A BELATED XMAS PRESENT

After knitting on this day and night I finally got my son's hat done,

sadly,

3 days after Christmas.

So what to do for Xmas Day?

I wrapped it beautifully Christmas Eve with the knitting needles still in the rim.

When he opened the box Xmas morning his first reaction was what's this

because the springy needles popped right out of the box lid at him.

Hee hee 

But he was surprised and loved it!

Yay!!!

It also needed blocking and drying,

for another 3 days of work.

So off to the post office it will go on Monday morning to his home in the Valley,

just in time for his skiing adventure next weekend.

I received a really nice comment about the colors in this hat,

so I thought I'd show and talk about my process.

I first asked my son's wife what colors she thought he'd like. 

 She told me blue and some greens.

So I pulled this leftover multi blue-green ball from my stash.

Then I began looking deeply at it to see any other colors.

I noticed a rich dark brown, and those light shades of green.

And buried deeply was a tiny tad of burnt brick.

Do you see it in the photo above?

I also like to use different values when composing a project like this

 from a dark dark to a light light.

Then after I'm happy I take a pix

 and look at it in my gallery of photos on my phone.

That gives the illusion of depth as if I'm looking at the colors from far away.

I used to tell my students to squint at their color choices and designs

 from a distance.

It really helps to see balance, texture and value.

The pix above was actually the last one I shot.

There were 4 other color choices 

but seeing them all on my phone helped me to chose this one.

We continue to get more rain and snow

and the ground just keeps soaking it all up.

I believe we are officially out of our drought. 

Finally after so many years of water conservation.

Enjoy your new hat Zach,

hopefully for another 30 years.

And it's ok to ditch the old one.

LOL

DID I MENTION...

that I saw the perfect winter knit hat on the Knit Stars newsletter last week?

The pattern calls for using up your scrap yarns in a fingering weight,

holding them double with a slip stitch design to get a marled look.

How could I possible resist? 

Love using up leftovers from other projects.  

The pattern is from a new designer,

 Ross Taylor of Twisted Ambitions Yarn.

The sweet backstory is I knit the ugliest hat for my son 

out of nasty acrylic yarns when he was a young pup.

This was before I knew about the natural fiber world of knitting yarns.

Anyways,

my son Zach recently told me he still wears that hat

 when he goes to the mountains skiing with his wife and friends.

Oh nOOOOOOOOOOO.

I was so touched that he still even has it,

 let alone wears it as a 34 year old adult.

Ha ha

What a wonderful boy I have.

Anyways I was so embarrassed for him 

and I've been looking for the perfect pattern and found it.

Even got his wife's approval on pattern and colors.

Below is Ross Taylor in his hat and the colors he used.

Pretty cool, 

huh?

 

I've been knitting on it everyday at stop lights as I run all my Xmas errands,

while waiting in line at stores,

and while waiting on my husband at his doctor appts.

I'm also trying to work on my Advent Scarf at night,

so that the hat is my daytime project.

It calls for a 6" brim that folds over to 3".

Because he recommends a 1 by 1 Twisted Rib pattern 

it's taking me FOREVER to get to 6",

but hopefully once there it should be smooth sailing as it decreases in size.

Wish me luck!

ADVENT KNIT DAY 4 &5

Day 4's yarn brought out darker values of aqua with a smattering of green

along with another prize,

a collapsible scissors in the sweetest pouch.

Have I mentioned I collect scissors?

Love them,

 especially antique ones.

I like the idea that someone used them before me

 and I'm bringing them back to life again.

Day 5's envelop is showcasing many variants of light to medium blues.

So very pretty.

In the photo above I've started my first row with #5.

I wish you could reach thru your monitor and feel the squishiness of the shawl.

It's so yummy!

ADVENT KNIT DAY 3 AND A BIG OOPS

Like I've said many times,

not the first time to mess up a pattern.

Above is Day 3's lovely and subtle mix of light blues and aquas.

And below is my oops.

