2010 Coming to an End!

The year has gone by so fast! But I guess that's what we, or at least I, say each year. Since I have some catching up to do, I'm going to leave this post up to add to until I finish it. That should coincide with the end of this year, and begin with the start of the New Year of 2011! There is much to start the New Year with, here, but not before I wrap up the old year! Rather than lose anything that I type here, I'll just publish the post and come back and add to it by editing the post, as it hits me and/or I am through with the interruption of the moment.

As you can see, I left off with actually completing a project! I've been as I weave day-to-day life around 2 needles and a ball of yarn! Isn't that the story of a knitter's life (lol)! Have I actually finished anything else? Well, yeah, if you count a no-brainer, 2-hour winter scarves made from Lion Brand Homespun (that's about the only thing I like making out of that yarn). It's such an easy, relaxing knit, very addictive. I've made several and have thought about putting them on a coat-tree at my front door for anyone who visits to avail themselves of one. They are so warm! Knitted with two strands, from the center and outer part of the skein. Oh how my memory fails me! I actually completed a prayer shawl for my Mother. I will take and add photos! Be back.

(L) 3-year-old grandson Aiden models the Lion-Brand scarves.

(R) 7-year-old grandson Khalil models the
Pocketed Prayer Shawl I made for my Mom!











With my sandwich-generation responsibilities, I'm sure you can understand what it's like to find me time in and away from home. Well I manage. On November 19th, I met up with knitting friends from the Chicago area for a meal, chit-chatting, knitting, swapping secret-partner gifts! These ladies and I frequent the same LYSs here and belong to a Ravelry group called Mocha Knits. We met at Iona's a tiny soul-food cafe in the Beverly neighborhood. It was fun and even though the both-gendered-use bathroom was closer than I like, I had such a wonderful time! And to get a secretly-packaged gift to boot. My gift was from MnMKnitter (Donna). It was a beautiful box, placed inside a beautiful shopping bag. There were stitchmarkers from our own PassionKnits; 3 skeins of Cascade 220 yarn which is almost knitted up into the Super Cupcake Cowl and Hat by Chicago designer Bonne Marie Burns of Chicknits. There was the cutest little point protectors, cable stitch needles, a gift card from Starbucks and a beautiful card. Donna reminded me, the few times I mentioned I wished I could bring dinner for my family back home, that this was my time!