Nesting

I've begun nesting again.

This morning, with everything else that needs to be done (such as washing, organizing, and folding Tater Tot's clothes, as well as find places for everything we received at the baby showers), I decided it was time to tackle the writing desk in the dining room. My laptop was tired of being a gypsy in my home, with no real place to stay.

I was tired of not being able to see my writing desk, much less actually use it.

A little blurry, but that's to be expected from an older 3GS iPhone. 

Look at that beauty...

I can use it now...

Christmastime's a-comin'

It's after 10 pm, and well past my bedtime, and I am tired.

Although I have not subbed for awhile, I've been putting in full days of work on Christmas preparations. Today marked the nearly-finishing of Wade's big surprise, which I ruined when we had a disagreement and I had an inevitable pregnancy-induced meltdown. He did not, however, actually see the big surprise. He just knows what it is.

It's a quilt.

I am a seamstress, but I am by no means a quilter. This is truly only my second attempt at making a bed-sized quilt. My first one was a twin size patchwork for a missionary at my church when I was 12; it was my community service project to fulfill a graduation requirement set forth by the state of Maryland. I swore to my mother that I would never make another quilt.

So, 16 years later, I make another one.

The good news is, I'm not quilting it, nor am I tying it. I will be paying a reasonable fee to a friend of mine to do the quilting for me on her longarm machine next month, and I will then attach the binding and finish the project completely.

Speaking of finishing projects, I've done some serious crafting over the last couple of months:

54 little girls's dresses
5 knitter's tool fold-ups
2 handknit Christmas ornaments
2 pairs of felted slippers
2 women's owl cowls (the cable pattern looks like owls--super cute!)
1 handknit stuffed bunny
1 pair of socks
1 men's cowl
1 mustachioed purse
1 bearded hat (pictured earlier this fall)
1 cloche hat (in progress)
1 quilt (semi-finished)

That's 72 items since September/October, most of which were completed last month.

Just to show you what I've been up to...

I'm going to bed now...

Feelin' Mighty Fine

Today was a good day.

Why? Well, let me tell you.

I finished reformatting my knitting patterns that I've been working on since...oh...January? And I compiled said knitting patterns into an ebook. It's for sale in my Etsy shop, as well as in my pattern store on Ravelry.com. There is also a print version available, though in limited quantity.

This seemingly small accomplishment was my big goal for 2012. It feels really good that I was able to do it!

And not only that, but I've had 4 orders over the last week through my Etsy shop, plus a custom request. So that's 5 orders. In a week. This is unusual for me.

I could get used to this...

I'm feelin' mighty fine tonight.

The End is Near!

Today, for the first time this week it seems, I did not sit at my sewing machine and cry due to stress.

The dresses are almost complete. The coat tree has been removed from my dining room. I will finish the dresses and I will clean and decorate for Christmas in a matter of days, as well as complete my Christmas knitting and sewing.

That's a good feeling.

An even better feeling is this: once this order is completed and shipped out, I will be able to pay off one of my credit cards in full. We can then take that monthly payment and (What's that? Spend it on yarn?!? A great suggestion, but NO.) apply it to another card that needs to be paid off. After that comes my car, which is paid thru June, and then the big credit card. We should, in theory, be able to have all of these paid by next February.

That's roughly $8k that we will have paid off in just over a year, provided we can stick to our budget and not "cheat" on it.

For those of you that don't know me well, this is a huge deal.

The "big" credit card that was mentioned has been pretty near its max for the last 2 years. Why? I pretty much drained my bank account in order to purchase my home in 2010. Driving 3 hours round trip for work (180 miles PER DAY) did not do my pocketbook well. In order to avoid overdraft fees from the bank, I would use my credit card on gas and groceries, and pay my bills with my measly paychecks from the AACPS. And then, later that year, I was in pretty desperate need of a new couch. So, onto the card it went...

...and then I just put off paying it in full.

Now, my monthly payments barely make a dent. I know that once we get the little ones paid, the big one will come tumbling down far more quickly than the company would care to see. Interest, after all, is how they make their money.

