Welcome, all!

Assalamu alaikum/hi and Thanks for stopping by! What started out as an exclusive blog for my knitting and crochet, has become a general blog to post about whatever is on my mind.

Enjoy!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Hate it when...

So I got an email from someone I hadn't heard from in a long time.

I don't know how that person got my email address, probably through this blog, haha, but when I finally get around to answering the email, it seems that person sent it from a temporary email address which EXPIRED. So, the email bounced.

I hate it when stuff like that happens. If you're reading this, give me a real email to reply to. You know who you are.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Seen & Heard Thursday

In order to get myself more into my blog, I think one day a week I will devote to posting something I saw, heard, or read that provoked my thoughts or caused a reaction from me.

This weeks has to be this little note I saw on the back of one of my kid's schoolwork sheets that he did in class:

"It smells like $*it by that girl."

Who would write such a note, and to whom? Judging by the handwriting, no preschool aged child wrote it. It must have been a teacher/teacher's aide?
The tone does assume a younger person wrote it. But why? I mean, what's the point? And who was she writing to? I know enough to say she probably didn't write the note to the teacher. The age gap is too great for them to have that kind of relationship.

I know, this is a complete waste of time. But I keep wondering about it every time I see that worksheet on the fridge. I am also grateful my son can't read yet, and is not curious enough to notice it and ask me what it says. ^_^

Friday, July 3, 2009

Sad

Well today was a sad day in our house.

My mother, sister and three of my brothers moved back to Jordan, permanently.
I am glad that they will be living where it is best for them right now, and am also happy that my nieces and nephews who haven't seen us in ten years will finally have my family in their young lives again.
I am happy that my mother will be bale to attend her oldest granddaughter's wedding, and her oldest grandson's too, inshaallah (God willing).
But I am sad because only God knows when I will see them again. I pray it is soon, and I am glad I got to see her on webcam yesterday, and my brothers, too. My sister was acting camera shy, ^_^

My oldest son, who is almost 6, felt just as sad as me, and wants to write cards to them and send them artwork. He really likes to draw now, mashaallah. It didn't occur to me that drawing also builds fine motor skills, just like writing, and his writing will improve as a result.
See, for the longest time we were stuck in this vicious cycle of him refusing to write anything at all, because one of his teachers at weekend school told him he is "not good" at writing. So he would be sad and bow his head and say, "I'm not good." Which I found heartbreaking!
He would try at times to write stuff but never a full page, and only with heavy praise and cheering-on.
Then, in Rebecca Rupp's awesome book, "How to Get Started on Home Learning", she mentions in her journal entries that her sons are always drawing as a part of their schoolwork. No matter what the topic or lesson was that day, camels, water, teeth, electricity, her sons would draw pictures to go with it. So I thought, Hey that's a great ideeer! And got him construction paper and pulled out our former baby wipes box of drawing implements. It's really helped a LOT!
A fun way for him to do copywork is with an illustrated dictionary. I have him copy out the entire page, including the pictures, and he loves it alhamdulillah.

Oh another thing that got him motivated to draw and well, write, (that's my ulterior motive) was to get him and his best friend scrapbooks to fill up and exchange at the end of the summer. Its actually My very Special Scrap Book based on Eric Carle's books and has a lot of awesome stickers (that I am eyeing for making bookmarks), as well as dedicted pages with fill in the blanks. Such as "My name is...... I am .... years old. I like to ..... I have .... brothers and sisters. My favorite color is...." etc.
So far he has filled a few pages, and some of the drawings are so precious and insightful, I am having second thoughts about sending it off when its full! The hubbs suggested I scan it, but its not the same. I can't wait to see his best friend's, too!
The best friend moved away, so this will be extra-special. We (the moms) are hoping the boys will start a correspondence. I think this is a great idea. I still correspond with my first correspondent, Ala Jibaly.

Well, I guess this is enough. My intention was to complain about expensive yarn, but right now there are WAY more important and weighty things on my mind.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Cabbage Patch Kids clothes!

Listing the last few of my mother in laws adorable Cabbage Patch kids clothes on eBay!

Go check them out!

Saturday, March 28, 2009

So... here we are

Wow, its been way too long since I posted here.

Changes. Been making some changes, including a major on the overall content of this blog. I want it to be more than just a knitting & crochet blog. I will use it more to talk about my views on whatever, things I have found interesting on the web, and of course knitting and crochet. My life in general I suppose. Online journal, then? Maybe that's stretching it. Or, maybe we should just leave it at, "whatever is on my mind that day that I feel the need to share with the world". Yeah, that sounds about right.