Pattern makers always tell you how important it is to check gauge.

That means how many stitches across a row are there per inch.

The required number in this pattern is 6.

But as you can see below it looks like I only have about 5 1/4 to 5 1/2 p.i.

I really did think I had made gauge when I first started but apparently not.

I guess my tension loosened up as I kept going.

So what bad thing happened as a result?

I began running out of each color way of the previous day's yarn

 in the last row and a half before it was time to.

What to do?

Rip everything out?

NO WAY!

Ha, not me.

Way to lazy to start over again.

I got really lucky on the 3 colors I ran out of.

I scoured thru my stash and found scrap balls from other projects 

that were similar enough that it's not noticeable unless you point them out.

Designer Amanda recommended I go down a needle size for rest of project,

and tah dah,

it worked. 

 I'm no longer running out of each color.

Phee Shoo.

And I will be able to even it all out when I block it

 since it's a forgivable stretchy pattern.

OK,

back to knitting.

Oh, btw,

I started a new series on Netflix called The Empress.

Binge worthy and Fabulous!  

TALK TO THE PAW

 by Casapinka on Ravelry

is a wonderfully fast, asymmetrical cowl scarf,

knit almost entirely in garter stich.

 And a few yarn overs at the side for a lace edging.

Trying to remember where I first saw this pattern/kit 

and I 'm pretty it was on Knit Stars Newsletter from their store in Tulsa, Ok.

I honestly don't remember when I started or finished it

but my guess would be at the beginning of 2022

and done by March 2022.

The yarn the kit came with is a lovely and soft single ply with a slight halo.

And the Cat Paw Stitch was fun to learn 

then incorporate in between the color shifts.

After I completed the piece I realized I got the colors out of order.

Not the first time I've goofed up a pattern,

but I still loved it.

I sent it thru the mail to my son's dear mother in law, Mary.

I had seen her a month earlier and she had lost so much weight and it was chilly.

I noticed she was bundled up even in the house,

 so I thought she might enjoy the scarf around her neck.

Her daughter Nicole told me she wore it everyday until she passed in May.

It was meant to be.

Nicole wanted to give me the scarf back the day Mary left us 

but I wanted her to keep it for herself.

I haven't been brave enough to ask Nicole what she did with it.

I was so hoping she put it around her mothers neck to be buried in.

One of these days I may ask.

But right now at the Holidays it's just too soon and we are missing Mary too much.

But I know Mary has hooked up with my Mom

 and they are working their magic to watch over us all.

I'm sure that's why my ex and my husband Jim

 are recovering from their terrible ordeals.

More to come on that topic on another post.

ADVENT KNIT DAY 1 & 2 & A TINY BIT OF DAY 3

Only ripped out Day 1 three times before I got the hang of the pattern.

When opening Day 2 packet I found the cutest Xmas stitch markers.

You can see below I'm already using the red one to mark my center of pattern.

And also in the much nicer picture you can see

not only the colors in the yarns better, 

but how the fade is flowing from Day 1 into 2. 

Loving the change in stitch pattern too.

And didn't realize I photographed Day 3's start here 

without showing the packet first. 

Oh well.

I was surprised at the big jump in color families already.

I just wish I could keep up.

But I did find out from owner Amanda 

that there are others who are even further behind then me.

Yah!!!!

TIS THE SEASON WITH AN ADVENT KNIT

Ok, 

I know you are thinking,

doesn't she already have at least,

I don't know,

25 projects on her knitting needles?

Perhaps even 50ish?

Probably.

I've even finished 1 or 2 projects that I haven't posted yet.

I'm trying to get better about being more present here.

I know, I know, I always say that.

So anyways,

super excited about this new project

 put together by owner and designer of Buku Yarns in La Verne, Ca.,

Amanda Rios.

I picked up my basket of surprises a few days before December 1st,

hoping to get a head start.

But it turns out I'm much slower then the average participant in these things.

I want to blame it on my hearing loss.

