where does time go?

OH! Dear I never noticed how long its been since I last updated this blog. the year has just gone by so fast I don't know why its been this long, not really been doing much. just hanging out with the kids knitting my butt of mostly but some sewing weaving and spinning in there to.
Trouble is I don't use the laptop much anymore. I cyber around on the iPad and it's not the best thing for blogging.But tonight i had to come on the lappy to update and found myself looking around found I have been lazy around here.
It was not me it was her

or it could have been one of these guys

this guy he can be really a bad ass you got to keep an eye on him.


well kids are back in school doing pretty darn good if I do say so myself. Homeschooling is the best thing I could have done for them.
darn it is rough trying to do this blog with so many helpers

Yes I have gone a little over board with the stuff monster knitting but did get some other things finished





there is even more shawls and things like this top I made for Annie

but they are all finished now I have other things like

for some one who is a LSU fan.
plus there is sweats and socks and so many things to finish before Christmas. Yes I know its August but it takes time to do all those things so I have to start early.
Well thats about it. so until the next time I remember to post. No done hold your breath.LOL. Remember keep smiling it may never happen.

Spring has arrived

Well for us lucky people down south spring has arrived. So I had to have a little bit in doors.


I love to have something flowering on the table every spring. Kind of a wakeup from winter.
A close up photo the scent it wonderful but can't share that part sorry about that going to have to keep it all to myself.





And I have even been knitting on the big boys sweater, which he will get this winter he hopes.



With spring in the air my knitting and other things will get side lined for a bit. Time for spring cleaning fun. Ok it's not fun but my mind says do it and even if my body don't like the idea I can't help it. We got a good start out side but not a whole lot done in side yet. No real mayor plans this year. Don't even think I feel like breaking out a paint brush not yet anyway. There is the boys room needs work really bad and I need to find a plumber to work on the kids shower. The old guy said he would stop the leaking tap, oh he did that all right now we can't turn it on at all because he broke the handle. Men are so smart, I think not. But anyway I will find some really cool young sexy plumb to fix it. Ok I will end up with an old fat guy with a butt crack problem that will over charge me but I hope I will get it fixed.
Well this was just a shorty so off I go Didos work is never done. Well really I have video pod cast to watch, much more fun.
Keep smiling
Dido

Don't call me a knitter

I know some one that knits normally gets called a knitter. But why do we feel the need to label people? I knit yes but I do so much more. Not always great but I will put my hand and anything that I feel might be a challenge or just plan fun. It just seems wrong to me the way people see someone doing something and automatically labels that person. I scratch my butt as well but bet you would not label me a butt scratcher or would you?
Why have I brought this up well over the weekend I had someone call me a knitter just because I was looking to buy yarn. But hang on yarn can be used for so much more then knitting, right. Well I use it for many things. Lace weight yarns are great for needle work even some headset weights are great to use in needle projects.
Right now I'm spinning bamboo fiber to use in a needle project. I spinning up a lot of white then I will dye small amount in many different shades to use in on project this way I will get the shades I want. Now sewing with bamboo is a new thing to me (that's why I'm doing it) I have no real idea how it will lay or if the finished thing will have the look and feel I want, but that's what all my work is about trying things I have not done before. I love working out side the box, the feeling of the unknown is a big pull for me. This is not like living on the edge, like skydiving or bungie jumping but it as close as I will ever get. Hay I'm odd not stupid.
And just found out how to get photos straight on to this little old iPad so the photos should come more often :)
So here is a test.

photos of work at last.

Well I made it on the lappy tonight so I thought I had better get the photo's of the camera and uploaded for a change.
first of here is my first finished shawl. It was a long time in the making not because of the knitting because of finding some place to block it but in the end I got smart and used the bed base that been sitting on its end in the garage for the past year. Now you would have thought I would have come up with this idea a long time ago but no, I think I have had brain freeze. Any way it's done now and I'm pleased with the out come.
(Model is Annie)


Here is Annie's shawl I made for her, couldn't find a pattern I wanted to use, Oh there is a lot out there but hay I like to do things the hard way, and this is such an easy stitch anyone could have come up with it.


I have other things finished but no photo's. I know bad Dido I will remember next time ok.
So on to the knitting on the needles, first the old mans cardy. yes I'm still working on it. long job longer story. but I have the body almost done.


ok now there is another shawl for Annie on the kneedles, this one is from the new knitpicks Chroma yarn in fingering weight and the colorway is lollipop. real pretty colors for a girl like my Annie and soft but there is just something I don't like about the yarn not sure what it is so I'm not going to say much, but something that will stop me from getting more. I did get another one in Prism/ fingering and one lollipop in the heaver weight but not sure if I will use them. we will see I don't like waste so they will get used some time I'm sure.


Ok now this next photo is of my new shawl by the lady Romi and it the bitter root shawl. the yarn is my own dyed yarn it was one of them "what ever" moments. I had just finished dyeing other stuff and some dyes left over so I got the ball of yarn and gave it the "what ever" treament and boy did it ever work, I love the colours. It looks all odd right now anyone that makes shawls knows that when they are on the needles they are not at their best it when they are blocked they come alive, we hope.


