Gettin’ It Pegged…Loom Knitter’s Clique

Yippee!  It’s over!!!! 

I know…April is a very nice month in it’s own right, and I normally think so, too.  After all, this is when my first daughter came into the world 16 years ago.  But this year’s April was a killer!  WAAAAY too much stress and struggle!  Whew that it’s the last day.  :P 

We are all done in the other house.  We spent all day Sunday and Monday doing the last packing & loading & scrubbing.  Let me tell you, I think I almost asfixiated myself with cleaning fumes!  I was using bleach and Windex in the bathroom, and then in the kitchen, and added oven cleaner on top of it.  I didn’t even know I wasn’t feeling well until we broke for a late lunch and I felt dizzy, and my “lung pipes” were a bit raw.  I kept laughing hysterically at everything everyone said, even if it was “please pass the napkins”, lol!  My advice to anyone doing major cleaning…follow the instructions on the warning labels of the cleaning cans…they mean what they say!  ;) 

Things I’m looking forward to in May…

• getting settled in our new home
• going to my nephew’s wedding shower  (he’s the first of 10 nephews/nieces to be married)
• my hubby’s birthday
• Mother’s Day is always a shining light on the horizon!
• planting flowers in our new backyard
• Narnia movie #2 comes out!  (I think there are other’s I’d like to see opening this month, too, but I can’t remember…all the stress has knocked them clean outta my noggin’)
• getting a new loom along going in the Loom Knitter’s Chat Clique!  Most likely the Arm Chair Caddy!

By the way…the Peggin’ Pages Moving Sale is still going on all day today!  Hurry…sale ends tomorrow…as tomorrow brings a new day, month, and new happiness right along with it! 

Bethany~

Well, the story on the lovely little PT Cruiser is a sweet one…We have needed to replace my husband’s truck, which isn’t even on it’s last leg…it’s crawling, gasping down the road, with frequent need to stop and rest, lol!  So, we’ve been on the lookout for a suitable replacement for him to invest in. 

Well, I got this call while working on Saturday, that he found the car he absolutely wanted to buy.  I told him how cool that was, and made sure that he checked all the important info, when he told me that it was a car for me!  Well, I’ve always wanted to own a PT ever since they came off the ramps…my youngest daughter even started playing “Mom’s Dream Car!!” instead of “Slugbug”.  But, I didn’t want him to purchase something for me, when he was looking for something for him!  So, with much fuss, he finally convinced me that he would be happy driving the car that had been mine, (which is a lovely Mazda 626 in Brilliant Burgandy, which looks more like sparkly, deep plum) so that I could drive my dream car.  In fact, he wouldn’t take no for an answer!  What a great guy I have! 

I’ve been cruisin’ in my Cruiser all week now, as I have had to transport my eldest daughter to her WASL testing in Olympia for school.  Olympia is about a 30 mile drive one way, so I really got to get to know my new car…I LOVE IT!  It’s so fun to drive…it’s like a big little car, if you know what I mean.  It kind of feels like driving a little go-cart around…so fun!! 

Thanks so much, my love!  You’re absolutely wonderful! 

Bethany~

oh, I think there’s no doubt

…he really loves me!

Bethany~ 

Guess What!

The spring issue of the Loom Knitter’s Circle is now LIVE!!!

*My favorite parts: 

• an absolutely wonderful new stitch pattern in Kathy Norris’ article on Keeping You in Stitches
• such cute little loomirugumi creatures…2 patterns by Jenny Stark, and a product review by Denise Layman
• a fun run-down of Isela’s trip to the Mall of America for the Knit Out 2008
• and my project pic made it onto the cover for the 2nd issue in a row!  Woo-Hoo!! 

Pop on over and check it out!  What will your favorite parts be?

Bethany~

Well, I haven’t finished with my little project, but I thought I’d give you a little pic of what I’ve done so far…see if you can guess what it’s going to be… 

This is my first project using one of my new lovely “Christmas” looms from Decor Accents…

This one is the XL adult FG sock loom.  I am LOVIN’ it! 

I love the way it knits so tiny, even with E-Wraps…very cool. 

I also wanted to share with you something that has been one of my favorite comfort items, and has been in much use this last week…

My heatable neck snuggler!

This baby is a miracle worker for a stiff neck & shoulders!  I made it myself by creating a tube out of simple muslin fabric, funnelling in a mixture of flax & millet seeds,  sealing it up, and since I wanted this to be a “pamper me” kind of item, I wanted it to be pretty…

…so I pieced together some of my favorite color fabrics, and made an outside slip cover that cinches in on each end with ribbon.  This way, I can give the outside of the bag a cleaning when needed.  You just pop this item in the microwave for about 4 minutes, and you’ve got yourself a wonderfully steamy comfort roll to wrap around your neck and shoulders!

The only thing I would do differently, and may still do if I ever get around to making another one of these (do you think a body sized one would fit in the microwave?) …I would make the roll about 8 inches longer, and stitch on a wide gross grain ribbon, or velcro fastener, so that it could be wrapped and secured snuggly around my neck/shoulders without having it hold in place (while typing, etc!)