Even though I finally broke down and got hearing aides a year ago,

I still find myself reading the closed caption

 on all my newsfeeds and Netflix shows 

which slows down my production time a lot!

Oh well,

I've got to do what I have to do.

It only took me five days to get through Day One,

ha ha!

Package One (top photo) not only came with this delicious subtle multi-shade of aqua and yellow greens,

but Amanda included a very sweet combo ruler and needle sizer

which I immediately hooked onto my knitting bag that goes everywhere with me.

Currently I'm supposed to be on Day 16,

but sadly it's Day 5 bag that I'm hoping to get to tonight.

Hoping to do a post everyday till I finish this gorgeous piece.

BFF's FOREVER

Meet Sophie and Bogie.

They do not care for each other,

instead merely tolerate when the occasion arises.

Sophie has been known to snap at Bogie when he gets too near me or her food.

Bogie is scared of Soph big time.

Sophie belongs to Jim and I,

a rescue that we got right before we married,

 so we guess she is about 13 years old now.

An older lady set in her ways,

an only child.

Bogie was dumped off at a golf course,

 we think,

because he was so incorrigible.

A very naughty boy.

See this link that inspired an art quilt in Feb. 2010.

He had Doggy Obedience school.

He flunked as did we with him.

My ex and I adopted him about 16 years ago,

and when we divorced he stayed with my ex.

He is a friendly pup and loves everybody,

even other dogs and cats,

except of course for my Sophie.

She is a meanie.

We think Bogie is a Rat Terrier with nervous energy.

Sophie, we think, is a Wheaten Terrier, Cocker, and Poodle mix,

usually very relaxed, laid back and sweet except when she sees Bogie.

Ahhh,

but look at this,

they are chilling side by side,

not touching,

 mind you, 

but long enough for me to take a pix.

Ok, so what's going on here?

I've been babysitting Bogie for the past 2 1/2 weeks now 

because my ex, Inars, suffered a mild heart arrest

 3 weeks ago on the golf course.

His 2 best friends he was with saved his life by administrating CPR

until 911 arrived.

A detective took over from them until the ambulance got there.

 Paramedics did 3 paddle shocks and 5 adrenaline shots to the heart.

Inars was without a heartbeat and oxygen for 30 mins total.

A very long time.

We were scared to death.

And Bogie needed a home.

On the exact same day my husband Jim,

yes the one who had the terrible car accident,

was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

He was having difficulty with balance and walking

(along with several other motor skills) 

and fell into our sliding glass door. 

Thank goodness the plants against the door broke his fall so he didn't go all the way thru the glass.

But he did hit his head and was very confused and not able to walk.

Turns out Jim had 2 brain bleeds.  

One from the accident a few months ago that was slowly building up 

and creating dementia like symptoms,

and a new bleed from his fall into the door.

An MRI was done and a Neurosurgeon was brought in

 to immediately drill 2 holes on either side of his skull and release the fluids.

It worked!!

But more bad news.

Both men were hospitalized for over 2 weeks,

Inars also being treated for a UTI and an infectious bacteria.

We had to suit up to go into his hospital room.

He also lost all his cognitive abilities.

His name, his address, where he was.

The list was long.

 My two children were with him day and night 

helping him,

quizzing him until he started to remember things.

I have never been prouder of how they stepped up to the plate

to be there for him and continue to do so now that he's home.

And did I mention that he contacted Covid in the hospital too?

And that he was sent home to us infectious with that?

Again both children were there regardless if they caught it or not.

Crazy loving kids.

Jim also lost his bearings for a couple of days after brain surgery,

but actually recovered quicker mentally.

He was also diagnosed with pneumonia along with the brain bleeds. 

What do they say?

When it rains it pours,

right??

The good news.

Jim is now in a wonderful Rehab center learning how to walk and balance again.

He will be coming home to me this Friday with a plan for lots of Physical Therapy

and Narcotics free.

