Oh Boy! I went downstairs to do the laundry and was side tracked by my messy, very messy yarn room. The poor room has been neglected lately due to the fact I have been working on so many different things. So I took a little time, and dug through some things and found a couple of UFO that I had totally forgot about. One was a scarf that I started maybe 3 years ago, I have no idea what the pattern was, but after taking a look I think I can make it into a cowl and call it good. I found a baby blanket that was started by another lady, then given to me to finish about 2 years ago. It's a simple pattern that I think I can pick up and finish. I found others that I had no idea what I was doing. Those will be frogged or donated to the trash man. I can't believe that I have let my knitting room go so bad. I am totally embarrassed at the stage of disarray. But, I don't have time to really dig in and get it shaped up. So I will be adding that to my to do list, for this fall. Yep, I said Fall. Only because I have so many other things on my plate that I won't have time until September or October. UGH!!
I had an idea for decoration at the yarn shop and I decided to give it a try and see how it would work out. I purchased a blow up beach ball for a $1 and the Dollar store and found some red yarn. I begun wrapping the yarn around the beach ball to form a huge ball of yarn. I had it almost covered when I ran out.... Well, as I was working in my yarn room I looked and looked for another bit of red yarn. To my surprise I have no red yarn in my stash! What the heck! But I did find 2 skeins of orange. So I think I will try again and just make it orange. But I really want red, I may have to go buy some red yarn to finish this project.
Update on Baby G, He is 8 and a half months old now. He is pulling up and just started getting the courage to let go and stand for a split second before he plops down on his bottom. He is also teething something awful right now. Along with all that, he has broke out in a horrible diaper rash. We are doing everything we can think of to clear it up. My little guy just hasn't been that happy this week.
As far as the yarn shop, I don't have much news on it. But I do have my eyes on this sweet girl that works in the quilt shop. She is a knitter too. We talked the other day and she really wants to come work in the yarn shop. I think I will see if I can snag her from the main shop to work with me. I love her personality and she has tremendous knitting knowledge. She has been knitting almost all her life. She was taught by her mother and is very much in the know of the young knitters. So I am crossing my fingers that Mary can help out in the yarn shop when it opens. I've also got my eye on a couple other ladies at the quilt shop. Nicole, I've worked with her a few times and she is very detail ordinated and once she is set on a task she gets it done. The other thing I love about Nicole, is her smile. She comes off a little shy at first, but when she smiles her face really warms up. The other young lady is Sara, however, Sara doesn't want to learn to knit and she is fitting in very well at the main quilt shop and does an amazing job. As much I would love to work with her, because she lifts my spirits every time I'm around her, I don't think it will happen.
It is exciting to visit with people about the soon to open yarn shop. It's crazy how many quilters are knitters and the are all super excited that soon we will have yarn available. I've received nothing but positive feedback from our shoppers. I'm crossing my fingers that this shop will take off like a rocket! I can't wait to find a group of knitters to share ideas with. Maybe, if we have enough local knitters we can start a knitting group one night a month.
What's on my Needles?
Well, right now I'm working on a new sock pattern. I've already titled it Big Foot. My husband has a size 13 foot and wants a pair of socks. I'm working out the numbers and trying to find a pattern that is interesting to knit but plain enough for a guy to like enough to wear them.
I've got ideas in the back of my head for an apron, revisiting my towel toper, and I might attempt another sweater.
I don't know about sweaters. I've made a few and they have all had stories of their own on how they turned out. But I have this fear in my gut about making fitted garments... To me, Socks are safe and easy. Sweaters are Mount Everest!
Showing posts with label My Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label My Life. Show all posts
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Baby, Fireworks, Yarn Patterns and Quilt Shop
Yep my plate is full right now.
First off, Baby G is turning 9 months soon and I need to get him in for his check up. He is teething and not sleeping well, thus, I am not sleeping well.
Next week our tent will be set and product delivered for our firework tent. My husband runs it, but I help with pricing, inventory control, scheduling, payroll, running to the store and breaking him so he can go home to rest and take a shower. This year the tent is setting a week earlier than normal. So instead of two weeks, we are looking at three full weeks of life under the big top. If you have never worked a firework tent, you have no idea how hard it is. I'll just leave it at that...