My car is old. It's a 2005 Chevy Cobalt, and is slowly losing functions. It was paid off, back in 2006. And then, due to a failed relationship in which there were financial obligations that had to be cleared, I was forced to take out a title-secured loan on my car for 90% of its current (in 2010) value. So, in essence, it's actually my student loan that I am paying off against my car.

Because we live in the city and happen to not be "city folk," our first short-term (less than 5 years) goal is to get out of the city and not take a loss on our quaint little duplex in the North End. Paying these things off and having that extra money to sock away will help us achieve our goal, and many goals beyond that one.


The end, my friends, is near.

Therapy sessions

As you all know, things here at my house are getting to be a bit stressful. With the dresses still not quite finished, Christmas fast-approaching, and a baby that seems too big to make it the entire 40 weeks, I feel like the clutter is just closing in around me at a record pace.

Come to think of it...it is.

I've made the decision that although I will set up the Christmas tree, I will not be spending time hanging ornaments on it. I am tired and have too much to do.

Recently added to my to-do list: therapy. But not just any type of therapy--yarn therapy. I will be taking a day sometime next week, after the dresses have been packed and shipped and my house is reasonably clean and my tree is upstairs and not in the basement, to go to every single yarn shop I can in the surrounding area. I don't even need to buy anything...just browse.

Much like snuggling a furry pet and letting that soothing feeling of warm fur and affection calm a person, yarn has the same effect on knitters. Yarn doesn't wiggle around and try to steal a toy or a treat away from other yarn. It doesn't bark, drool, stink to high Heaven, or leave muddy pawprints on my floor. Now don't get me wrong--I love my dogs dearly, even in all their stinky drooliness...but sometimes, more yarn is just what the doctor ordered.

The Grinch

Not much has changed since my last post.

The dresses are still being finished. My house is still a mess. It's also still not decorated for Christmas. My Christmas knitting and sewing projects are not yet done...and I haven't even started my baking.

I feel like the Grinch is stealing my Christmas already!

What's worse, I feel like he's stealing my Christmas spirit...

Deadlines

For someone who happens to be "unemployed" by normal standards, my life seems to be governed by deadlines right now--moreso than when I was actually employed with a real job.

Not that I'm complaining, because I am not. I am thankful that I have deadlines to meet, because that means money in my pocket for my hard work, and Lord knows trying to make multiple handmade items inside a tiny timeframe, with Christmas looming in the near future isn't exactly...easy.

Today is my deadline for making 54 little girls' dresses, to be shipped to the buyer and then to Africa, to a town/school where the children are in desperate need of clothing. It is 6:10 am, and I have the dresses spread out before me. Sleeves, zippers, and finishing touches are all that await.

I can do this...

Shopping Season has begun.

I traditionally spend Black Friday at home. Usually, I spend the day cleaning my downstairs in preparation for decorating for Christmas--the tree, ornaments, wall decorations, and even the front porch. Today, however, was different.

I woke with a plan in my head: dishes, shower, make dresses to fill the order I've been working on entirely too long, and then, time permitting, do some cleaning and start the decorating.

HA!

That was a funny joke!!

I spent the better part of my day with my mom, traveling to Shepherdstown, Sharpsburg, and Williamsport. I am tired. But I did my part to support small businesses today, as I do not plan to leave the house tomorrow.

Shopping is not my favorite activity...not by a long shot. I don't really like anything about it, especially between Black Friday and New Years. Rarely, very rarely, I'll get a wild hair and want to go snatch up a particularly good deal (like last year, I stood outside of Target from about midnight to 4 am just to get a set of flannel sheets and a pre-lit tree--and I was in and out inside of 10 minutes. I don't mess around!), but generally, I like to avoid the crowds. I think it's ridiculous that people find it acceptable behavior to elbow and shove others out of the way for CrockPot they probably don't even need, or for the latest, greatest iPod that their kids are going to smash to bits less than 3 hours after taking it out of the box on Christmas. 

