what is the problem with men..............

okay....get your sticks and your fiber....and listen up........MEN are weird...
they can't help it....they JUST ARE!

Just when you think that things are settling down to a nice rhythmic pace...
they always come up with something.........UFO boyfriend sends me an email today....subject: I think I am dying.......

My response........oh brother!!!! LOL!!!

He is apparently sure that he is riddled with cancer....and does not have
long to live. His comment: You are not going to have me for long!!! LOL!!!

My comment: do you think we can take a vacation to see a formula one race...before the end of the year....since you do not have long to live...????
(note: we love formula one grand prix racing and all the drama!!!)

his comment....NO ANSWER!!!

my comment....don't worry....you will outlive most of the people on the planet...it is people like you that kill all the rest of us...with YOUR ANXIETIES!

This after a weekend of, I am so fat.....and I thought that was my line!!! LOL!!!

When did MEN become so dramatic....and women soooooooooooo SOBER? Can MEN BECOME PRIMA DONNA's? or am I partly to blame for this travesty?

AND, why am I so focused on designing soapsacs? Is that symbolic...of desiring a CLEAN SWEEP!!!! I am wondering this as I finish my second sac....with novelty yarn....which is nearing completion....picture promised...shortly!

Did I mention, someone invited me to Paris for ten days...and I declined! Is this evidence of insanity????

going back to knitting my soapsac II it is the most sane thing in my life today!!!

toodles,
DC

FREE PATTERN FOR SOAPSAC

Here is a photo of the soapsac, I designed and knitted this past week....
my store bought one was disgraceful...and I might

add has been a disgrace for some time.....so I consider this

another UFO off my list of things that NEED DOING!!! Yippee!!!

I used one ball of Bernat Handicrafter Cotton, 4 ply aran worsted weight, 1 3/4oz/50g,...which is similar to lion brand cotton....NO YARDAGE IS GIVEN on the label.........don't you just hate that!!!

In any case, this was sale yarn found in my stash....cost 50 CENTS!

so....I bought it anyway.........so this is a DOUBLE YIPPEE
for using up some STASH YARN....which, I seriously need to do.

Sorry LYS....but, I must confess, no yarn purchases in the year 2007 to date.......and there will not be, until I empty out my exercise room of
yarn bins, which CAN NOT OCCUR UNTIL THE QUANTITY OF PLASTIC BINS IS REDUCED, drastically....I can not see the equipment...which does have its virtues!!!!

The yarn calls for #7 needles....you may adjust this pattern to your own personal soap and needle preferences....by increasing the stitches, increased for smaller needles/gauge yarn or decreasing the increases for larger needles...your choice. Remember cotton sags when it gets wet.

You also could opt to use wool...which will shrink and felt as it gets wet and soapy, in which case, I suggest your soap sac should be much larger than your soap bar size.

Another suggestion would be an aran weight novelty yarn with bumps...which might have a massaging quality, I am working on one such soapsac, NOW.

I used 4- #3 DPN needles and #3 - 16" circular needles....for the soapsac pictured above.

Here is the knitting recipe:

Cast on to a #3 DPN - 9 stitches using any preferred cast on method. Divide the stitches onto three needles and join.

Row 1 - Knit 2 and knit into the back and front of last stitch - 4 stitches/ needle, repeat from* twice. -12 stitches. place marker.

Row 2 - and all even rows - purl all stitches.

Row 3 - knit 3 and knit into the back and front of last stitch - 5 stitches/ needle, repeat from * twice - 15 stitches

Continue in increasing this manner every other row....until there are 12 stitches on each needle, 36 total...and change to circular needles if you want...or continue with the double points.

Work even in garter stitch pattern until the sac is 5 inches long for extra large soap bar....or till sac is big enough for your soap bar. end with purl row.

next row: make eyelets for tie....*Knit 1, yarn over, Knit 2 together, repeat from * til end of row.

next row: purl all stitches and knit 1 in the back and front of last stitch - 37 stitches.

begin lace top pattern (and this is where it is much easier to use the circular needles):

Lace row one: Knit 1, *Yarn over, Knit 4,( slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slip stitch over k2tog), knit 4, yarn over, knit 1. repeat from * to end of row.

Lace row 2: purl all stitches.

Repeat these two rows 5 times and bind off loosely.

Darn in ends at top and bottom.

With remaining yarn chain stitch the tie to desire length, leaving some yarn length to thread beads, if desired and pull through eyelet row made.

This makes a great gift when given with a wonderful smelling soap...and can also be used to scent your lingerie drawers.....until use of soap is desired.

2007 copyright Konoponop Designs....for YOUR personal use and gift giving only...enjoy!

GOOD NEWS...besides the fact the SUN has decided to SHOW UP!

There are finally FINISHED OBJECTS to REPORT.... I actually accomplished something beyond removing worms, dead leaves, japanese beetles and rather large brown spiders that decided to take a swim in MY pool....

and....I refurbished the pool net thingey with some old fiberglass screening found in my master bath linen closet...and that, is a bit longer of a story....related to the day I decided that my jacuzzi for two was a waste of space....and should become my papermaking studio...LOL!!!