I've also been working on some knitting designs. A simple dish cloth and not so simple socks. I want to get a bunch together and see if I can get them published. That is a dream that I really hope comes true. Next I plan on making a pattern for a baby blanket, re-working my hat design and towel topper. When I'm done I want to have around 10 designs to package.
I'm also working at the Quilt Shop while working on everything else. It has been a blast! Recently I've had the opportunity to spread my wings a little and work in a couple of the small shops. It's been so fun! I can't tell you how many quilters I have ran into that are also knitters! They all seem very excited for the yarn shop to open.
So as of right now, I've got a check up for Baby G, Fireworks for 3 weeks, the yarn shop opening, then a small surgery for Baby G in August. Next thing I know summer will be over...
Oh and my poor garden! I didn't pick all my radishes soon enough and they went to seed. I picked a couple of turnips today and made turnip fries as a snack (yummy). Only one Cauliflower plant made it and the Broccoli looks really sad. Carrots look ok and the yellow squash has blooms. I thing most of the corn got washed away. Nothing else really made it. I think one tomato plant has got a couple of fruits on it. But this year the rain and flooding has not helped the garden grow.
So it's 2am, Baby G is finally sleeping and I need to be up in 3 and half hours to get ready for work... Wish me luck!
First off, Baby G is turning 9 months soon and I need to get him in for his check up. He is teething and not sleeping well, thus, I am not sleeping well.
Next week our tent will be set and product delivered for our firework tent. My husband runs it, but I help with pricing, inventory control, scheduling, payroll, running to the store and breaking him so he can go home to rest and take a shower. This year the tent is setting a week earlier than normal. So instead of two weeks, we are looking at three full weeks of life under the big top. If you have never worked a firework tent, you have no idea how hard it is. I'll just leave it at that...
I've also been working on some knitting designs. A simple dish cloth and not so simple socks. I want to get a bunch together and see if I can get them published. That is a dream that I really hope comes true. Next I plan on making a pattern for a baby blanket, re-working my hat design and towel topper. When I'm done I want to have around 10 designs to package.
I'm also working at the Quilt Shop while working on everything else. It has been a blast! Recently I've had the opportunity to spread my wings a little and work in a couple of the small shops. It's been so fun! I can't tell you how many quilters I have ran into that are also knitters! They all seem very excited for the yarn shop to open.
So as of right now, I've got a check up for Baby G, Fireworks for 3 weeks, the yarn shop opening, then a small surgery for Baby G in August. Next thing I know summer will be over...
Oh and my poor garden! I didn't pick all my radishes soon enough and they went to seed. I picked a couple of turnips today and made turnip fries as a snack (yummy). Only one Cauliflower plant made it and the Broccoli looks really sad. Carrots look ok and the yellow squash has blooms. I thing most of the corn got washed away. Nothing else really made it. I think one tomato plant has got a couple of fruits on it. But this year the rain and flooding has not helped the garden grow.
So it's 2am, Baby G is finally sleeping and I need to be up in 3 and half hours to get ready for work... Wish me luck!
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
How I learned to Knit
Welcome to Jenny Fish Knits.
This is my blog sharing my knitting adventures.
Let me start by sharing how I originally got into knitting...
February 2007
My oldest son Caleb was in 5th grade. He was struggling at school and I had to place him in a special school for behavior issues. This school was a therapeutic school, it require parental interaction and it became very clear to me that I needed to stop working and focus on my son and his needs. After budgeting and planning I quit my day job and became a full time stay-at-home mother. After my son settled in and his behavior issues settled down I found myself with blocks of free time that I didn't know what to do with. As a young girl my Grandmother had showed me how to cross stitch, crochet and do needle work. I tried cross stitching again, but my eyes didn't seem to want to focus on the tiny holes in the Aida cloth. When I tried to crochet everything turned out like an upside down bikini bottom and I didn't seem to place my hook in the right place.
One day I was chatting with by best friend Becca, and out of no where I stated I wanted to learn how to knit. Let me take a second to introduce Becca. She is my partner in crime, the one that has always has my back, stands by my side and encourages me to be the person I am. She has amazing faith in me and always lifts me up when I'm down, and pulls me back to reality when I need a swift kick in the butt. If ever their was such a thing as a soul sister, kindred spirit or sister from another mother... That is My Becca! If you know me, you know the name Becca.