The best thing about doing the small business shopping on Black Friday is this--the folks that ring you up at the register are usually the owners of the establishments. They are genuinely happy to have your business, and will usually strike up a conversation with you simply because they can. You don't run across the minimum-wage, seasonal workers that don't give a crap that you're there scoring "crazy good deals" while they would rather be at home, sleeping. Target and WalMart aren't going to say, "Hey, thanks for shopping here today. I really appreciate your business and hope you come back soon!" Most of the checkers at those stores would just as soon flip you the bird than say hello...

I cannot wait until the shopping season is over. 

'Tis the Season

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is just a few days away, isn't it? I always wind up getting in the "holiday spirit" sometime after the turkey coma wears off and I've recovered from the pumpkin pie overdose. This year, however, I seem to be getting into it earlier than usual.

When I was a teenager and in my early twenties, my mom would, without fail, call me a Scrooge. I was not fond of Christmas music--only the hymns sung in church. I was not fond of Christmas movies--they were all so predictable and essentially the same as every other Christmas movie. I also wasn't really into decorating for Christmas. Now that I have my own house, a husband, and a baby on the way...things are changing.

I hang a wreath on my front door, and sometimes, if I feel really wild and crazy, I'll even hang garlands on my porch rails. I hang Christmas lights on the porch, too (and only there, because it's the only part of the roofline that doesn't require a ladder). This year, I've been watching Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel almost every weekend (they started early this year!). The time is drawing near for me to haul the Christmas tree up the basement steps, dust it off, and begin transforming our house into a cozy habitat for the winter months.

This year is different for me, I guess because I'm in the nesting stages. Tater Tot will be here before we know it--and probably (hopefully) a couple weeks sooner than expected. We have two dogs this year, not just one. My parents are finally within a reasonable driving distance and will stay within a reasonable driving distance. We're smack in the center of his family and mine, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

What I'm most excited about, though, are the gifts that I have planned all year and worked on so hard for our families this year. As I type this, I'm waiting for a few knitting patterns to print so that I can begin work on his sister's and her husband's gift while we watch TV this evening.

My to-do list for gift-giving includes:

• Katie's hat (birthday in early December)
• Maddie's bunny (Christmas)
• Tara & Sean's ornaments (Christmas)
• Washcloths (Wendy ordered some to give as a gift)
• Wade's (husband) quilt...which he will receive to unwrap, finished or not...
• Oatmeal Raisin cookies for John (Christmas)
• Purse for Kenzie (Christmas)
• Strawberry jam (several jars for several family members
• Snickerdoodles (Christmas gift for Uncle Mike)

'Tis the season, indeed. I need to get this stuff done so I have some time to relax!

The Weekend

So this past weekend was the 42nd Annual Waterfowl Festival in Easton, MD. Husband and I have been looking forward to it since last year, on the way home from #41. His big excitement is the World Championship Goose Calling competition, and mine is the DockDogs show and everybody else's dogs. And yarn.

Yarn, at the Waterfowl Fest? Why, yes! There happens to be a little yarn shop on Harrison Street, and last year when I stopped in, I picked up some really unique lace weight handspun, hand-dyed wool. I have yet to work it up, but it is still pretty and I plan to begin working it after Christmas projects are complete. Well, I wanted to stop in again this year because I was hoping to find some more unique yarn to add to my collection (and yes, I realize that 3 weeks or a month ago, I was all about thinning it out--I still am...but I have a serious addiction).

Into the shop we went on Saturday afternoon. I was one of maybe 3 customers. I was not greeted, nor was I acknowledged. At all. As I browsed, thinking to myself that I wasn't going to leave empty-handed, I couldn't help but overhear the responses that the shop owner (?) had for each of the questions the other customers had for her. Every single one of her responses was negative. And it wasn't just a "No, we don't currently have that--but I'm expecting more in a couple of weeks" type of negative. It was a rude negative, almost as though she was fed up that people had the nerve to enter her store during operating hours. How dare they!!

Those of you that know me are aware of the great lengths to which I go in order to obtain yarn. Brace yourselves, because this may come as a shock: I told Husband, not in a whisper, that I didn't need to support someone who can't even say hello to her customers and that I was ready to leave.

It wasn't until  yesterday, shortly before we left, that Husband suggested we go into a particular tent. And what did they have? Alpacas.

