Spiderwriterknits: January 2012

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Holy Cow! It's been ages between posts!

       I guess daily blogging is not in the cards, at least in my cards, that is!. Every time I start something, my husband interrupts me with another request "to do." Now, I love this man, but his requests eat into my time. This isn't totally fair, though. I do manage to waste time my concentration or focus is often missing in action these days. Start one chore and another thought pops up. So it's on to take care of that thought, etc.m, etc., etc.,....ad nauseum!
      I'm like a butterfly, I fly from one flower to another, never really tasting the nectar before flitting off to the next flower. It's like deciding on what ice cream flavor I want at Bruster's. If they have Bananas Foster, I'm set. Sadly, this flavor isn't made daily. It's a once in a while flavor. I get an email reminder when my local Bruster's is making Bananas Foster. It's the times w/o my favorite ice cream that I am indecisive. There are many flavors I like but I can't remember the names. If there isn't a line, I'll get taste samples of the ones I want to try. With a line, though, I feel selfish making others wait just because I can't make up my mind.
      Knitting patterns put me into a quandary when selecting a different patterns and/or yarn. Eventually, usually an hour or two later, I make a decision. Thanks goodness, my most frequented yarn shop has a patient staff. I can sit there and talk to other customers along with the personnel, who all pitch in on my decision.
      Why am I so indecisive? Afraid of making a mistake? Of doing the wrong thing? Because I don't want to look dumb? Recently had two pieces of furniture re-upholstered for my living room. I thought I had picked a nice green background pattern for the barrel chair. Seems I picked a blah beige background. The sofa is done in muted jewel color stripes. It could be brighter Now the room has no "pop". Everything seems to fade into the wall. So now I'm on the look-out for pillows that will give the "pop" the room needs. Any suggestions? :-/
      The room looks okay. It's just dull. And there are too many knicky-knacky things around. Not as much as some cram into their house, by a large margin. A hoarder, I'm not. I toss stuff or give it away. It's the clean, spare look I want that I can't seem to attain. And I can create better if I feel less cluttered.
      Less cluttered? For this piles of paper person?? I just don't want to toss anything with writing on it. I'm afraid I'll need it! For what, for heaven's sake. Isn't the computer supposed to house all my important stuff? I have a two-drawer file cabinet filled to capacity. I never look in it except to file something away that I'll never look again. With one exception, though. My Verizon file! It has all the information I need to connect the electronic gadgets I've collected lately.
      There's the iPhone(tm), the two Nook books, etc. Seems I need this information every time I want to do something. I'm still trying to connect my iPhone(tm) to the WiFi in my home. Seems I get very few bars for Verizon wireless, even with the big Verizon FiOS connector that sits here. I mean, we have everything Verizon wireless we can, and still a weak iPhone(tm) connection. Nothing works as advertised. ::sigh::
As for my knitting, I made two sweaters for myself this past year. Also did some baby blankets and shawls. Made two cowls for the gals at the beauty shop. My aim was to do socks for everyone for Christmas. But that plan went by the wayside as I was distracted by new and wonderful yarns at the shop that were not for sock knitting. And then, too, I haven't made socks before. Guess I'll have to learn to make socks before planning to make them for gifts, eh? And with a few shawls and baby blankets in between for the Prayer Shawl Ministry to help fill up the void left after all our Christmas giving.
I'd like to write about all the wonderful yarns I've used this past year and the various patterns I've conquered, but I've flitted around enough in this entry. Got to plan our supper for tonight! Hopefully I'll get back on this blog more frequently a this year.

        This butterfly is outta here!