Bogie is back home with his dad

who will be getting a defibulator as soon as his Covid is over,

and his memory is getting stronger everyday.

Sophie is an only child again.

And as you can see below,

Bogie and Sophie learned how to co-exist peacefully side by side

and have decided they can bee Best Friends Forever.

Sophie actually even gave the Bogster a kiss yesterday when I brought her over with me to check on my ex.

Life is looking up again!

A special note:

I was never alone in all of this.  

Jim's amazing daughter Julie and her husband Mike 

were by my side the entire time,

constantly calling doctors, checking on meds,

even feeding me a Thanksgiving dinner when I wasn't able to get out to

celebrate with my son's in-laws,

a lovely tradition that's been going on for years now.

Thank you Mike and Julie,

I could have never done this without you.

And to my two children,

Zach and Danielle.

How I love you both with all my heart.

How very much you have learned in the past 3 weeks.

All new experiences for you,

life lessons that have taken their toll on you both and your partners.

Like I said above,

I couldn't be prouder of you both,

especially how you shared the responsibilities equally.

Dad and are are so very lucky that you both are ours. 

THEY'RE BACK.....

It's that time of year again for the return of the flock of goats

 to eat up our dried out fire prone brush here on our nearby hillsides.

Are they called a flock?

I'm not sure.

Recently they broke away from the dogs

and ended up on our street,

and the handlers and dogs were having a heck of a time corralling them back 

onto the hillside.

LOL

I didn't get to see it firsthand but just heard about it.

Parents come from miles around to bring their children every year

 to see the goats and dogs in action.

The dogs are HUGE and impressive workers. 

These hills are notorious for catching on fire at least once every other year or so,

and devastating the neighborhoods that sit above them.

It's all about the views for these houses.

Two of our good friends lost their homes here a few years back 

because they were at work and weren't allowed in to help.

I drove home from work early and barely managed to get back home 

because many of the roads had been blocked off.

We then chose to stay and watered our roofs down.

We got lucky it didn't come our way.

This is a gorgeous part of the Southland here in Orange County,

but a dangerous place to live during the fire season.

We now have retired volunteers who sit in their cars and trucks

and watch for fires during the season.

Makes us feel a whole lot safer.

Sending out a BIG thank you to all of them!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM

My mother ,

Rose Patricia,

Patti,

 would have been 106 today.

If Alzheimer's hadn't taken it's nasty hold on her,

I think she would still be here.

She was such a strong woman!

The pix of us I took today is a bit worn on her gravestone marker,

but it's one of my favorites of us together.

She is 85ish here which means I was 45.

People always say that the both of us never looked our age.

I've always been so very proud to have inherited that from her side of the family.

But I live in fear of also inheriting her Dementia,

also on her side of the family.

I lost my sweet mommy at 92 years of age in 2008.

I was her only child after several miscarriages, 

and we were so very close and connected.

There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of her,

especially when I work in the garden.

I inherited her love of all plants and animals too.

Some local flowers I picked for her grave.

And this is her view today of the Saddleback Mountain Range

 from the spot I picked for us to be together forever.

This is what our sky looks like in wintertime right after a night of rain 

with more rain coming in the forecast.

Spectacular!!

The high was 61 and it's going down to 49 tonite.

Woo Hoo!

Perfect.

Hoping and wishing for a drought free summer this year.

A BIT DISTRACTED

Good news first!

It's been awhile since I last opened up my blog and did anything with it.

Life has thrown us a real curveball,

but before I talk about it let me introduce this very handsome and chill fellow,

2 month old Jax.

He is the infant of my dental assistant Rhea,

who I've known since her Kindergarten years with my son.

The two of them went thru Elementary, Jr. High and High School together.

What confidence and knowledge Jax is displaying,

almost like an old soul who's been around the block a time or two. 

LOL!

Rhea has him snuggled beneath the baby blanket I knit for him.

Now for the bad news.

My husband was in a terrible car accident recently,

ran into a tree, and flipped our jeep.  