And yarn.

Knit-worthy? Or not...?

It'll be here before we know it, and I'm sure most of you (like me) probably aren't quite ready for Christmas just yet. I'm not completely ready, as I am still working on my order and filling in my spare time with Christmas knitting, but I know that at least one person will receive an unfinished gift. It'll probably be Husband...

Over the last few days, I've made 2 sets of French Press Felted Slippers (pattern is available for purchase here), as well as Grumpy, a free download from KnitPicks.com. Someone is actually going to receive Grumpy as their Christmas gift.

As a knitter, I usually find people making comments such as, "Oh, I saw this ___ and thought I'd pass on buying it. You can make that, right? Because I'd really like one..." and "Well that looks pretty easy. Isn't it kind of cheap to make all your gifts, though?" And in that case, "cheap" is not intended to mean "inexpensive." My favorite comment of all time, however, was made by a girl on my floor in college. She saw me knitting scarves (because I was broke and needed something to give for Christmas to my family members) and asked me how much I would charge for one. When I told her my price, which was actually far too low for the amount of work involved, she scoffed at me and almost exclaimed, "I can get one at WalMart for less than that!" My response? "Go ahead. You clearly don't deserve the time and effort it takes for me to make one..."

When people make comments like what I've shared above, it makes me think about how knit-worthy they really are...or aren't. Just because I am capable of making something that someone likes does not mean that I will make that item for that person. In fact, it makes me even less likely to make them anything.

I mean, let's really think about it for a minute or two. How much time does the average shopper spend in lines at stores on Black Friday, fighting crowds of unreasonable size and strength, just to snag something mass-produced at a next-to-nothing price for someone on their giving list, while someone else is probably buying that same gift for that same person?
My Christmas shopping happens when I want it to, at JoAnn Fabrics, my local yarn shops, and the supermarket. The construction of my one-of-a-kind, made-just-for-you gifts are very time-consuming, and sometimes extremely labor-intensive, often taking far more time and effort than Black Friday shopping. The difference is, though, that my hand-made or home-baked gifts are appreciated by the recipients more than a store-bought item would be. Why? Because I made it for that person, and nobody else.

The folks that consistently receive hand-made gifts from me know what goes into them, and they know that my time is just as valuable, if not more so, as my money.
The folks that consistently do not receive hand-made gifts from me do not receive them because they don't have a clue what goes into making them.

Pregnant women seem to expect that I will make them something for their baby. Well, I hate to break it to them, but that is not the case. Being pregnant doesn't entitle one to masses of hand-made gifts, especially when Pregnant has mentioned that she would like "this list of things" for her child. I would like all my debts paid off. Guess who gets to do that? Husband and me--nobody else. We don't always get what we want, but sometimes we get what we need...

...like a lump of coal...

Cabin-fever-induced insanity?

I'm not sure what my grumpiness is the result of. It could be the fact that I'm pretty much confined to my house since I no longer work; it could be that the sun has not shown itself in the last week and I am lacking in Vitamin D; it could be that I'm just sick and tired of spending every waking hour with my loving, but oh-so-obnoxious, dogs. I'm not really sure...but it seriously feels like I'm going off the deep end this week.

Husband is working 16-hour shifts until the power company says otherwise. That means, he has to be at work by 6 am and doesn't get off work until 10 pm. Our conversations this week have mainly consisted of "I missed you! Let's go to bed, I'm tired." or whatever we happened to text about twice throughout the course of the day.

I have housework to do. I have an order to complete (which I am well on my way to completing, thankfully). I have a room to clean out so that I can shampoo the carpets in preparation for our Tater Tot's arrival. So what do I wind up doing with most of my days? I knit.

It's awful. Productive, yes, but awful nonetheless. As much as I like my quiet and my solitude, I am not a solitary, keep-to-myself type of person. Social interaction is necessary, even if it's just sitting around with someone else watching movies or reruns on the TV. The presence of another individual works wonders on my well-being.

