spin off magazine is sponsoring a contest....

on their new website that opened today....and is featuring a contest that includes fiber gift baskets and gift certificates to the online spinning store exclusively to members of spinoffmagazine.com



2 Fiber baskets that could contain a Golding Ring Spindle, silk merino fiber and a hand spindle from Foxglove Fiber Arts & Ashford, a teasing tool from Strauch Fiber Equipment, and a bunch of spinnable fiber!


5 gift certificates to the online spinning store for $20

Here is the link for anyone interested in joining and becoming eligible to win the above prizes.....

and a widget from their new site with photos:

Noro Yarn has ISSUES that can be repaired.......

If you like noro yarns and use them, then you know they have ISSUES.......The photos are of the Noro Kureopatra yarn that I am using for the 'Everyone Knows' jacket.

Here is a quick fix for solving White spots: Places where the dye did not take to the yarn. This is especially annoying in a dark dye lot.See first image....Before repair.

Use a permanent marker pen or a fabric dye pen, in a color that blends with your dye lot to color in the white spaces. See second image...After repair.

I used purple to cover up the white spots in my 'everyone knows cardigan.

You can do this before you knit the yarn....or a bit faster after it is knitted. You can use several colors or use one. I like to use the large sharper marker, which I have in several colors and lightly brush over the white spots after they are knitted, until I get the depth of color that I am searching.

Fix Two: unspun roving sections:

lightly dampen the area with water or saliva....and roll back and forth in the palms of your hands until the fibers adhere to themselves. The yarn will now not pull apart as you knit.

Smiles to You,

DC

Winter is officially on my nerves.........

this morning.......

I am tired of being freezing cold. Tired of HUGE heating bills. Tired of wearing boots and heavy coats. Tired of putting doggie booties on the wee pups, whose paws freeze otherwise.
Tired of cleaning the ashes out of the fireplace. Tired of bleak colors and only textures for interest in the landscape...

I NEED A VACATION TO SOMEWHERE VERY WARMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM! NOWWWWWWW! Can someone lend me their place in St. Barts or other cushy carribean resort?

Up early to take out the trash, it is frigid cold here, 16 degrees Farenheit.

Had a good week trading in the market and made progress on my "everyone knows" jacket. 11 1/2" completed. I am not doing the bind off holey stitch thing, which is totally not suitable to the winter climate here in pennsylvania. So far, I say, kudos to the designers 'Weaverknits' for a well written and EDITED pattern. Thank you, you make knitting a pleasure.

About to put more stuff on Ebay this morning, please check out my auctions, seller name sheepthrills6 and the link to my store is above. I put some craft books up there and some craft kits this month and lots of MIDCENTURY MODERN ACCESSORIES for your home.

wishing you all a wonderful weekend,
smiles to you,
DC

It's Snowing in Bucks County.....

it is beautiful. I like big wet snowflakes....especially when I can watch them from my warm office's window.

I bought a new computer, with a large monitor, it was a mistake. Not the large monitor, the NEW.....part. My Ulcer is acting up, being techno deficient as I am....what was I thinking?

My computer was so old 5 years, that I had forgotten what a hassle it was getting a new computer up and running with all the colors, sounds, themes, software, data on your new computer.

For some reason on day 2, I have NO SOUND......checked all the sound drivers, settings, etc...No enlightenment. So will be on the phone with HP, shortly. My scanner or webcam do not work with windows vista.....so will keep my other computer functioning.

It was on its last legs, it kept crashing. It crashes when I try to copy certain info, it crashes if I look at it the wrong way......who knows why, so, I gave up on it..... I miss windows XP....it was so easy.

Vista, is ridiculous, it makes you confirm everything that you do....and then some. Wish I could have XP on this new computer, I would be in heaven.

I love this large wide screen. It is great........and the wireless keyboard and mouse. I hated that mouse wire, it was always getting stuck on something, at the most inoportune moments.

I have learned all sorts of new techno stuff. I had to buy a wireless router to use the other computer and a USB wireless adapter for it. I just installed the adapter, I survived.

Technology stresses me out, it seems to have gotten overly complicated....to the point if you do not have access to a teenager or someone in their 20's....YOU ARE SCREWED!!!

I also bought a thinga majiggy....called a flash drive, as I was advised it was easier to use than the large stack of CD's I was about to purchase to transfer data from old computer to new. Who knew???? I have not gotten the courage yet to try it.......will do that after this post as well.