It's really a miracle he's alive,

that's what all the doctors and nurses are telling me!

He was ejected we believe thru the soft top roof of the jeep,

and broke his fall all along the right side of his body 

from the top of his shoulder to his hip and thigh,

and is black and blue all the way down with multiple scratches over entire body.

He landed in the dirt and was covered in blood when 911 was called.

Not buckling your seatbelt really matters!

Ha!!!!

For 3 days his right eyelid would not stay open or would his eye track,

but that has resolved itself.

And if that wasn't enough he split open his skull, was concussed

 and had 8 staples put in.

We think his head hit a nearby sharp rock.

I actually went to visit the tree and crash site.

But sadly there is even more.

We don't know how it happened but he completely ripped open 

his left calf and muscle all the way down to his ankle.

The surgeon said it was peeled back like a banana.

WARNING:

THESE NEXT PHOTOS ARE NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.

These photos were taken after his 6th surgery,

and bandaging was being changed.

It was actually even worse then this but I've decided not to put those pix up.

Now some much needed good news after those photos.

Jim has not smoked or eaten fast food in 22 days.

He has lost at least 20 to 30 pounds in his mid section.

And because he is a diabetic he has not had any sugar either.

So cold turkey for all 3 vices.

He is going to be one healthy young man when he gets home.

A life changing experience!!

He has been in two trauma hospitals.

One in Santa Ana,

 and now he has been transferred to Mission Viejo.

He has had 7 surgeries on his calf and will continue to have more.

Plus extensive skin grafting yesterday that I have not seen yet.

(He is saying tonight that the graft is more painful then his calf injury)

Staples in head were removed and head has healed nicely.

He is so lucky to be alive.

His hair is growing in nicely and he has not shaved either.

He looks kind of like a captain of a ship.

Here he is with his grandsons last night.

It's the first time they have seen him since the accident,

and I know it really lifted his spirits,

that's for sure.

The state of the art hospital he is in now.

Our insurance's Trauma Hospital.

The place takes up a whole city block 

and each room is decked out like a hotel room with a couch/bed

 and deluxe bathroom. 

And the nurses aren't hiding behind a bullet proof glass partition

like in the first Trauma Hospital. 

What a difference and a blessing!

Who knew?  

Sometimes life throws you curveballs.

This was a BIG ONE!!

And still a long way to go towards healing.

And from now on, no seatbelt, no go.

MEET FIBER ARTIST DEBORAH HELD

                    Freelance Writer, Fiber Artist and Hand Spinning Teacher,

Debbie Held's handspun yarns captured me immediately when I saw an article of hers on the internet sight of Spin Off

I just knew I wanted a skein of her magic so I contacted her and we were off to the races.  She had me look thru her stash of unspun fibers and pick a color way that spoke to me.

She was so easy to work with and so very knowledgeable about animal fibers,

yarn plies, tweedy nubs, gradients versus fractural spins,

the list was long. 

And tah dah!

I couldn't be more thrilled with her finished creation,

all made to my specifications.

This colorway is called Outback in Bloom

The fiber is baby camel/silk (50/50).

  Deborah says it's probably the most luxurious blend out there with astonishing luster and drape.

I didn't realize this because I basically picked it for its astonishing colors.

I asked her for a Sport Weight yarn so she chain plied it and it's ideal for something lacy like a cowl or shawl/scarf.

So right now I'm on the hunt for the perfect pattern. 

And it must be touched everyday,

several times a day,

So I have it sitting right next to me on my desk.

I'm super excited to see and read more about Deb's work in this Fall's Issue of Spin Off Magazine.

I've also had her put me on her mailing list for classes that she teaches both Stateside as well as Internationally.

I'm so hoping she will come to the So.Cal. to teach at my studio.

This Fall she is headed to Scotland to teach at the Daedalus Fly-In this next spring.

She has also taught at the N.Y Sheep and Wool Festival (Rhinebeck),

 for Majacraft's New Zealand Retreat, and in Manchester, England. 

