitches/weeks.

Here’s Week 1  when I get my stitches done, I’ll take a picture and post it.

Some time ago, I decided to make all the socks in a sock book I have. I’m still knitting socks, but sometimes life interrupts.  And after moving, I have to find the book. We don’t have any bookshelves here but we have lots and lots of books. Getting bookshelves was not high on the list, so the books are stored here and there in closets and out of the way corners.

It’s nice to realize that the moment ‘when I have time’ is never going to come. Let’s enjoy life Now, and not wait for it to happen to us.

“There are many women who still have one or both parents living. As our parents age and move into their 80s and 90s, they often need a family member to care for them. Are you currently the caregiver for a parent? Perhaps you are the caregiver for a beloved grandparent. What have you observed through this process and how have you worked this care giving into your family life? What difficulties have you encountered, and how have you resolved them? What has been successful for you? Share your insights, observations, concerns with us.”

As I started reading the question this time, I nearly didn’t answer. I’m not caring for any elderly relatives. And I don’t foresee doing it in the near future.  My father is passed away and my mother and step father are both healthy and active. And even when they are much older, they have resources to insure a comfortable living. The reason I decided to answer is this - when I was young, before I got married, I worked in a retirement home. It wasn’t one of those nice resort type places, it was one of those ‘had to put her somewhere and this was the only place we could afford’ places. Sad, dreary, hopeless places. I couldn’t work there for very long. My technical reason was the commute - it was in the next town. But I fear the real reason was the hopelessness and the sadness of the place. I was too young and not mature enough to stay and make a difference.

However, that experience opened my eyes and I made a promise to myself that I would never do that to my parents, or inlaws. I realize at times medical care is needed. I also realize that the nicer places with medical care are extremely expensive. But, if there was any way I could avoid doing that, I would. And if there was no way around it and I had to do this, I would visit often and continue to be involved in their life.

When my parents were young and I came along, I’m sure they must have had a hard time affording all the extra expense I brought with me. They took care of me, they didn’t say “I just can’t afford to take care of that baby anymore!” and ship me off to an orphanage. They just made it work. I feel we have the same joyful obligation to our parents.

The cycle of life goes round and round - they take care of us and then the day comes when we take care of them. It’s all part of being a family. For the majority of our history, it was normal for different generations to grow up under the same roof. They all took care of each other. Now, it’s become very abnormal to do this and even considered a burden. How very sad. Older people have such wisdom and experience to share, to pass on to us younger ones. When we go through earth-shattering experiences, they can tell us how they went through the same or similar things. They give hope.

I realize, not having had to do this, you who are doing this might be snickering. Thinking I’m a bit naive, and foolish to make such rash promises. I’m sure it’s harder than I think it is. I have a tremendous respect for those of you who are taking care of your parents (or other relative). I believe it’s part of the ‘honoring thy father and mother’. And what does the rest of that verse say? ’so that it will go well for you.’

Personally, I can’t imagine living a comfortable life, going about my business happily while my mother was in one of those sad places. If this situation comes to reality in my life, I will happily and joyfully take care of my parents, my MIL, my aunt or whoever needed it. God provides. He’s blessed me so much, I can’t help but want to pass that on to someone else.

Randi at I have to say… has had a lovely Back to Homeschool Week. Today is the last day and I’m finally chiming in. I’m about the 80th person to link to her question, so it may be just for us!

I’ve been a Charlotte Mason fan since I first heard of her about 10 yrs ago or so. My children were 98% grown by that time, but I wished I’d had the opportunity do this from the beginning. We had a short stint with homeschooling (before learning about Charlotte Mason) with a purchased curriculum - I don’t even remember where it was from, but it was boring and we all hated it. When my youngest son was in his last year of high school, we made the decision to homeschool him and I was happy to start with Charlotte Mason. It was pre-internet, every family has a computer days, and I was going by her books.

One of my fondest memories with my youngest son was reading 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to him. He’s grown up now and living his own life with children of his own.

And now, at this time in my life I have the opportunity to homeschool my 12 yr old step daughter. Charlotte Mason, here we come! After doing much research - and isn’t hs’ing easier with computers and the internet? - I settled on Ambleside Online

Her last year of public school was 6th. We’ve started AO in Year 4. She’s an extremely intelligent girl, and was totally bored in public school. She loves to read, and so the AO choice is a good fit. I love the fact that she is reading Good books and Scripture every day. Her handwriting has improved. She is blossoming and I think a lot of it is due the exercise her mind is getting.

I had my doubts about her reading Plutarch - it just seemed so archaic and wouldn’t it be too hard? No. It isn’t. “Too hard” is good for her, well anyone really, and it stretches her and makes her think. I’m very pleased with the way we’re doing things and very appreciative of the AO website and all the effort put into it by others.

So, remember I had to order the Spring 2007 issue of Interweave Knits? I looked in my magazine stack for it, and was sure I didn’t have it. It arrived today. I found the Spring 2007 issue of Interweave Knits in the magazine stack yesterday. What’s a girl to do?

Did you know there was a contest to design the new Iron Chef coat? I found it the other day but the deadline is tomorrow, so I guess I won’t be entering. Assuming I had an idea.

Vogue: Like what you saw on our special anniversary covers? All 10 patterns are yours for the knitting.

The garnet yarn I ordered to make my dollar and a half cardigan is out of stock. My second choice was brown, like the picture. The UPS tracking number says it should be delivered on 8-15. So long…

Back to working on the magazine…