I knit two rows on this after every techno belch......yes, my sticks and string are keeping me somewhat sane.....during this process....I crave them...I need them for a reality check....knitting is so simple compared to technology.....it affords instant gratification with each stitch. I can touch it, it makes sense, it grounds me.

I cast on the "everyone knows" sweater from knitty- winter 2008, designed by Weaverknits. I am skipping the bind off drop stitch thing. I love the shape of this simple sweater without it. I am using noro kureopatra yarn. I like the way it is turning out so far. I have 7 " done so far.

No UFO progress to report.......too busy with computers and ebay these days and thought maybe a new knitting project would get me moving on the UFO's again as well.

Oh, I almost forgot, UFO BOYFRIEND, heard about my stomach ulcer and showed up with 2 dozen red roses and a beautiful card... 2 weeks later, of course!!!....what IS UP WITH THAT?

He was sweet...you just never know what that guy will come up with....anyway, it was the least he could do, because he is 50% responsible for the stomach ulcer....at minimum and the ex hubby gets credit for the other half.....

Gotta run, to click and ship for ebay, then talk to HP about the sound problem.....and then comcast, I am sure to install the wireless router.....the acid in my stomach is churning just thinking about those trunk lines......but, I will work on the "everyone knows" sweater, and be thinking every one knows technology sucks......and knitting doesn't!!!! ;-)

wishing you a fabulous winter evening,

smiles to you,

DC

JELLO CRISIS.........

this is my life, post ulcer diagnosis.....LOL!

JELLO......

I have tried the pineapple, sparkling grape, cherry, strawberry...and what I realize is jello is like eating air.......flavorful.....but, empty calories...something to stick in your mouth, when you wish you could be eating eggs and bacon......or roast beef.....a wendy's baconator........UGGGGGGGGH!

and I realized my jello is mushy...not firm, when ex-hubby brought me jello snack packs the other day....that JELLO has substance....mine is not FIRM. JELLO CRISIS!!!

What am I doing wrong?????

How am I going to survive this bland diet? Almost every food I love, is not on it. No tomatoes, no grapefruits, no bacon, no salt......NO SALT and pepper!!! No alcohol...no french fries....no seafood......NO BERRIES......JUST JELLO.....

Of course, I could be having peanut butter....but, there is unfortunately a salmonella issue at the moment!!!! and I am all out of peanut butter in my pantry.... This could not have come at a worst moment in time.

At least peanut butter and jelly would have gotten me through. How could every jar of peanut butter be contaminated? This seems proposterous to me!

OKAY...... I just took a look see......and found the advice I was given by several well meaning friends and family was not entirely based in fact....THERE IS HOPE!!!

Here is what I found out, dated January 23rd, 2009:

1. The FDA has confirmed that the sources of the outbreak of illnesses caused by Salmonella Typhimurium are peanut butter and peanut paste produced by the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) at its Blakely, Georgia processing plant.

2. None of PCA's products are directly sold to consumers.

3. While investigating,the FDA determined that PCA's peanut products were distributed to more than 70 consignee firms, for use as an ingredient in hundreds of different products, such as cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream.

4. FDA has created a searchable database for these consignee products, which can be found HERE.

5. The identification of products subject to recall is continuing and this list is updated frequently.

6.Major national brands of jarred peanut butter found in grocery stores are not affected by the PCA recall.

7. King Nut peanut butter is also contaminated.

8. The latest info on the outbreak can be found HERE.

YIPPEEEEEEEEE!!! I am betting on Crazy Richard's Natural Peanut Butter....I bet it is okay...so there is HOPE for me getting through this ulcer diet. I LOVE PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY.

It pays to do research....I really thought it odd every peanut butter was suddenly contaminated.....it seemed totally ridiculous to me...and it was.

Wishing you a great Sunday......

SMiles to you,
DC

STOMACH ULCERS.........et al.........

Well, I have been predicting its arrival for this past year.......and IT SHOWED UP!

I knew it that morning (1/20), when I was walking around Michael's looking for supplies...it sort of felt like that movie ALIENS....something blew out the front and the back. I came home, threw up a few times.....but, still packed up my ebay sales, went to the post office......waited in a long line...

Almost threw up all over my favorite post office worker....not sure how I drove home, but made it....just in time for another session of you know what....
and all night long........every hour on the hour...I could not even keep water down!

Did I go to the hospital, then? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! I felt I was too sick to go to the hospital......LOL!!!

