Lighted Knitting Needles!!

Yes, you read that right….lighted knitting needles.

How many times have you tried to knit in the dark because you didn’t want to disturb anyone by turning on the lights?  I can’t count the number of times I’ve tried that, without much success.  Now I can.

A friend and co-worker gave me a set of lighted knitting needles.  They have lights at the points and the batteries are located in the opposite end.    They opperate on little button batteries and there is a switch on each needle to turn the light on/off.  It’s called the Knit Lite. 

Now when I wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep, I can knit for awhile without disturbing anyone.

 

Pink Is a Good Color!

Don’t you just love pink!?!  I do especially since this color by itself keeps my boys from “borrowing” my things.  

I remember when I had the usual black or navy blue umbrellas.  I never could find one when it was raining.  But when I got a pink umbrella, it was always where I had put it last.    I applied the same concept to my crafting supplies.  I replaced my beat up, used and abused neutral colored sewing scissors for pink ones.  I also learned to store my fabric and yarns with the “girlie” type colors in front.  Boys don’t like to dig through stuff to find the color they want.  They just tend to grab what first meets their eye. 

The borrowing is down to a minimum and now they ask instead of just borrowing .    Thank goodness!

So, what am I working on now?  I’m knitting more gloves….in PINK!   I know these will never be borrowed, with or without permission.

KNITTING AND PHOTOGRAPHY

I guess I should add in addition to photography, my other love is knitting.  The two do go hand in hand as I so love to take pictures of the items I’ve knitted.

Recently, I finished wool gloves, hat and a scarf for my youngest son who is now enjoying them in the great state of Michigan.  He’s visiting friends and I’m sure getting great use out of those small, but essential items.

Oldest son saw them and wanted a pair of wool gloves in black for himself.  So I have been working furiously on them.  I have a kazillion sets of double pointed needles, most 7-8 inches in length.  Well, let me tell you those lengths are great for socks and mittens and the base/hand part of gloves, but they certainly do get tangled when it comes to fingers.   I ordered, on line of course, some double pointed needles in 5 inch lengths and they are GREAT for the fingers.   They are easy to handle and are less likely to get tangled in loose yarn or the glove itself.

So for you knitters out there, tip of the day:  use shorter double points for those fingers.

HANDMADE LAST MINUTE GIFTS

I was in a quandry trying to figure out what to make for a former employer that I enjoyed working for and highly respected.  I wanted to make something that he and his wife would like and use, nothing too personal.

While searching the net, I came across a free pattern for beaded ornament hangers.  The pattern called for beads (I have those), needle nose pliers (I have those) and 18 gauge wire (I do not have that).   Hmm…put the old thinking cap on.  What do I have?  I have eye pins, in copper, surgical steel, and gold plated,  plenty of beads, and french ear wires.   I decided to improvise using what I had on hand.

First, I gathered my supplies.  Then I took the eye pins and opened the “eye”  just a smidge, attached an ear wire and crimped the “eye” closed.  Then I added beads to the eye pin.   Using my needle nose pliers, I bent the end of the eye pin over and added another ear wire and crimped the end closed.  VIOLA!  One beaded ornament hanger made. 

I made several of these and will give them to him and his wife for Christmas.  I also made extra, just in case.  You never know when you might need an extra gift and you’re out of time and money.

CHILDREN

It doesn’t matter how old they are,  they’re still our kids, our inexperienced “babies”.  

My youngest son (24)  left last night on a road trip to Michigan from Florida, alone.  He’s never driven in snow or ice and, of course, I was worried about him.  He did call me this morning.  He was somewhere in Kentucky.  This evening I called him.  He had made it there and was at a mall with his friends.  He’ll be gone for a little over a week.  I’m sure he’ll find out what it’s like to deal with snow and cold.  It gets cold here, but nothing like he’ll be dealing with there.  I do hope he has a good time with his friends and takes lots of pictures.

CATS!

One of our many cats managed to get outside yesterday and on the roof. He was having a blast running up and down the roof, playing. From inside the house he sounded as if he weighed 200 pounds!

Now I work nights and sleep during the day. Just imagine trying to sleep through that.

To make matters worse, he refused to come down until he got good and ready. And when he did finally come down and into the house, he found himself a nice cozy spot under the Christmas tree to curl up and relax.

I should have gotten on the roof then and stomped around just to disturb him. After all, turnabout is fair play.

Thanksgiving Afterthoughts

Here it is Monday, December 1 and I’m still stuffed after Thanksgiving.  Of course, we didn’t have our Thanksgiving dinner until Sunday due to our work schedules.  But we spent the day together eating, watching TV and going to the movies.

I baked a pumpkin pie and a cherry pie, in addition to Russian Tea cookies and brownies.  Oldest son brought an apple pie.  So we were set for desserts.  I baked a turkey, cooked mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cornbread dressing, deviled eggs, and dinner rolls.  And, of course, cranberry sauce.

We ate until we were stuffed and I’m still feeling the effects.  Later, we went to the movies and saw Twilight.   My sons took me.  Of course, it was a chick flick, but I had read the books and wanted to see the movie.  I enjoyed it, but I think you would need to read the book to truly understand what is going on in the movie.

Now, it is the first of December and time to be thinking of Christmas.  Most of my shopping is done.  I make some gifts and buy others.  Just have to get the tree up.  Thank goodness it is a small one.  Easy to set up and easy to take down. 

Hope you all had a grand Thanksgiving and will have a very Merry Christmas this year.