Wisdom and creativity..........

The general population's belief on how to gain wisdom...and mine may differ.

Here are my thoughts on signs of wisdom:

- knowing you don't know.......and finding your balance anyway... Is an absolute sign of wisdom!

- realizing you are standing in front of a billboard...and are not reading the sign.

- life is like water.........it flows, when it meets resistance...it dances, spins and swirls...those are the whirlpools and eddys of our lives....a time to seize for reflection, time to comtemplate, instead of feeling trapped and rebellious,...a time to change patterns, move to a different rhythm.......until we move on....for we have no choice eventually, except to move with the current.

It is in those eddys and whirlpools that our creativity originates..........and wisdom can be found. Though those struggles may seem mighty....they are the silver linings....that make our clouds cool!

Rushing past them quickly, is a mistake!!!!! Though that opportunity may seem as a gift.

Tutorial for I-Cord Bind-OFF with PHOTOS...

This is my version of the easy way to do an I-Cord Bind OFF edging as illustrated from the felted bag I just completed see this post. You will need a gauge swatch to work this tutorial and 2 additional DP(Double Point) needles in the same size as your working needles for your gauge swatch. In the pocket below, my live stitches are on a circular needle.

I am using a very bulky yarn and large needles size 13, which makes this tutorial really easy to follow, but YOU can use any size needles and yarn that you prefer.

TUTORIAL- I- CORD BINDOFF

STEP 1: With your regular needles prepare a swatch. You can use any size needles and yarn that you wish. Make sure you have two DP needles to match your pocket or swatch needle.

I would cast on 15 to 20 stitches and then work an equal number of rows. You are now ready to begin this tutorial

STEP 2: Cast on three additional stitches for the I-Cord Bind off. Note: you may cast on any amount of stitches you desire, the more stitches the larger/ thicker the I-Cord will be.

Insert right needle, through last two stitches on left needle.........wrap yarn around right needle and....















STEP 3: Pull up stitch (loop) with right needle as shown in the photo below.


















STEP 4: Twist the stitch (loop) you just pulled through and transfer it from your right needle to the left needle. One cast on stitch made.
















STEP 5: Insert your right needle Front to Back between stitch just made and last stitch on left needle. Pull the loop up through the original two stitches.

Twist right needle clockwise and place new stitch on left needle. It will look like the photograph in step 6 below, after you have cast on the 3 required stitches. Note: your I-cord can be as big as you choose, add as many stitches as you require.














STEP 6: Repeat this procedure until there are three new stitches on the left needle...as shown in the photo to the below.

STEP 7: Pick up and put these last three stitches and put them on your DP needle.

STEP 8: Knit the first two stitches on your DP needle using the other DP needle

as your right hand needle.

STEP 9: Insert DP needle through BACK loop of last Stitch on DP needle and through the BACK loop of the first stitch on Pocket needle - Knit these two stitches together.

Slide pocket stitch carefully off its needle then the other stitch off its needle. You should have 3 stitches on your right DP needle. You have created one bound off I- cord pocket stitch.

STEP 10: You have 3 stitches on the DP needle now and one less on the pocket needle. See photo below.

STEP 11: Now pull working yarn behind the stitches as shown below......and then.....

STEP 12: Slide Stitches from one end of the DP needle (top photo) to the other end of the needle, as shown in the bottom photo. Begin knitting next round.

STEP 13: Repeat step 8-12 until all pocket stitches are bound off.

STEP 14: To bind off last stitches, when the last stitch from pocket needle is bound off. Pull working yarn behind these stitches. Slide these stitches to the opposite end of the DP needle, now bind off each stitch. Secure the end thread but, sewing it through the stitches and then pull it through I-cord cylinder to hide the end. You are finished. See photo below of finished pocket with completed I-Cord edging.

I hope this tutorial helps you with your next I-Cord bind off.

It was a total techno nightmare preparing this. Gottal run I am 30 minutes late to my stitch n'bitch meeting....

wishing you a great evening,

smiles to you,

DC

They're backkkkkkkk!!!! Fallen LEAVES!

With a vengeance. Where have I been?....ONE WITH MY LEAF VACUUM!!!

How do I love that lawn and garden tool....It is my best pal! I pray for him every day....that he does not die on me, before the end of November....I love him....I even decided to name him. VIRGIL...the leaf vacuum...I would kiss him but, absolutely positively...YUCKKKKKK!

He is one of the best men that I have known.