One benefit of being a pack rat queen....is that with a little creativity, I can construct just about anything that I need without ever having to leave HOME!!!! But, I digress......from the point of my post today.....

I finished some STUFF!!!! :~)



First item....UFO boyfriend scarf has been BLOCKED....and is BEEAUTIFUL.....if I have to say so myself.......Here is a photo....of the FO.....with instructions to follow...sometime in the NEAR future..........














Second item....A white cotton trapeze tank from a Knitter's Magazine from several years ago (made w/ Sirdar DK Opium, 58% cotton, 37% acrylic, 5% silk from MY STASH)... which, still needs to be blocked...but, is sewn up and actually fits. It was all knitted and rolled up in a bag waiting to be sewn together, for the last year.....hey, DON'T RUSH ME! It took only an hour....PLUS OR MINUS A YEAR or SO...to sew it up
......INSTEAD


....I was busy starting NEW PROJECTS!!!!!



....and, a photo....of the two
Finally Finished OBJECTS...
hanging out together!!! ;~0



Third item.....I harvested my strawberries this year and made some delectable strawberry jam.



Very easy to do: wash strawberries, add organic sugar and lemon to taste....bring to a boil and spoon into a canning jar or saved jar.....cool and refrigerate....ENJOY!


AND....the most significant of all completed PROJECTS to report....IS, that I finally sat down
and organized all those patterns/ technical information/ inspirational photos printed out from the web into nice notebooks with dividers UNTIL 3AM last evening........I HAVE A FEW INCHES OF FLOOR SPACE...in my office/fiber studio...........YIPPEEEEEEEEE!!!!

That was big. I truly believe that CLUTTER is a state of mind.....and I am focused on changing
the STATE OF MY MIND...in 2007.

I also have had a request for some jewelry photos....so here are two....they were used for postcards for craft shows..... The first pair of earrings is hand formed Sterling Silver with garnets and glass beads.... the second photo earrings are cast and hand fabricated with onyx drops and an orange red stone whose name escapes me at the moment...and the matching bracelet uses the same stones and was hand fabricated by moi....and I am not sure if they are still in inventory or have been sold....if you are interested email me and I will investigate and
give you a price quote.
AND.... until the Computer Geek arrives on Monday, to figure out what COMCAST did to my computer, when they tried to replace my modem....I have no scanner, no cd, no dvd, no emails prior to JUNE 20th, 2007...........no workable ITUNES library....

Lastly, the bad news...is while I finished two knitting projects, I began two new projects at the pool...because, I just can not resist that old temptation to begin a NEW PROJECT!!!

Two out, Two in...is that progress....or NOT???...I have not decided!!!

A tank top, which I am using taupe cotton and a noro multi colored rayon carry along...and a NEW SoapCloth which I am designing with beige bernat cotton that I found in one of my
unearthed UFO's....an old bag project that I am never going to finish....but, will FROG this week and it will become a NEW something or other. It is a hopelessly UGLY project...where the yarn just did not suit the design found in Knitter's Magazine 3 years ago.

I will post both the SoapCloth pattern and photo...when it is finito....as well as the promised pattern for the ubiquitous UFO BOYFRIEND SCARF....which, by the way drove the clean up of paperwork in my studio....I could not find my pattern design notes...it is amazing they were still underneath a pile of papers...and glad to report....was rescued!!!!

Time to go out to the pool...for a bit of a swim....and some sunshine!!!!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend....filled with at least ONE FINISHED PROJECT.....

Smiles to you,
DC

well it has been a wild and wooley month!!!!

ufo boyfriend has been a handfull!!! but beyond that, i was in a car accident....in my beloved porsche cabriolet...not my fault, police bias...etc, etc, etc....yeah, NOT IN MY WORLD....yes, it can happen to you.

What happened to HONOR????

I have realized, yes, one that lives in her own artistic, and perhaps, world of make believe, high hopes. yes, pie in the sky apple pie hopes....

has the world gone crazy? and if it has....don't you just know it, that it is because....of all the UFO's out there...the unfinished business of DREAMS....

Do you remember your childhood....50 year olds plus or minus....the land of OZ....we did not watch the tube..or internet....we went out there and created our FUN....we free-formed it...we made due with what we had....and made it work...and it did not matter that it was realistic....forget the details....the impressionwas there!!!!

TODAY....there are too many details, requirements, boundaries, what the media says what it doesn't!

In any case, boyfriend has admitted, he is a UFO....I have admitted, HERE on the great BLOG network...I am a UFO....and I struggle day to day....to finish that which I HAVE BEGUN....before my attention is drawn to someplace else............


YES....the jacket is still a UFO....but thank you..........it is nearing completion.

MY QUESTION IS THIS....IS THERE A UFO PLAN???? is this a weakness?

and my point of contention...is that I cleaned my aunt's house after her death. she was not a happy person....and there were so many UFO's in her house, especially in the attic..... I saw myself...there....