Well, the other Big Change that I should update on was the Major Move from the South East Coast to the (sort of) South West Coast. It took a while to adjust, and an even longer while to get a new routine and to make friends. This last part is always the hardest, due to my innate lack of confidence, haha. I'm sure all "newcomers" feel this to some degree!
So it took a few months to meet people and make friends. It was through a wonderful girl who I met at the masjid that I met the entire group of girls who I now consider, for the most part, great friends. Alhamdulillah! I feel right at home now, and so does the rest of my family.
Z, my 5 year old, does not want to go back to Florida. Only to visit my younger brother who still lives there. (Who, by the way, is the Last Remaining Outpost, haha! My entire immediate family lived very long in Florida, and now we've all left but him. If you're reading this, Adel, PLEASE COME HERE! I think you would love it.) Anyway... yeah so Z also refers to Florida and "Expensive Florida", which I found so hilarious the first time I heard him say that. I laughed silently, because he was very serious when he asked me a question about "Expensive Florida"... pertaining to a toy or book we left behind, but I laughed loudly at the memory when I was alone.

The Community here is a nice change, too. Very active, and following the right methodology as far as I can tell, and that makes us really happy. Z is in weekend school on Sunday, for about 4.5 hours, then gets Quran tutoring after that for about 35. hours, alhamdulillah.
I love going to our Halaqa (religious study circle) once a week. After the religious study we eat and just socialize. The kids get to play; its really cozy alhamdulillah. I also joined the Sac Muslim Moms group, and have attended every play date (they're monthly) so far. Its a nice way to get the kids some more socialization, and me too!
Then we have Story Time once a week at the library. The librarian reads a couple stories, and plays a couple games with using the feltboard too (which I really want to make for us to use in homeschooling) and then she does an arts and crafts activity. The kids love it! They get to see their new best friends, also homeschoolers, mashaallah. This family also has all boys, and the oldest 2 are close in age to my oldest two. Baby just tags along. Actually Baby plays a lot with their second child, as both are second children aren't really sociable or at the stage when they interact with their peers a lot.

Anyway, time is escaping me, so I will end this here and will post again soon, as I have to lament my current crisis, which is the cost of good yarn these days.

Til then...

Saturday, October 11, 2008

MOVING!!

Well, we're going to be moving to Nothern California next month.
Yes, I'm freaking out because I have a whole house of stuff to get rid of, not to mention a couple tubs of icky acrylic and another tub full of crochet thread. I am listing diligently on Ebay again, patterns I dont need or want or am just never going to make so why keep lugging them around?

I have a few ideas floating around for doll clothing patterns, if I do make up some patterns I'll sell them via Etsy in PDF form. Or, alternatively, I'll do a website like Anna's Mochimochiland.org, where the dolls will model and I'll take pics of them, then have the pattern for sale in the shop.

I also have an idea to do an eBook tutorial on a technique that I've never seen that I'm hoping/hopeful other crocheters and knitters would benefit from.

On the needles right now: the Great Wall of Noro/kureyon; Looper's tail; and I'm going to frog Saartje's booties and redo them the seamless way, plus there was an error in the pattern and they came out all wrong. :(

Sorry for the short post and for not posting regularly!

Monday, June 2, 2008

Pic of my latest FO-- Jay Bee's Kueyon Kozy!

This is a test... I hope it works! I've been wanting to post a WIP picture, and this is perfect because the yarn is Noro Kureyon #40 (some call it electric, but I think its exactly like a male Peacock tail feather! It's GORGEOUS one of my fave shades of Noro!) Wow it's taking a long time to post... While I'm waiting I'll give a little background info about this piece. I was emailing my BFF Jay Bee back and forth over the winter, the lovely gal got her own apartment, and was living the single life... and mentioned she didn't have a teapot. I was flabbergasted! I mean, she is British, how in the world are you British and not own a teapot? So, since she told me she was engaged, I thought: presto. Perfect wedding gift. She tied the knot in December and I found a lovely teapot, sugar bowl and creamer set. It's one of those "vintage" Kelloggs ones"

which I think was the cornflakes slogan for quite a while.
It was very quirky, very Jay Bee. Plus, I have never sent that dear girl (or her boys-- they've been added to the list) a gift EVER. Which, I'm not ashamed to admit, is embarrassing and simply wrong. I've known her since I was 11! MOST of my life now! :)
Anyway, the tea cozy was done in time until I was finishing it up and was mortified to discover I had accidentally dropped two stitches waaaay below by the base. Ick, how did that happen??!?
So, I frogged and months later came around to re-do. Or rather re-knit. Now, I am on side #2 with no major calamities. I'm actually starting to imagine this cozy insulating my friends teapot. I'm also imagining knitting these up for everyone I know who owns a teapot, :)
Let me try to add the pics of this very very early on:



I think it worked... LOL!!! Well I can see them so I hope so, hehehee!! I actually finished it and will post a FO pic soon!! I'm going to make myself one also, and embroider the words "knitty" on the front... for a secret project that I hope will be as successful as I'm hoping/dreaming. Anyway, the tea cozy was a success and now I'm onto other Noro projects... I did a Booga bag for example, but ran out of yarn for the strap because I did a reinforced base.. more on that later. For now I'll post this or it will never be!

Friday, October 19, 2007

News, New Skills & Discoveries

In the past month or so, I finally mastered double-pointed needles, commonly known as DPNs. What motivated me to learn was the Basic Mittens pattern in "Knitting for Peace" by Betty Christiansen. Amazing book, its been a vital tool in my quest to start my own knitting-for-peace/charity-knitting group.

