In any case, I had a day for me (that's actually more like a day for meeeeeeeeeee!!!! in my head.) I did lots of exciting things: I baked. I put away laundry. I surreptitiously threw away stuff that my husband will not part with but won't miss if they're gone (and, in case he reads this: the bowl was cracked. Cracked - much like you, sweetie.)
Then I waited till the sun came out briefly, took a snap and then wrapped up my friend Lenka's afghan:
(And this was not finished a moment too soon. I had just about reached the point where I was crocheting resentment and ill-will into every stitch, and that shouldn't be part of the present you give.)
I also started taking apart a jumper that my friend Vanda gave me: it's a cashmere pullover with excellent seams for unravelling:
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| Although it almost seems blasphemous to take something like this apart, the wool was in need of a bit of tender loving care ... in the form of a Kool Aid bath. |
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| The first dreaded snip has been taken! |
Tomorrow, I'm going to dye it! This, as you might remember, involves Kool Aid and a big mess - hurray!
;-)) Bless you, you did make me smile with your comments over Mr Gingerbread. Your blanket is stunning your friend is one very lucky lady its amazing. I love the colour and the design and the different shape square its gorgeous. dee x
ReplyDeleteWe recently talked about crochet resentment over on my blog and it seems to be the case that it does come up a lot with long projects especially those made for someone else. Glad you were able to get through it because what an amazing gift!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blanket! I think I'm resigning myself to knowing I will never get beyond a cushion cover: my attention span just won't allow it... looking forward to seeing your dyeing adventures, I haven't had a chance to have a go. Yet.
ReplyDeleteThat sweater was a yarn Score!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe blanket is bright and beautiful, your friend is very lucky :-)
ReplyDeleteMy husband is a little like yours, he never wants to throw anything away just in case he might need one day so I usually end up doing it when he's not home. The funny thing is that he can go for months or years without using a certain item or without even knowing where it is but as soon as I get rid of it he always wants it for something or other!!
The afghan is gorgeously colorful. Our knitting group at work was just having that discussion about knitting being "fun" and if profanity was spewing out of your mouth, it was probably time to put the project away.....lest the bad thoughts get knit into it.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blanket. And that yarn looks perfect for dying, can't wait to see the finished result!
ReplyDeleteYou've done another exceptionally beautiful work of art! Love yo0ur afghan, and your idea with taking about the sweater is exactly what I've been doing for years. It saves tons of money when buying second hand and remaking it all into something even better in our own eyes!! Can't wait to see what colour you are making it into!? :)
ReplyDeleteLucky friend to have such a gorgeous gift and lucky you to have a day to do whatever you like!!!!! We love those days, don't get me wrong, we love our chaps, but those 'me' days are so wonderful!
ReplyDeleteAnd will we get to see what the big kinky 'sheep' looks like dyed, hope so :D
ReplyDeleteI've been reading and following your blog and all of your different projects! Such talent and a marvellous sense of humour to go with it. I love your work, very creative and so.... colourful! Your recipes are also very, very good. I live in canada but so enjoy your Irish style! have you thought of writing a book?
ReplyDeleteThank you for an informative and inspirational site. I do a lot of crocheting and baking, so look forward to your latest projects!!
Hello Jane! Thank you for coming by for a visit! I tried to visit your blogs to leave you a little note, but I couldn't comment - so I'll just give you a big wave here and say thank you for reading (and for the very kind comments :-)
ReplyDeleteHello G.L.
ReplyDeleteSo nice to hear from you, I'm a novice at blogging, i just started lasr week with yours, i have to figure out yet how to check my blog!!!!
However, I'll be working on it. I wanted to send you Happy St. Patrick's Day greetings to you and yours. As I mentioned I love all things and people "Irish". My mother-in law (God Bless her) was from Kilkenny Ireland, she unfortunately passed away last year on St. Patrick's Day. I do miss her so much, but I learned so much from her, her pure Irishness!
She was funny and very self deprecating at the same time. I knew all of her family as well. My own background is primarily Irish, my Great Great Grandparents having to leave during the Great Famine.
My Dad's family were from Fermanagh and my Mother's from Roscommon.
As I mentioned, previously, I love your blog and have also visited your sister Emily's, she's wonderful also.
You must have a very talented artistic family! As you've mentioned your father is an artist and I visited his blog and his work is gorgeous!
One day soon, I hope to take a vist to ireland and look up the former places where we were from originally. I've lived in London many years ago and travelled throughjout Scotland and Wales but didn't unfortunately make it to the homeland!
You crochet and knit such beautiful pieces of work and you make it look so easy! It's not and you obviously have a great deal of patience, wonderful colour combinations..and accompanying prose!
May all the luck of the great Irish be with you!
(sorry to be so long, Please do edit this or don't post it if you prefer, it was just a little note to you! All the best!
I hope that you do write a book, it would be so humorous and enjoyable!
All the best to you from Toronto, Canada!
Jane
Hello Jane - so nice to hear from you! Kilkenny is not too far from where I come from, it's a beautiful part of the country. If you ever get a chance to visit Ireland, put it on your list!
ReplyDeleteIt's strange that you should mention the famine, because only yesterday I was looking at a list of teenage girls that were sent to Australia during the famine years, to become domestic servants and wives to the Australian bachelors. Such a sad fate for them - if they survived the journey, their lives must have been tough. You can be very proud of your ancestors: survival took a lot of guts.
I was terrified when I started my blog at first. It really stressed me - I didn't know what to write ... Self-imposed writers' block! I suppose you just have to let go and write for yourself, and hope that someone else finds you and relates to what you have to say. And that's the joy of the Internet - you'll find like-minded souls all over the world :-)
I hope you had a lovely St Patrick's Day (ours was spent quietly, enjoying the first sunny day in goodness-knows-how-long) and thank you for your lovely comment. Reading it really made my day!