New New New!

Wow this is a week of new for me!! New Computer, New patterns, New truck.
I am in the process of writing and test crocheting three different patterns right now.  Some days that gets a little confusing.  I will mix up which size hook I am using and start on one of them and my gauge seems way off.  I thought maybe I had a glass of wine I forgot about but then I realized oops I am using a size J hook on my size G project again. Damn maybe I should have had that glass of wine.  I can't tell you much about them but one is an article of clothing that does not have sleeves (hint hint), another is a set that can be worn in this blustery weather we are getting today. Oh yeah, did I mention they use different hook sizes?? Now why do I go do things like that to myself?  If I could learn to get a gauge in one hook size only it would really make my life easier and my bag a lot lighter.  Just a bit of news to share, I received my first check today from the design I sold.  I can now "Officially" say I have sold a design!!  It is not published yet so I cannot tell you anymore, but some day soon!
I had to get a new truck this week.  My old one was to the point of falling apart as I drove it down the road.  I lost the exhaust pipe a few weeks ago, now I really am not kidding about this, it was so loud that when I drove into the parking ramp at work I would set off the same car alarm every day. The boy child did not want to ride into the ramp with me, he asked to be dropped off in the street.  The new one is great, it is an older Nissan Pathfinder.  The really great thing is that it has a remote starter and heated seats!!! What more can I ask for on a cold winter day?? Warm feet and tushey!!  It has some rust around the wheel wells and along the doors, Who among us doesn't?  I was thinking about crocheting a little skirt to cover those areas. Hmm, I will have to put some more thought into that one.  Any thought how I could get it to stay??  Gorilla Glue? Hot Glue? Craft Glue? This week I am planning on Yarn Bombing the fence at Yarn Harbor, why not my vehicle?  OK, Blog readers leave me a comment, any thought how I should best yarn bomb my new truck?  I am open to any and all suggestions.  I have to make sure that the pieces are secure enough to not come off while driving, I do not want to get a littering fine!!

How do you think they did this?

New Computer Day!

I had to get a new computer last week.  My old laptop had no working USB ports and it would just decide to lock up and not respond when ever it felt like it.  I was beginning to think it might have become a teenager.  It is not that old but maybe computers lives are like dog years for every actual one they age 7 years. Hmm, something to ponder.  So I went with DH who just so happen to be going to school in computery stuff and he told me which one to buy.  The sales boy, and yes I think I have jeans older then he was, asked if I wanted the extended geek squad stuff and I said "No, I have my own." (pointing to DH).
  I have now had the pleasure of transferring all the files and stuff from the old one to the new one.  That does not seem like a chore to some people but without working USB ports you have to put it on a disk and move it,  not fun.  It did however make me clean out some of those files that you don't realize are still hanging around.  I found a great wealth of knowledge about the Ancient Pharaohs and the Egyptian tombs, (The boy child had to do a report on them on 11th grade) If you are asking yourself, didn't he graduate a year ago? You are correct.  So why is that stuff on my computer? Well once you move on it does not clear itself out, apparently.  I guess at some point I had tried to move a block of photos and it copied them, 7 times.  OOPS.  I found all kinds of little nuggets like that.  By the time I was done house cleaning things were so streamlined it was sailing right along.  Hmmmm Makes me wonder, if I had cleaned all this junk out before, would I still have needed a new computer?  Oh well it is a business expense, that makes it worth it.  I with I could do other house cleaning as efficiently, just move everything to the little garbage can icon and hit delete, it all goes away and I don't have to think about it again.  Why can't doing dishes, sweeping, laundry, sorting stash yarn all be just as easy.  I might actually do some of it more often if it were.  I should talk to DH about computerizing those things.  Oh well I guess it is time to get back to work, now I have to start creating new files on the new machine.  Did I mention I got a new mouse tooo?  It is purple!!

Fall Colors!!!

Today I wanted to share some of the incredible photos that have been taken in the last week of the Duluth and surrounding areas.  Some of them are from here in town and a few are from up along the North Shore.  I know the fall colors are breath taking all over the US but I want to share some of ours.  I heard it is the most spectacular viewing this year because of the wet spring, hot summer, warm days and cold nights we experienced.  Today it is 70 degrees but we are supposed to have several days of heavy winds so the leaves will soon be on the ground and in the immortal word of Mr. Dillon, "Blowin' in the wind"!  Enjoy!

Sock class!

My attempt to kick (bad pun intended) Single Sock Syndrome has not gone well, I set out to make the second sock to one of the many I have been working on.  I think fate has a very nasty sense of humor.  I got all the way to the middle of the foot and found I am running out of yarn. We do not have any of that colorway left in the store.  Now I have to put it on hold till we get more in, who knows how many more I will have started by then!  I started teaching a sock class yesterday. My DH really thinks it is hysterically funny that I am teaching crochet socks and I have yet to actually finish a pair.  When you are teaching you only need to make one for samples, so see, it is not as silly as it sounds.  Maybe this will motivate me to get them all done???? I can hope, If I were you I would not hold my breath.  I can pretty much guarantee it will not end well, you will be turn blue and I will still be hopping around in one sock.

CGOA Design Contest

I just went to the CGOA site and my design entry did not win anything this year. Go to Doris Chan's blog to see photos of the winning entries. They are fantastic!!  I am very happy for everyone who did win. Oh well, I am not out anything for trying.  I did however hear from an unnamed editor of an unnamed magazine who would like me to send her some photos and a proposal for the unnamed article.  How is that for telling you a whole lot of nothing.  I cannot share anything more about it now but if it does happen to get somewhere in the future you can say "Hey, I vaguely remember her not telling us about this!"  Hopefully more info to come......

Anyone else cold???

Fall is really here!  I knew it was coming and was not surprised the first time the radiators kicked on, I have also put the extra comforter on the bed, started wearing socks, put the sandals away for the season and pulled the AC out of the window.  I have also been looking at patterns for sweaters and feeling yarn, thinking could I wear this against my skin all day?  It is funny to me that when we as fiber people, I include knitters, weavers, crocheters, spinners,etc, feel cold we start to think about making a sweater or an afghan instead of getting one out of the closet.  I know you are thinking about this and now realize you have had the same thoughts.  Well, I have been designing quite a few vests lately and I never thought of myself as a vest person but that's what I have been doing.  If I really want to analyze it deeper I think it has to do with single sock syndrome! If it is not obvious, sleeves are like socks; there are two of them and they are exactly the same.  I get bored making them.  I just finished a new vest, (I actually followed a pattern) as I was doing it I was making changes in my head as to how I will do it differently.  New pattern on its way. I bought some Three Irish Girls yarn in a merino silk blend for it.  I am excited to get started.  It may or may not have sleeves, that is yet to be determined.

Where have I been

OK, I have been lax in my posting lately. Sorry, That is my apology, here is my reason, not excuse but reason. In the last 10 days I have worked at Yarn Harbor 5 days, had 22 clients, got my son ready to start a new job, written 2 patterns, finished 6 felted slippers (which are not right), rewritten a pattern twice (still not right), taught 5 classes, finished 4 projects, and I even cooked!  I know life is busy, no excuses. I have apologized and now we are moving on. new blog posts in the coming days!  Rant Complete!