You may find it sad that the highlight of my week (aside from seeing my husband for 20 minutes a night before we turn in) will occur in approximately 2 hours, when I go to the supermarket cafe to knit with a few other ladies...but this is what happens when you're me. Knitting group means that I can escape my house for a few hours and not have to clean up the clumps of dirt and leaves tracked in by my dogs. It means that I don't have to vacuum again today. It means that I can talk to actual people, face to face, and they will respond with more than a groan and a slobber-filled shake of the head.

It means that I can feel like I'm not an outcast or a recluse.

I may go in early, just for the heck of it.

Cabin Fever

For those of you that don't know me, I am a fairly laid-back person. I can tune out most distractions, most of the time. But, when I am sick, everything is amplified and I can't seem to tune it out.

My dogs are no exception.

The big one, Luther, is a little on the hard-headed side. I love him to pieces, but sometimes... Sometimes he really makes me wonder why I have dogs. Milo, the little one, is still a pup, so he has loads of energy at all times.

I suppose it's good that I have two beasts, because they do keep each other busy and they are sad when they're apart from each other. But on days like this, when I am trapped inside my house with the two of them, with gale-force winds and sideways rain threatening to pick up again at any moment, I lose my ability to tune them out.

Currently, there are two chew toys available for them to play with. Milo has the one that Luther wants, no matter which toy it is. So what does Luther do? He whines. He cries. He "fruffs." And then he looks at me with his big, droopy brown eyes and expects me to steal the toy from the pup.

It's ridiculous.

No amount of knitting or Criminal Minds repeats can make me ignore them today.

I think it may be time to get out for a bit...

The best medicine

After coming down with God only knows what this past Thursday into Friday, it's been a long (and short) weekend of resting on the couch.

Friday, I was able to go to the supermarket and stock up on soups and cereals, along with some apples so that we'd have some sort of food to eat should the power go out like they're predicting. Not only was  I able to do that, but I also managed to get in to see the doctor on Friday afternoon. He said it's not strep, though I have a hard time believing him.

Husband went out to Wally World yesterday, braving the raving lunatics that were all out buying everything they possibly could in preparation for the storm, and returned with some much-needed sicky supplies. While he was out, I stayed on the couch. And I knitted.

I completed a vest I began last year.
I began a shawl that I plan to use when nursing, should I have to do it in any public places.
I began (and am almost finished!) a small cardigan for Tater Tot. He'll probably only be able to wear it for a couple of weeks, but still. It's fast and easy and, therefore, exceedingly gratifying.

The next project to start will be a really cute pair of slippers, which I'm very excited about beginning. I've had these on my list of things to knit for over 2 years!

Although I have tons of work to do that really cannot wait, it's going to have to do so until my energy is back to where it ought to be.

In the meantime, I shall knit.

Awesome Weekend Plans

Still sick...miserably so.
I've noticed that when I get sick, I really do it right. This cold is no exception to that rule.

Order of events for the weekend:
1. Shower.
2. Laze around on the couch with my knitting, hot peppermint tea/decaf coffee, and Vicks-tainted tissues.
3. Repeat steps one and two tomorrow.
4. Go absolutely nowhere over the next 48 hours.

It'(snot)fair!

It never fails. Every time I have big plans to be really productive on a particular day, I wake up with some sort of illness.

I felt the sore throat beginning last night, so I drank a nice hot cup of Sleepytime tea (and fell asleep on the couch). Sure that one cup would cure everything, I didn't have a second. I should have. One cup was not enough.

Today, I awoke with a sore throat, headache, and one nostril/sinus cavity completely plugged. Grocery shopping went surprisingly well--I only forgot one item--and I was even able to see the doctor today to make sure I don't have strep. I do not.

The highlight of my day was actually yesterday evening, oddly enough. Well, that and also Skyping with my best bud, who is currently residing in Switzerland. But last night, I went to a knitting group gathering at the local supermarket, which has a fancy little cafe that hardly anyone uses. I had a grand time! I finished a project, helped a friend with hers, met new people, and was introduced to this little video. I hope it brings a smile to your face!

The Little Red Plane

Goodbye, Old Life...and good riddance!