Without him, I would never have time to knit in the fall....all I would be doing is raking and raking and more raking. The best part is he makes mulch to put around my trees. Leave mulch, is one of the best mulches to use in your garden.

Every morning,I have to remove leaves from the pool, leaves from the pool deck and leaves from the wooden deck. UGGGGGGHHHHH! All I have to say, is if you do not have one get one! Now!

Okay, and then there is my new best find.

...life without UFO boyfriend, DOES HAVE its benefits and may I emphasize.....PLENTY of benefits....but, I have to admit, he was great at trimming high bushes which, I just can't reach. Well today, while I was searching for solutions....since, I am deathly afraid of ladders and heights.I found this....YIPPEE!!!

Guess who ordered one, pronto!today...? MOI!!! how great is this...? You may want one too...what a great invention...and it is cordless. I guess, I just have to admit I am a girl that LOVESSSSSSSS, power tools! No more shredding the power cord with my hedge trimmer...which is a yearly occurence! Just burnt up another one last week.



Now that we got the lawn work out of the way let's talk about knitting. Finished the felted tote bag, finally. It is off the needles and just have to felt it. Made progress on the clapotis scarf, but not real happy with the yarn selection. Oh well, some poor soul will get it for a holiday gift. My sleeves for the cable and lace cardigan are still going, albeit slow. Hopefully, I will have time to focus this weekend, am binding off for the sleeve caps, finally. Then just have to sew it up.

and surprise, surprise, while finishing up the tote bag, I suddenly realized that I was knitting with big yarn and big needles and could take photos while I did it. So I did...and coming soon will be a pictutorial of an I-Cord bind-off. I hope to post that later this week.

Between the leaves and the ebay store decluttering project....I am strapped for time these days! Please check out my ebay store...besides the cool antiques, I am putting up some yarn kits, a swift, a needlepoint kit, caligraphy kit unused and there will be knitting books as well.......so keep checking...my store or sign up for my newsletter there.

gotta run and do ebay postings....

wishing you a great day,
smiles to you,
DC

I oughta have something relevant to say......BUT, ....

sometimes in life it is best to shut your yapper! Silence is golden....blah, blah, blah!

Here are my thoughts of late, the less said the better. Summer is almost gone...and did I find the man of my dreams????....NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Did I finish up my UFO's? NOOOOOOOOO!

So where did summer go? who knows, but it might be the last at my home. The last time I spend at my pool. So I am enjoying it like it will be my last time.

UFO has done himself in...FINALLY! I don't think he will ever be able to resurrect himself from this one.........all I will said in this regard is...what webs we create, when we first choose to deceive....will eventually bite us in the BUTT!

I am at work on two UFO's....a felted knitting tote and the cables and lace cardigan. I must admit the cables and lace cardigan got to me again, the pattern is intense...I am 3/4 of the way done the sleeves and just finishing to be done.

The good news, is I have not cast on any new projects...the Bad news, is not much knitting news to report.

I got bored and started to work on the felted tote bag. I finished the tote bag today and just started on the first of two I-Cords for the straps. This one should be done this week. It is a two-for...because, I am unloading a yarn that I bought in the late 80's in the midwest, which color was not becoming to me as a sweater...and I will be finishing one of my UFO's. Will post photos before I felt this baby.

Meanwhile, I am focused on unloading STUFF, on ebay...please visit my store. I will have many craft items up for sale....eventually and equally interesting paraphenalia, vintage stuff and antiques. I am doing this one box at a time. It is tedious...but, it feels good to get this STUFF to homes that will love it!!!!

wishing you a wonderful day,
SMILES TO YOU,
DC

NAIL TRIMMER FOR PETS........

Has trimming your pets nails, got you down. It has me. I was watching tv...the
other morning and saw this infomercial...and decided to try it out. It is great.

I go nuts trimming the dogs nails, I think I am more freaked out than them. I always worry about hitting the quick...when the blood spurts out. Especially with beluga because she has black nails and it is so hard to see the quick.

With vet costs as high as they are for dog or cat nail trimming...it is far too expensive to pay them to cut nails monthly.

I highly recommend this product after trying it.....this is a BIG tip for pet owners. It is such a great idea, I wish I thought of it.......



Let me know what you think if you get one.

wishing you a great day,
smiles to you,
deborah

Ding, Dong.....the CRAZED WOODPECKER is.......

DEAD!!!!

and I did not do it, I swear. You might remember me discussing my issues with this woodpecker that decided my cedar siding was more delectable than the many trees on my property.......read post here, last October 2007 when it was attacking my home mercilessly, each and every morning.