Do I want those that inherit my life....to see UNFINISHED OBJECTS....and what will that say about me.... ??????

that I took on more than I was capable of....or worse yet.... that I did not believe in MY OWN VISION....

the time is ripe...and it is a time to create...and support...your vision....FINISH UP.....because you never do know when the TIME IS UP!!!!

sincerely,
konoponop designs.....

surprise, surprise, surprise............

blogger and google finally got there stuff together..........and figured out how to fix my old blog.....it only took them a month and a half to respond..........

does this count as a resolved UFO? Or do I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT THE
DISPOSITION OF THE OLD BLOG?

meanwhile, UFO boyfriend is back in the fold..........but, the problem is, I am
not happy with the situation, nothing seems to have changed. Why do I still
think it will?

He got his first music gig.........so if you live in the Philadelphia area....he is
playing two sets on Friday nite at Zesty's in Manyunk, beginning at 9:30pm
....I will be there...so stop by to hear some great jazz and blues. He is a great
musician....I must admit....maybe that is the attraction????

I have been preoccupied thinking about the situation....while I am still sewing
together scrumbles. I am happy to report that all is done except the right
front, which I am now assembling this week. And then, the entire jacket....
it should be done in next week. What a chore. I thought I was closer to being
done than I was.......

I also am busy with spring clean up outside, and it is a nightmare of weeds and
trimming. This was a harsh winter and everything is blooming at a faster
rate than usual.... I am totally exhausted from all this gardening.......I hope
I finish soon!!!

smiles to you,
DC

2007 UFO CHALLENGE....and challenged!!!

I was reviewing webrings to join for this new blog...and there are many...just what a person who procrastinates over every choice needzzzzzzzzzzzz....lots of choices...Like are you KIDDDDDDDDDDDing...........I decided to keep it down to five for starters...

...it is saturday nite and even though....I should be out with UFO BOYFRIEND...I am not, he is still UFO...and I am still working on the freeform knit and crocheted coat...assiduously, I might add, I decided to select the first few blog rings that looked interesting.

He did think it was important to let me know he bumped into his boss last evening, and he got a compliment from him....it was so emergent, he sent the news by text message...LOL!

WHY? was my question this morning....

because, I wanted to share this information with you...

Share YOUR life???....I can't think about that stillllllllllllllllll, too much other stuff on my mind!!!!!

However, he seems to have NO PROBLEMO, FORCING ME, to share HIS LIFE....go ahead and try to figure that out...because, I CAN NOT!!!

....but, it DOES help to sew all these little teeny tiny pieces together....tedious....is good therapy!!!

....and this UFO blog ring.....seems fitting....to my life in total...although the challenge here is to finish one UFO knitting project per month....or deal with it and more than a FEW ROWS DO NOT COUNT!!!....and or frog it...and write about it. :-)

Here is the website: http://www.katwithak.com/ that started it all .....and she also has an online zine:Yarn Life Magazine where you will find the originating post in December 2006.

I did not find a webring for UFO boyfriend problems or the UFO boyfriend scarf curse...SOOOO,I might have to start one.... so if you have any UFO boyfriend scarf curse stories, please email me. Honestly, though I have not searched for one either...YETTTTTTTTT!!! Or for UFO lives...............project for next week.

My friends have all had it with the stories of BF....and I feel like carrie in Sex in the city, when she drives all her friends to the brink and they send her to a therapist....because she walks out on BIG....when it hits her he is a definite, UFO boyfriend....

My favorite episode is #24....there is some good advice, therein....and also, it is always therapeutic to watch someone else........act totally ridiculous in the name of loving A MAN< that does not have a CLUE, as to what love is all about...or how to do it...that is not YOU!!!

The fact that he was 51, and never married, did not tip me off........and why????

In any case, I am going back to sewing....at least something is going to get finished, in this household this year....but will it fit? I am working on the right front today, it is half done...but, must confess I decided to make some apple martinis to go with it....so not sure how much longer I will work on it....but there is major progress...perhaps some photos tomorrow....

happy trails,
dc

A POEM written to my UFO LOVER

frustrated love

don't know why I bother....it is futile....

something is very wrong....

it has been for weeks now....

I have tried to reach you....but you won't let me in.

i am exhausted from trying with no reward....

passion dies if the flames are not stoked....

patiently, I have waited on this merry go round......

struggling to understand....

while you watch.....

unwilling to give me your hand....

i can not see your heart in my mind's eye....

through all the obstructions you have put
in our path.......

the music has stopped and the lights
have gone out....

all that remains is silence....

my tears....wet upon my cheeks

and your smoke.....and anger

buried in your own subterfuge...

you can not see ME.....

shadows of ghost women past
block your view.....

i can not find my way alone.....

you can not find the time or the
grace to sooth my soul....

calm my fears.........

or end the disrespect.....

that you evoke.... with all your smoke.....

you cling to your past anger like glue.......

fearing our chance to grow love anew.....

WE are now so very lost........can this be?

until the past for you.....is past

there can be no ME or US......

in your world.......there is no room...

among the past clutter, harsh judgments
and falsehoods, you so angrily profess........

for wings to sprout and US to fly....

without your hand, i have lost my way....

i shall miss the dream of US.

i wonder will you?

did you ever dream of US....?

I wonder still..........

you never would say.....

good bye, my darling...


(copyright October 2006, unauthorized use is prohibited
without the authors consent)