I am going to start such a group, for a sad and desolate group of people who, as far as I know right now, no one has bothered to pick up the needles and knit for. I hope to have something going early next year. So far, I've just been telling friends about the idea, and reading, researching, and knitting. I want it to be like Afghans for Afghans and The Dulaan Project.

A couple friends voiced their desire to help this cause, and one went so far as to buy a little "Learn to Knit" kit from Peace Fleece, and is now fast becoming a knitter. I'm hoping to see her this weekend and will give her handiwork a once over, and teach her how to cast on. Her mom did that step for her, and it was a disaster, since she is not a knitter!
I hope more of my friends pick up their needles for a worthy cause as this.



I also learned how to do i-cord! Discovered the 'i' stood for 'idiot' and was doubly ashamed at my slowness and stupidity in learning it. The one thing that helped was the free knitting videos on http://www.knittinghelp.com/. I still have to thank that wonderful lady for filling the role of the knitting teacher that was acutely missing from my life! I am passing on the link to others, and will email her sometime this weekend to thank her for her efforts.

What else, what else...?? Still working on Niece's blanket! LOL! It's never going to be done, and now I'm really not sure I like it as I once did, because lately I've learned the truth about Vile Acrylic yarn... :(
Anyway, I better publish this or it will never be!

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Has it Been Almost a Year?

WOW!


This blog is badly neglected. I probably shouldn't have started it to begin with.


Lately, I've been working on my Mother-in-law's "Four Generations Shawl" from Spin Off magazine. My Mom gave me the pattern, and I thought it would be perfect for my MIL using the fuchsia mohair also from Mom. Its so far almost halfway done. I'm on my third cake of yarn and have just two more left. I hope I don't run out!


I'm also at the end of the overalls for S, I had to make them much bigger than the pattern. I mean, I had to put in many more rows than were in the pattern, even though my gauge is dead-on. I don't quite know how to explain this, but its O.K. That's one of the beauties of a good knitting pattern, you really can stretch the rules and make the pattern fit the person its intended for perfectly.

My latest, experimental bath mitt is nearly done. There' s a loooooong story behind that statement! Whew!

I found that pattern on the band of the Sugar n Cream cotton yarn, and loved it. Thought it'd be a great present for Mom, and I needed one, too. I knit up Mom's in no time. I got the Violet Veil color scheme, that lovely variegated with violet, blue, yellow and white, to match her garden/pansy themed bathroom.

I sent it with some handmade soap, and she thanked me for it a few days later.

I then knit up mine, using up some of the variegated yarn I had leftover from the bathmat I crocheted and thought it would be great to have a matching bath mitt! I used this color: Westport.


I was so eager to use it in my next shower. I put it on, pumped some shower gel on it, and tried to lather up. Then, I was totally bummed: the thing stretched out and totally lost shape when wet!

I posted this predicament/discovery on the About.com knitting forum, and got some great responses. Yes, I was told, this is the nature of cotton yarn. Its has no memory. We discussed alternative yarns, and one bright lady suggested I contact Sugar N Cream, which I haven't yet. I will, though, they really need to know that this yarn is NOT compatible with this pattern! Or, this yarn is not compatible with a BATH MITT.

So, days came and went, I had the baby (now 7 months!) and a couple months later visited my mom and family up north. Being a spinner, she introduced me to the a lovely world I fiber that, until then, I had no access to.
Included in the many wonderful gifts she gave me was a cake of burnt orange yarn spun from cowhair!It was pretty nifty!
Just last month I decided to knit it into a Bath Mitt using the SUgar N Cream Ball Band pattern, but I put in an eyelet row myself which I thought would make it extra-spiffy for gift-giving. I forgot to add the hanging loop!
Will post pics of it and my Peace Fleece grocery all-purpose bag soon as I can!

Anyway, I haven't tried my bath mitt yet, but if its good I'll use up the rest of the yarn for another, possibly to give as a gift.

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Update! Guess I'm one of those bi-annual Bloggers

Wow! Has it really been this long since I last posted?! I have no choice BUT to be one of those bi-annual Bloggers...

Life has been extremely hectic, so much so that I've gotten almost nothing done at all in the knit & crochet department. I didn't finish that lovely bedspread for my darling oldest niece, heck I haven't even finished the sweater I made my almost 2 year old! It just needs the zipper, but stillllll.... its been almost a year since I began it.

I did have my 3rd baby, another boy!

I also did manage to complete a few little things: the crocheted kitchen rug I mentioned in my last post; a lovely bath mat; a bunch of bath mitts (which gave me many many problems that I'll get into in another post); 2 pairs of booties (one I kept for my Muffin Man, and one I gave to my mom's friend in Ohio); a cotton kitty bib; and a Grover doll from Sesame Street. He's actually from one of those vintage kits by Vogart, I got it off eBay with a bunch of other Sesame Street gang kits, like Big Bird, Bert and Cookie. I managed to get the pattern for Ernie, but hopefully will get all the kits some day.



I should be posting pictures of my recently accomplishments once the camera is repaired, or we get a new one, whichever comes first I suppose!