She hails from Atlanta, Georgia and also teaches classes for Sweet Georgia Yarns

in Vancouver BC, Canada.

Fall Issue of Spin off is now available.

JUST FOR FUN...INSPIRED BY BLOG TANGLEWOOD THREAD'S RUSTY PUPS

A few of my grandpets.

Meet Smoothie.. all grown up

and out of control.

A rescue found under my son's house.

Smooth lets Zach manhandle him as much as he wants and loves the attention.

Poor four year old Granger

 who will let my daughter dress him up for all events.

Sweet Tatum (a rescue who is 3 now) and Piper (another rescue).

Tat thinks Piper was her baby from the first day she came home.

The gang exhausted from the heat wave we are having here in the So.Cal.

And mom putting us to bed.

And the best greeting you are ever going to get!

You know you are welcome here.

They are my heart.

CONGRADULATIONS ALYSSA OLEA MORALES...

your new journey begins today!!

I'm so incredibly proud of you

 and all the hard work you put into getting here.

Let me introduce to you the brand new,

 full time Ceramics teacher at Chino Hills High School,

home of the Huskies!

Mrs. Morales

Alyssa fell in love with clay 

when she took her first Ceramics I class with me in 2011 as a junior

at Whitney.

Yes Huskies,

this is your teacher in High School creating her nude coil torso in Ceramics II

her senior year.

If you enter her name in the search engine upper left as Alyssa Olea,

 you can see many of her clay pieces she created in her 2 years at Whitney,

as well as all the AMAZING art displays she hung for me as my T.A, 

also in her senior year.

Then for several years after from the Fall of 2012 

to when I retired in the Summer of 2019,

 she worked for me as my Art Assistant 

two days a week while attending college 

and working a second job for her dad's company. 

                                                     

This is Alyssa and I at her Senior High School Graduation in 2012.

And during that time as my Art Assistant,

 she married the love of her life

and High School sweetheart,

Lucian Morales.

Here we are together at her beautiful wedding.

Alyssa completed her B.A., her Teaching Credential 

as well as her Student Teaching

during Covid which made it extra challenging.

She taught Art this summer at a private high school 

while she applied for teaching jobs for this Fall around the So. Cal. area.

She was hired a couple of weeks ago,

her super chill yet inquisitive Principal giving me a call to find out all about her.

Of course I gave Alyssa a glowing recommendation

and he  hired her the very next day.

Woo Hoo!!!

So this past Thursday I drove out to see her in her new classroom

and offer any help in setting things up.

I was not prepared for the exceptional Ceramics room they have built there.

It's even nicer than my college clay classrooms

with everything she will ever possibly need.

Let me show you...

Two views of how spacious the room is,

the natural lighting,

 plus stairs leading up to the other two art rooms.

How cool is that??

Oh,

and you can see her office space too by the flag.

Four electric potter's wheels

and at least 20 or more kick wheels spread not just here but around the room

with hose bib, drains and hoses to clean the clay dust off the floors.

And of course she has built in clay dust fans and filters for the air ducts.

Also a big old slab roller and coil extruder.

And get this,

at least 10 deep sinks that I counted, all with clay traps.

I only ever had 2 sinks for 36 kids per class.

It was pretty tricky at clean up time.

This is an incredibly large clay recycling room complete with a pug mill 

and several wedging tables and additional storage.

And the next room below is a drying room

and another room not shown is a huge damp room.

And best of all an outdoor kiln area that is secure and fenced in.

She's even got a large Gas Kiln that can fire to Cone 10

along with two electric kilns and a Raku Kiln.

Dang!

What a lucky ducky she is!!!!!

Alyssa I'm so thrilled for you!

In all my days I've never been in a nicer or more complete Ceramics facility.

And I'd be delighted to be your Assistant anytime you need me.

Free of charge!!

LOL

Good Luck today.

Know I will be thinking of you all day long.

Love you to the Moon and Back!!