After tossing my cookies, so to speak for a day and a half relentlessly....I finally let myself be persuaded to go to the emergency ward (1/21)....what can I say, I WAS WEAK AND DELIRIOUS!!! I hate doctors, I hate hospitals even more.

I went and just in the nick of time! My potassium had reached dangerously low levels, to the point I was admitted for possible cardiac arrest. I agreed to stay till 7am the following morning, only because MY EX HUSBAND,refused to drive me home. Yes, he actually took me to the hospital.......can you believe it?

They ultrasounded me, EKGeed me, CatScanned me...and decided I also had an enlarged pancreas....wishful thinking. I kept telling them I THOUGHT I HAD AN ULCER...but, they were not listening.

Your pancreas does get enlarged after that much vomiting......I mean it is pretty tough on the digestive system......

Later that morning the gastroenterologist, persuaded me to do an endoscopy....I agreed since, he felt I had a possible ulcer per his review and basically bagged the pancreatis diagnosis of the rest of the medical dweebs.

It seems I have a stomach ulcer the size of a silver dollar, which is larger than average. Is that a surprise considering what my life has been for the past 7 years divorcing the ex.......trying to get the house under control, find a full time JOB, be fully self supporting, and deal with dating in the milenium........HELLO....

I am not surprised. UFO boyfriend, said it is my lifestyle....yes, he still is trying to get back in my good graces....but, just between you all and I...he is part and parcel of a big chunk of the acid that tore into my gut and I told him so! Along with the EX.......who has never been so nice to me, even when we were honeymooning!!! LOL! So what does this all say, MEAN?

1. Ex's can redeem themselves......perhaps???? Honestly, the jury is still out on this one....

2. UFO boyfriends...will always be that...UFO's.

3. The lifestyle changes that need to be made in my life, are knowing when to hold em and when to fold em and walk away, from difficult and disruptive people, influences, projects....because, they can KILL you.

4. I feel a new affinity towards JELLO.

5. I have no idea how I am going to be able to stay on a bland diet....NO SPICES...I am the CHILI POWDER QUEEN!

6. NO ALCOHOL til the ulcer heals....none, no wine, no beer, no martinis...

7. I need to learn to take on less stress from my environment.....

8. I think morning and evening meditation is in order........

9. I am sick of chicken consomme.

10. I think when I stopped knitting, the stomach acid took over....I need to knit more to keep my sanity and the stomach acid at bay!!!!!

Oh and the really biggie, not listed above, is I NEED TO REALLY QUIT SMOKING....not cut down.......so it is the PATCH for me, FEBRUARY 1st. NO EXCUSES.....smoking contributes to ulcers.

I need to go back to bed and rest. I am sore from this bout with death and that endoscopy destroyed my throat, my mouth....and bruised my face...not sure why that happened.

Wishing you a great evening.......

Smiles to you,
DC

It's January 2009........

and I am having a hard time remembering to write 2009.....already have a mental block on this year.......why?

Only a knitting disaster to report........the perennial UFO cables and lace cardigan from 2004 that was so close to completion.............finished the sleeves, found a problem with the back, ripped out to armholes............while ripping out, found more errors all the way down near the bottom so had to rip out the entire back........

and then just after I finished that, found out Beluga, the fruitcake puppy.......decided in the interim to chew on the pinned sleeves stitch holder.......it is pretty mangled......so one sleeve now, also has to be fixed.

Here she is posing with part of the sweater...for a ravelry shot.

NOOOOOOO.....I did not kill her, but I will admit I considered it for at least a full second. Needless to say, she spent the rest of the evening in puppy jail.......for her own safety!!!

This sweater is ILL-FATED....no matter how you look at it....still not done after 5 years...

Should there be a time limit, when a UFO..........should be frogged?

Look how she mangled that metal stitch holder....which, made me wonder where was I when she was working on that.

And just the day before, she ended up in puppy jail.......for having part of a bamboo needle in her mouth...........it took a few days, but I found the other parts.........and it was the clapotis scarf that she attacked......so that warranted another day in puppy jail, for her.

My concern is this puppy does not seem to respect my fiber projects and in particular my fiber tools!!!

.......or is it she just knows which, projects are permanent UFO's........and is helping me out?

I was not happy with the yarn used in my Clapotis Scarf.....it was verging on becoming a UFO......but, how did she know? and was that an excuse to destroy a perfectly good set of needles? LOL!!!

So this is how my year began..........

Wishing you a wonderful year.......

SMILES To you,

DC