OK now this is not much to look at. It's the start to Zachs new sweater. I only just cast on so it's just the rib and I am about to set up the pattern "Honey comb and cables" sounds fun don't it?

Ok lets see thats about it I think, just one photo of some spinning just for the heck of it.


Oh and for the ones that wonder Yes the wheel is still used My girl will use it when she is in the mood or I use it to ply sometimes but sorry my butt just won't sit still that long to use it much but every single spindle is used a LOT. did you know it is a good way to keep fit.


OK I think I have run out of photo's and time. so that's about it from me. Boy have I been a good little blogger laterly. No don't get your hopes up I will drop of the wagon soon and forget to post. hay spring is on it's way that's the time I drive everyone in the house crazy with spring "to-do list" got to because by the time the summer gets here it's to darn hot to do anything.
Well pick up your craft of choice and get on with it and have fun, Life is to short to put it off until you have time, find time your be glad you did.
Keep smilling
Dido

Spindle spinning

Ok a short but sweet post. Just wanted to talk about the spindle, the drop spindle that is. Been kind of trying to not up set the wheelie people out there but just have to say something. Yes a spinning wheel is wounderful, I own one but a drop spindle in the hand is worth two spinning wheel in a closet. A spinning wheel is only faster then a spindle if you have time to sit in one spot to use it. I don't and just can't see wasting time I don't have anyway, sitting in one place when my spindle go every place I do. I can do a lot in a day or more because I can walk around doing it I take it places that no wheel could go. There are some, ok let's call them wheel snobs. They have never even tried the spindle. Don't knock it until you try it folks. It's a bit like some other things that bug me, like quilters that say they hand quilt but on a machine????? Or the hand embroidery with a electric sewing machine. Oh! Please let's get real here. Machines a good but please don't call it hand work. I have spent many years doing needle crafts/art by hand and when I see people selling something that is machine made and calling it hand made just ticks me off. Oh! I know this will upset some, but call it what it is machine made.
Ok I will now get of my soap box I have had my say. Anyone feels the need to get upset with me please email me, your find me at most places I hang out as didomum.
Keep smiling
Dido

To much on the needles

Well got more yarn in today from knit picks. This time it was a whole load of DK merino to make big one a sweater. Now I should have put the yarn to the side and finished at less one thing I was already doing but not me. I had to get it started. And have the back rib done.
So now I have two shawls, two pairs of socks and two sweaters on the go. Oh! Hang on forgot something. The yucky green shawl. I love the yarn and the pattern but oh dear the yarn colour is gross. But never fear I will finish the shawl and over dye it a pretty black and gray.
I done just a small amount of sewing but some and it felt good to get back to it. Embroidery it some thing I dearly love but need alone time to do my best, and at the moment I don't get a lot of that. But the sun is shining a lot at the moment and that means I have the need to spend time out side its been low 70's and feels so good. We even grilled out side well I did. Odd how I have ended up doing the grilling after all the talk about the old guy doing all this great out door grilling.
Looks like our move is off again for now. I'm kind of glad it just didn't feel right. When its right we will move and will be happy about it, but until then we will be happy to stay put. Plus I can have a garden this year.
Well no photos this time but skill put up some soon of the finished items which two a shawlettes and a couple of other small items. Plus I get some of what I have on the needles. Right now I'm off the watch some video cast. One is the knit girllls, and the twisted stitches now that lady has me blushing lol.
So until next time keep smiling and if your still in cold areas keep you wooly vest on.

New year new challenges

Well new year is upon us. Got a feeling it's going to be a good one, but remember it is what we make of it.
What will I be doing this year? A lot I hope. In knitting, it colour work and more lace work. Lots of spinning, might use the wheel more but my real love is the drop spindle. The take any place tool. I have a lot of needle work to be finished as well. The big thing for me this year is space my self out more. Not to just do one thing. After all that's the way to grow and learn.
My big thing at this moment is getting use to using this iPad. It's another time saver in my life so I can multi task. Just wish the pad did that better. But there is no going back to the laptop full time. The setting up and carrying a laptop got real old after a while. I have gone a little app. crazy but it's helpful and a lot of fun. I like getting ebooks and PDF's really help. I have started getting patterns on the pad and instead of printing them out I set the pad up and work straight from there, great for lace pattern charts. It also nice to grab a podcast to plugged in to my ears while working on some thing else. There are some great ones out there. But sad to say along with the good you get the bad. So I will give any of then a chance. Normally downloading them a couple of times if I like them then they get a great review and I keep them coming but sometimes you get one that stinks. They get the low review and I stop downloading them. But I have only come across a couple.
I had one last week like that so left a review saying I didn't like it which is what reviews are for you know. But this guy didn't like getting a low review and tracked me down to tell me how upset he was that I never thought he was funny. In my book tracking someone to another site is stroking. May be the fool thought he could intimidate me in to changing my review. Well no such luck it just proved my point.
Anyway life is good even if cold right now. One thing for sure that will not change this year is how often I post a blog, it will still only when I have something to say. Plus when time allows after all I'm a do'er not a talker. So with that said I will close of and let's see. Do some spinning I think, kids are doing their own thing and been feed so it's me time.
Keep smiling
Dido