I substituted today, in the school at which I taught for the last 2 years. Let it be known that I do not miss teaching, not one bit, and I have no desire to go back to it. Ever. Subbing is as close I will get to working in public schools ever again.

Now, don't get me wrong--I didn't have a bad day. It was rather good, actually...but some of the students were less than desirable to be in a classroom with for more than 3 minutes. Our class periods were approximately 80 minutes.

Luckily, I had my knitting with me. I am currently working a pair of Basic Fingerless Mitts, a pattern I improvised during lecture courses in college. Because they are so simple, and I have the pattern memorized for different weights of yarn, it's my go-to travel project. My mitts kept my hands busy while the students "worked," and the mitts also kept me from becoming stressed. Knitting does that to me.

I don't know how many of you readers (if I happen to have any readers) actually knit or do other types of needlework, but it is certainly a productive way to decompress after any potentially stressful situation. It's also very helpful for passing the time spent in waiting rooms (doctor, mechanic, etc) and while waiting for your food to arrive when out to dinner...and also during baseball games...and while watching television... You get the picture.

Anyway, I was surprised when a young man came up to me while I was knitting at the teacher's desk. Why? Because he asked if I would be able to teach him.

That attitude is the only part of teaching that I actually miss, and I hope and pray that my children inherit that need to know.

Later in the school day, I was talking to a former colleague about the level of thinking that some of the students display, and it dawned on me that although technology is really great (I mean, look at what cool gadgets we have now!), it is ultimately destroying some young peoples' capacity for creative thought. Because of the games they play on their handheld devices, many of which have only one correct solution, they've been conditioned to believe that there is only one way to solve every problem. Nobody seems to be able to think "outside the box" these days.

I remain convinced that the more we allow children to use crayon and paper rather than computer and Paint program, the more we allow them to play in the dirt with sticks that they can pretend are people rather than the video games we seem to push on them, that they will grow up to be more well-rounded individuals with the capacity for in-depth problem solving.

Being someone who really sucked at math as a kid (and I'm still not that strong in it), and also not great at sports, I joined the school band in 5th grade and took up the clarinet, after beginning piano lessons the year before. Keeping time and the correct measure while playing my instruments and reading music helped me just a little with math.
Because of my inability to excel at sports, I turned to the kitchen and the sewing machine. That's where I learned my math skills. Because I was able to apply the math problems to real life, such as figuring out how much fabric I would need in order to make a dress AND a jacket, I was able to see it at work and understand it better. In the kitchen, I was able to see volume measures, not just imagine them. I was able to see how far a certain amount of ingredients could go when it came to feeding more than just me. These are real life problems that many kids today wouldn't be able to solve. Everything they learn is on a page in a book, but never applied outside the classroom.

I'll be homeschooling my children. My kitchen and dining room (which currently doubles as my sewing room) will double as my math classroom. My children will go to the grocery store with me and will be responsible for keeping within the budget for the week, while sticking to the list and the meal plan for the week. This is practical stuff! This is math at work, and they more than likely wouldn't even recognize it until I were to point it out...but it would help them so much in the long run.

Problem-solving is important, especially in real life, but so many kids today aren't learning it...

With that said, and I wasn't planning on saying any of that, I bid you good evening and bid my old life as a public school teacher goodbye.

Typical Monday

Woke up too early to the sound of Luther needing to go outside.
Began laundry immediately.
Discovered Mouse #2 on glue trap #2.
Folded an entire basket of Husband's laundry.
Began filling a Space Bag with my pre-pregnancy warm-weather clothes.
Got tired and came back upstairs.
Gave Milo a bath (the neighbor's dog seems to have peed on him).
Called the groomer to make an appointment for Luther for this week...was forced to leave a message and am still awaiting a return call.
I have more laundry to do, and no baskets in which to carry the laundry up and down the steps because they are full. Husband's clothes are pretty heavy (it's all fire resistant stuff for work), so I need him to carry two of them...pregnant women shouldn't be carrying cumbersome baskets up or down my treacherous steps.
I could carry the basket of sheets & towels up, empty it, as well as another filled with clothing, and come back down with 2 empties...but that's a lot of work.

Typical Monday. Work, work, work, all day long.