Okay, so back to me blurting out that I wanted to learn how to knit. To my surprise she said she did too! She set out looking for a knitting class and found one at a craft store in Oklahoma City. She signed us up for the class. The class cost us $20 a person and lasted two hours. We got our supplies and went to the class. Now, this class was a beginners class. By that, I mean a true beginners class. We spent two hours waiting on the rest of the class to learn how to make a slip knot.
By the time we got out of the class we were both disappointed in how slow the class moved. How the instructor didn't seem to be a fit for us. After the class we went home and I searched YouTube for videos on knitting. I found a few that seemed promising. I took out my aluminum needles and cheap acrylic yarn and set in front of the computer determined I was going to figure out how to do this Cast On sling shot looking thing. I played with the needles and yarn for hours. Eventually I got it!
I called Becca and we made plans for her to come over so I could show her my new found trick. Between Becca and I, we figure out the Cast On, the Knit stitch and after some time we learned how to purl. We mucked our way through a few dish clothes and soon we learned scarves and baby blankets.
By this time I was feeling pretty good about us knitting. Becca found a knitting group called Stitch and Bitch at a local yarn store. So we packed up our aluminum needles and acrylic yarn and joined the group. When we walked into the yarn shop it was like a light shined from above and the angles sang Halleluiah. We learned several things that day. Yarn can me made out of more than just acrylic, needles can have cords and be made out of other materials. The ladies in the group educated us. By the time we left that night we had been schooled!
We continued to visit the group and soon we learned how to make hats, gloves, sweaters and even SOCKS!
This is my blog sharing my knitting adventures.
Let me start by sharing how I originally got into knitting...
February 2007
My oldest son Caleb was in 5th grade. He was struggling at school and I had to place him in a special school for behavior issues. This school was a therapeutic school, it require parental interaction and it became very clear to me that I needed to stop working and focus on my son and his needs. After budgeting and planning I quit my day job and became a full time stay-at-home mother. After my son settled in and his behavior issues settled down I found myself with blocks of free time that I didn't know what to do with. As a young girl my Grandmother had showed me how to cross stitch, crochet and do needle work. I tried cross stitching again, but my eyes didn't seem to want to focus on the tiny holes in the Aida cloth. When I tried to crochet everything turned out like an upside down bikini bottom and I didn't seem to place my hook in the right place.
One day I was chatting with by best friend Becca, and out of no where I stated I wanted to learn how to knit. Let me take a second to introduce Becca. She is my partner in crime, the one that has always has my back, stands by my side and encourages me to be the person I am. She has amazing faith in me and always lifts me up when I'm down, and pulls me back to reality when I need a swift kick in the butt. If ever their was such a thing as a soul sister, kindred spirit or sister from another mother... That is My Becca! If you know me, you know the name Becca.
Okay, so back to me blurting out that I wanted to learn how to knit. To my surprise she said she did too! She set out looking for a knitting class and found one at a craft store in Oklahoma City. She signed us up for the class. The class cost us $20 a person and lasted two hours. We got our supplies and went to the class. Now, this class was a beginners class. By that, I mean a true beginners class. We spent two hours waiting on the rest of the class to learn how to make a slip knot.
By the time we got out of the class we were both disappointed in how slow the class moved. How the instructor didn't seem to be a fit for us. After the class we went home and I searched YouTube for videos on knitting. I found a few that seemed promising. I took out my aluminum needles and cheap acrylic yarn and set in front of the computer determined I was going to figure out how to do this Cast On sling shot looking thing. I played with the needles and yarn for hours. Eventually I got it!
I called Becca and we made plans for her to come over so I could show her my new found trick. Between Becca and I, we figure out the Cast On, the Knit stitch and after some time we learned how to purl. We mucked our way through a few dish clothes and soon we learned scarves and baby blankets.
By this time I was feeling pretty good about us knitting. Becca found a knitting group called Stitch and Bitch at a local yarn store. So we packed up our aluminum needles and acrylic yarn and joined the group. When we walked into the yarn shop it was like a light shined from above and the angles sang Halleluiah. We learned several things that day. Yarn can me made out of more than just acrylic, needles can have cords and be made out of other materials. The ladies in the group educated us. By the time we left that night we had been schooled!
We continued to visit the group and soon we learned how to make hats, gloves, sweaters and even SOCKS!
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