Books I've read and loved

Anthony Adverse, by Hervey Allen (read at 4 times)
Company of Liars, by Karen Maitland
Dissolution, by C. J. Sansom
Green Dolphin Street, by Elizabeth Goudge
Heart of War Trilogy, by John Masters
Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova
NIcolo Rising, by Dorothy Dunnet
People of the Book, Geraldine Brooks
The Angel's Game, by Carlos Fuiz Zafon
The Friday Night Knitting Club, by Kate Jacobs
The House of RIverton, by Kate Morton
The Hungry Tide, by - Amitav Ghosh
The Lymond Chronicles, by Dorothy Dunnett
The Outlander Series, Diana Galbadon (5 books in series so far)
The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant
The Vanishing Act, by Maggie O'Farrell
Wilderness Series, by Sarah Donati (4 books in series to date)

A New blogger, semi-old knitter, and stalled writer

Well, I've entered a new realm...for me, that is. I've started a blog. Now what to do with it?? And who in the heck am I?

Joaniecomelately seems to fit me the best. As much as I try, as many good intentions I have, I'm always late. And I hate being late. I think it is arrogant and insensitive. So, I'm working on it.

A work in progress, WIP, that's me. I feel anyone can expand their horizons, change their ways or thoughts, take on new challenges despite their age. That's the last time I'll mention age.

I'm a knitter, have been since the 1960's. Sarted as a crocheter in grade school. My Aunt Margaret taught me when I was about six years old, maybe a few years older.

I made the most elaborate, fluffy edges on handkerchiefs. Today, Several of my classmates in the 7th and 8th grades, along with myself, would work the crochet hook all during class. And this was with Sister Hilda's blessing. A stern lady, but we could do our lady's needlework. Sadly, only one of those hankies remain.

So many heirlooms of the handmade type have been lost through the years. It only dawned on me recently to look at these treasures as heirlooms. I truly wish I had that old, wool serge quilt my sister, Lois, and I slept under on those cold winter nights in the cold patch of Southwestern Pennsylvania. All Grandmother Mary did was cut squares from discarded men's clothing, most of wool serge, real scratchy material. When the square were all cut, she sewed them together to make the top of the quilt and then put on the bottom. This she stuffed with an unknown filling. When this was done, she cut small pieces of yarn to tie knots through the middle of each square to hold the fabric and the filling intact.

This quilt didn't win prizes. The colors were dark navy, brown, gray and black. Nothing pretty about it. But it was warm., especially when the ice was on the inside of the windows in the winter time. The coal stove was banked (the coals were smothered to keep the flame low so there would be hot coals to start the fire in the morning) when my parents went to bed and the ice formed quickly.

Sadly, I can barely crochet a chain nowadays. However, I do knit and I love it. Mainly , I've been working on shawls, lap robes, baby hats and blankets.

Last winter, I winter I proposed to our Monsignor that we have a Prayer Shawl Ministry in our parish. With enthusiasm I didn't expect, he gave me the go-head. I expected, prayed for two or three women to join me. By the afternoon of the first announcement in the Sunday church bulletin, I had twenty plus women on the list. Today, we have about fifteen very active ladies, with a couple working from their home in their spare time. We even have a member at a local nursing home. The rest are still on the list since we are open to people coming when they can and doing what they are able.

By November, 2007, we made and gave away 100 plus items; shawls, lap robes, and baby blankets. And the need for these is still going strong. Some of the women are lightening fast, making 3, 4, 6 items every two weeks. These are the crocheters in the group. We knitters are slower but just as productive in the end.

I thank God daily for the enthusiasm and dedication of these ladies, all of whom I did not know a year ago. Now they feel like old friends.

Writing is another passion of mine, but my husband is finding this hard to believe since I haven't written a word in quite a while. But I will write again, this is for sure.

Several unfinished manuscripts are logged in my writing files and saved on disks. One of them, is the story of my ancestors immigrating from Eastern Europe and settling in the col towns in Western Pennsylvania.

I want to show the hardships and obstacles they overcame to make a better life for themselves and their families to follow in successive generations. In this, they succeeded, despite all of the animosity encountered from some of the citizens in the surrounding areas. The same threat citizens felt when the Irish, the Germans, and other nationalities came to the United States.

For now this is enough about me. As this blog progresses, I hope to share the accomplishments of my fellow prayer shawl ministry members, my own knitting triumphs and missteps along the way. And maybe even a chapter or two. Miracles do occur.

joaniecomelately