I can relate.

Thank you, Yarnmarket, for the photo!

...and the thinning begins...

So, as scheduled, my friend came over with her friend so they could shop at "Yarnia" (by the way, I will totally have a yarn shop when I am old and I will call it "Yarnia"). They didn't make much of a dent, but I did bid farewell to 12 skeins of yarn.

It's a start...

Doing better than I thought I would...

First thing this morning, after tending to the beasts, I went upstairs to my attic and began to sort through my stash. If you've been reading my blog, you'll know that I'm offering a friend of mine the opportunity to shop here. You'll also know that I have yarn stashed in my living room (including inside a cookie jar), and that I had 8 banker's boxes filled with yarn, in addition to a large plastic storage box.

I have reduced my attic stash to 3 boxes, and have also thinned out what was in the baskets downstairs.

This is some serious progress!

Doomsday is approaching in Yarnia

Come Thursday evening, my precious, well-protected stash will be somewhat depleted. Although this is something I must do, it still saddens me to see my beautiful yarns leave through my front door in someone else's hands. I need to just resign myself to the fact that I do indeed have enough yarn to run a small shop, and that is what I will be doing on Thursday.

Tomorrow, I shall set aside my must-haves, and I vow to have no more than 3 banker's boxes full.

I can do this.

It's not as difficult as it could be, as I am friends with the woman that will be shopping here. We share knitting patterns...why not yarn, too?

I can do this.

I don't want to, but I need to, and I can.

Tomorrow's post, if there is one, may not be as optimistic...

While the hunter is away, the housewife will play!

A productive day at home doesn't always necessarily mean that I've been productive in the way of my housewifely duties. I completed three knitting projects today. That makes a total of five over the last seven days! I was also able to mostly complete a handful of dresses that I've been commissioned to make--more of those to come this coming week!

If only I were this productive in every area of my life...

Too much fiber can be...a hindrance.

I've been knitting for over ten years. In that ten years, I've taken quite a liking to collecting different yarns from various states that I've visited, I've acquired more knitting pattern books than any normal 28-year-old should own, and I make sure that I knit every single day.

I could really put some grandmas to shame...

Recently, we (my husband and I) have been preparing our small-ish duplex for a baby. This has required that I transform my sewing/crafting room into a nursery, and pack up my yarn, books, fabric, and sewing notions. Let the record show that I had no idea how much yarn I had actually accumulated over the years. When it was all (mostly) said and done, I counted about 8 banker's boxes filled with yarn, plus a large plastic storage container. These are now sitting in my attic/guest room (it's finished--don't panic)...but they do not include the yarn that I have stashed throughout my downstairs.

I have yarn stuffed inside a cookie jar, for Pete's sake.

This past week, I made the decision to open up my personal yarn shop to a good friend of mine who also happens to appreciate the finer things in life--luxury yarns. I never thought I'd be able to part with any of it, but when I realized that I've had some of my yarns for more than 5 years and that all they've done is sit on a shelf, I decided that my "high-fiber diet" is working against me.

I have more unfinished objects (UFOs) than I can even recall, and I find them while looking for other items of importance. Then I say to myself (or one of the dogs...or both of them) that I'm going to finish that...someday. Somedays keep coming and passing me by, and still, my pitiful, well-intentioned UFOs sit in their little plastic coffins, waiting to be exhumed and completed.

For those of you that do not engage in the fiber arts, there is a thrill--a rush, similar to that of scoring a great deal as a couponer, or getting high, for you controlled-substance users--that takes over when a fiberphile or knitaholic discovers a new yarn shop, finds a yarn they've never felt before, and also when we purchase said yarn and can begin a new project. You see, beginning new projects is fun. It's addicting. It just feels so good! There are so many possibilities when browsing a room lined top to bottom with yarn on every wall that we (and I mean "I") just can't help ourselves (and by "ourselves," I mean "myself")! And I know I speak for so many more people like myself...

I feel like a hoarder, but not one of the really awful ones with garbage so high that the ceiling appears to be only 4 feet high. Luckily for me and my family, I have a decent amount of self-control...and common sense.