Of course not being a birdwatcher, I did not know what kind of woodpecker it was until, I was curious about the bird found dead under my Japanese fir tree last evening. I went out this morning, with my trusty pooper scooper, to remove the dead bird and noticed the long bill, red tipped head admidst black and white feathers and beautiful yellow feathers under the black wings. I thought this is an unusual bird, the coloring was so beautiful...

of course, I thought to myself, this would make a great dye combination, bright red, bright yellow, off white and black. I started to envision hand dyed yarns named after birds....LOL!!!

So, I came in, and decided to see if I could identify the bird. I googled birds and found a site called WhatBird.com....which makes it very easy to identify birds, for people like me that do not have a clue.

I had no idea it was my nemisis, THE WOODPECKER, until their search came up with a
Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker, Family: PICIDAE otherwise known as Woodpecker. There she was Dead as a Door Nail. I can't say I am sorry.

Rather, I think, it is a sign that some of the pests that have been plaguing my daily existence, The RABBIT, last week....THE WOODPECKER, this week...are on their way out of my life. I now can only hope that this progress will include the algae that has formed in my pool from the thunderstorms this past weekend....the Exs, that seem to have all showed up in my life this summer, the old anger related to said Exs, and that my UFO pile dissipates, eventually.

and then there is my STUFF, that I need to let go. The clutter, things, and effects of my past. I am determined to get rid of all this STUFF. I have opened an ebay store....please take a look at what I am putting up for sale....If you like it please buy it....give it a good home...YOURS!!!!

If you collect anything special, post cards, china, stamps, silver, coins, antiques of any type.... write me in my comments or direct, because trust me, there is something here, that you might have interest. I am attempting to put up at least 50items or more per week. It is slow going because ebay does not make it easy. An auction site should be easy or easier. Too many bells and whistles, I like simple.

Eventually fiber related stuff will go up, a spinning wheel that I have been wanting to sell....a swift, fiber for spinning, and lastly yarn from the way to big stash. I have to clear out this house, in preparation for its going up for sale sometime in February 2009.

wishing you a fabulous summer day......
smiles to you,
DC

Homeopathic Mosquito Bite Aid.........

I have been spraying my backyard with mosquito spray every other day, but,for some reason the bugs this year, just keep coming back. It is tough being outside either in the mornings or evenings, without getting at least a few bites. Its annoying... and most of the antihistamine meds, lotions or sprays offer little in the way of comfort. You wake up in the middle of the night, finally subcumbing to the itch.... and it swells and then it itches more. Such is part of those hazy hot summer days.

Not to mention, certain of us, seem to attract the most mosquito bites. Ever been at an outdoor barbeque, you are smacking your legs like a fool and look around and no one else is squirming the way you are........I am one of those people. Mosquitos have a preference for my blood, if they can get it. I have tried everything I ever read about how to persuade the little creeps to nibble on others legs. Sprays, skin so soft, natural concoctions, taking extra B vitamins, etc. Nothing works.

Until a few years ago, I read that the best way to deal with mosquito bites, was an application of heat, immediately or as soon as possible after you have been biten. A washcloth dipped in hot as you can stand it water, applied until the swelling goes down works. No waking up in the middle of the night, no need to fight the urge to scratch that bite. It works. Something about the heat dissipates the venom in the bite.

I have also steamed wet wash cloths in my microwave, used my morning cup of coffee, a hot stone by the pool put directly on the bite, will dissipate the venom, too.

It is always good to disinfect the bites after this with hydrogen peroxide and then an application of neosporin or some other similar product.

Try this method, it works, amazing well and you will save a fortune, not buying all those antihistamine products that don't work.

As for knitting or fiber content, I have nothing to report, I have been too busy, enjoying the summer, working outdoors chipping branches...and sitting by the pool without the needles. I was almost done the cables and lace sleeves...and just got tired of it. Will pick it up again soon. It is close to be finished.

I read through every message on the mystery shawl, through all the mistakes and frustrations....most members are now done, with lovely shawls to show for their efforts over 5 weeks. I have not started mine, and not sure that I ever will. I do see why these shawls are so popular, a comaraderie is built that keeps everyone working through those last very long rows....to completion. This shawl was a pi shawl and to be honest, I am just not sure that I am interested in making one. It is difficult and worn doubled....It seems like double knitting....to me.

wishing you a wonderful summer sunday,
smiles to you,
DC