Toooooo Muuuuuchhhhhh Snoooooowwww!

Well, it has been a while since I posted. I have been recovering from the Christmas rush and hibernating from the snow. We have had more snow this year then any year I have lived in Kansas. I am a native Californian and it took me 5 years of living her to learn how to dress for going out in the winter! I still cannot do the cold one day, warm the next dance! Ugh! I wore sandals today in 67 degree weather but just saw a winter weather advisory! Doesn't anyone know that spring starts this month! It is March 1st! No more snow! I do hear that the wet winter will make for lovely spring growth but still it is too much. I have been buying seed like crazy just anticipating the time I can get outside and play in the dirt!

As for wintertime creativity, I have created a couple rag quilts--one as a baby gift and one for Jacob. I enjoyed it so much I am gathering fabric to make myself one in my new bedroom color--medium lavender and chocolate brown! mmmmm yummy!

I have also recently, been exploring the world of freeform knitting and crocheting. I learned about it by listening to a book on MP3 called Chicks with Sticks. There are two books and they are in the young adult genre--mindless, mostly and attention getting--exactly what I need for my 40 minute commute in which I cannot knit (or otherwise occupy myself) and drive. There was a girl with a learning disability who had limited reading and counting skills--of course this goes straight to the heart of a school social worker! Anyway, she has quite a fashion sense and gets frustrated with the whole pattern scene and meets "freeformers". I did not really think much of it until I plugged it into Google for kicks and was AMAZED at the beauty I beheld! Try it! Type in "freeform Knitting" and see what you get. There are some galleries on flicker as well as some artists out there that are amazing. I am working on a piece for fun and am not sure what it is but I am having a blast imaging a shape in my head and actually being able to knit the curve and shapes! There is some crochet too. I have never considered myself a designer and any attempt to alter a pattern or just pick up and knit something has failed miserably so being able to just knit whatever and hook it together is pretty cool. I am not sure what my creation will be--maybe a purse???

I went to a local knitting group and there was only one other gal and myself! We were both first timers at the group and the only ones who showed up! (I have since learned that they meet at the Merc on the 2nd and 4th Satrudays at 3:30 and NOT at Mirth!) but Shelby is an amazing knitter whose mom teaches classes at our LYS. She was making the most amazing Fair Isle sweater from the cover of Interweave Knits! I was blown away and have since been inspired to consider making a vest! I know, I have never considered making myself clothes because, well frankly, it would cost a fortune in yarn! I have begun contemplating unraveling thrift store wool sweaters for this purpose because I figure if it fits well then there is enough yarn to re-knit into a sweater! I am working on a ugly shade of pink cashmere/silk twin set. I never wanted to get rid of it because it is cashmere (puuurrrrr) but it is a ghastly shade of pale pink--really it does ex hist. I figured with some unraveling and some dye--maybe even koolaid that I could have some pretty yarn! Oh and I also finished a pair of cashmere, wool, cotton, angora (Cashcotton) 1/2 gloves with a mit flap. They are so cozy! Looks like I will need them tomorrow!

Check back for pics soon...Keep thinking spring!