Well, there you go…rush off to your fabric stash and whip up a little (or big) warm comfort snugglie for yourself…you deserve it!  Now, I’m off to the microwave to give mine a little re-heating. 

Bethany~

Another thing we did over the weekend, was to go see the new movie out…

*The Spiderwick Chronicles*

This was a great movie!  All four of us enjoyed it thoroughly, which makes it an excellent “good for most ages” kind of fun. 

*Warning:  There are some pretty tense moments, and somewhat scary beasts…so for really young ones, or scaredy-cats  ;)  , it might not be the best viewing.

Our Family Rating:  Top Notch!  We give it 5 Stars!!! 

Bethany~

 This is one of my all time favorite bags!

I just love the colors, and shape, and of course, the all important fuzzy goodness! 

This project is perfect for holding all kinds of Easter treats…

~Or~

It makes a fabulous Spring Handbag! 

Either way, it’s a must have pattern…

SO…

to get yours,

just pop on over to the Peggin’ Pages

to get your copy today!

*Enjoy!

Bethany~

PS: There’s something slightly familiar about this little bag, isn’t there?…Just look up to the very tippy top of this page, and you’ll see why! 

I can proudly say…I finished my Plushy House Socks!  I actually finished them last week, but forgot to post a picture.  So I thought I should share an “all done” project…these were knitted with Isela’s Knit-along group on Ravelry.  If you haven’t gotten a chance to see what that’s all about, definitely put your name on the list to get in right now!  Her February project has something to do with cables and mittens…two of my favorite things. 

                                                                                                      I truly love these socks!  I used a very plushy, pretty yarn by Skacel, and they turned out all I had hoped for.

On my looms right now:  I am creating a handbag incorporating cables…I’m venturing out on my own in this area to see if I have mastered the techniques, or if I need to go back to school. ;)  If it comes out like I’ve planned, it’ll be fabulous!  (let’s hope!)

The other things I have on my looms (& off) are two scarves…mentioned them before…they’re no farther along…I know what you’re saying…I’ve been busy, what else can I say!

Well, off I go to work on that handbag, so that <maybe> I can get to those 2 scarves before I go off on another tangent! 

Bethany~

There’s one more full week for those flying fingers to whip up some extra special goodies for those extra special people on your gift giving list.  There have been some excellent freebie patterns and tutorials listed on some of my favorite sites over the last month or so, that I wanted to point out, in case you might have missed them…

1. First, and most freshly released…Loom Knitter’s Circle Magazine: Winter Edition is out!  This is packed with lots of great holiday ideas and wonderful tutorials.

2. Isela, aka: Purling Sprite  ;)  , has created 3 sweet little miniatures: Itty Bitty Mitts, and over in her side bar you’ll find: Tiny Socks, & Mini Sweater.

3. Brenda, our lovely Loomlady, has created 3 beautiful holiday designs: Snowflakes, Victorian Lace Ornaments, & Poinsettias.

4. Denise, at Knit Chat, has posted 2 delightful embellishing ideas: Loom Knit Corkscrews, & Yo-Yo’s!

5. Over at Hankering for Yarn, Noreen has oodles & oodles of holiday ideas, but the ones I love the most are the Crochet Along Easy Mittens & Wishing Windows Loom Comfort Bear.

6. Anne, at Loom Knitting, has a toasty new pattern for a Neck Warmer!

7. And here, at the Loom Knitter’s Clique, you’ll find Candy Cane Characters , Christmas Goodie Greetings, Bling for your Tree, Raffia Handbag, Loomy Beaded Bag & Felted Bottle Hugs!

This should keep you busy for the countdown to Christmas!  I hope your fast flying, gift making fingers enjoy! 

Bethany~

Tottie-Doll Comes for Tea~

Today, Tottie-Doll has come to visit her long time friend, Noreen-Doll, for a delicious cup of Twinnings Earl Grey tea and wonderful conversation.  It has been a while since they have gotten to chat, because Tottie-Doll has just returned from an amazing journey, filled with wonders, and across many miles.  She has interesting stories to share, as does Noreen-Doll.  She loves to share her memories of a wonderful family she used to know, made of the elements of nature themselves.  She is not sure whether these memories are real, or a curious dream of another life and land; but she cannot put them out of her mind, and so loves to share them with others.

While they enjoy each other’s company, their fingers fly as they each work on their own fibery projects: Tottie-Doll is working on an embroidered pillow to rest her travel weary head.  Noreen-Doll is just casting onto her needles an idea that has been twirling around her creative little head…a special surprise for a friend.  Noreen-Doll is forever thinking up fun and wondrous things, and creating them upon a whim.  Most of her ideas come from the same place as those misty memories of the stories she loves to tell.  Her friends are often amazingly blessed by her gifts of generosity!        

Oh my! 

Tottie-Doll & Noreen-Doll have talked the day away!  It’s getting quite late!  They bid their fond farewells, ’till next time when they can again enjoy each other’s company and sweet converstation.

PS: This is a little way of sending thanks to Noreen Crone-Findlay for her special gift, a memoir of another Tea on Sunday.  My daughter Megan, helped me by sharing her sweet doll house and by helping with photography…Thanks to you too, Meggyloo!