website

My  new website is: https://sites.google.com/site/hookedandpurled/

Busy, Busy, Busy!

I have started the Christmas orders ( I have three for hats, mittens and scarves for two toddlers and a teenager -all girls). I decided to start with the toddlers' hats, and am almost half way through the first one. I really have to be diligent in order to finish these by the deadline!

At work we do a Secret Santa thing, where we write down things we want/need that are under $10 along with our name. I drew a coworker who wants a hat, mittens, scarf or socks, but I am not sure if I will be able to make these items by our Christmas dinner on 12/16/10 (not sure of exact date).  May have to buy her something.

I have a friend who is going to help me promote my business/website after Thanksgiving so hopefully I will soon be able to start posting stuff for sale.

I am almost finished with my scarf! Have just a wee bit more to do on it!

Hats, mittens and scarves Oh My!

I have been very busy trying to complete my hat and scarf, and am almost finished. Over the past two weeks I have received two orders for hat/scarf/mitten set for two female toddlers aged 3 years,  one complete set for a 13 yr. old girl, and a dress scarf for a co-worker's wife for her birthday in 2011. I am so busy! I love it! Plus, 50% of my earnings will go to the Community Care Center! In addition, I am trying to finish a crocheted afghan, which I hope to sell, and make mittens, hats, and scarves this winter to donate to the center. I have yarn at home that I can use so it won't cost me anything but time to make and donate them! There are so many children and adults who do not have proper winter wear. It really bothers me to see children without hats, scarves, gloves/mittens and snow boots!

Some thoughts....

I know, I have been remiss in not keeping up with blogging. I have been busy working and knitting! My pastor notified the congregation last weekend that we will be moving our Community Care Center and CARS Ministries back to the church. The move will cost us $10M to renovate the current space and add to it and build a 6 car bay. I also found out that Molly, the owner of The Gifted Purl, has put the store up for sale. I'm not sure how to feel about that! There is someone in our Friday night group who is interested in purchasing it, and I plan to speak with her tonight. I dream one day of having my own shop. My thoughts regarding the cost of the church renovations are that I can knit/crochet items to sell to earn the money, and eventually to donate to the Community Care Center which will eventually have a clothing section.

HookedandPurled: Necklace for sale on Etsy.com

HookedandPurled: Necklace for sale on Etsy.com

Necklace for sale on Etsy.com

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If you cannot get into this link, go to http://www.etsy.com/ and type in ``pom pom necklace''.

Thoughts on Halloween

I always decorate my office cubicle window etc. for each season ever since I returned to this particular office last October.  The decorations get interesting responses from staff. The one I made for Fall this year has gotten many responses. My theme for October is ``It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown’’, which has evoked many pleasant smiles and great memories of childhood Halloweens. Today one of the receptionists shared with me the fact that when she was growing up there was a neighbor who loved the Peanuts comic strip and as a gift to her one year he made Snoopy and his dog house. She had brought a picture of the gentleman along with Snoopy and his dog house which was hand carved and painted. Snoopy is removable. While showing it to me she said that her mother had given him a tie one year on which she had hand painted Snoopy (hence the photo of him  with the tie). The thing is, this man could not see, but he was able to touch things and then make them. He must have remembered every detail from the strip in order to make Snoopy as well as the dog house. It is a real work of art, simple, yet filled with love. I think this is why Halloween and other specific holidays mean so much to us. Halloween is when we saw our first spooky movie, watched ``It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown'' special on tv, got to dress up as our favorite hero or villain and going trick or treating and eating candy until we were sick. We got to carve our own pumpkins with Dad’s help, using a knife we were not normally allowed to handle. These are experiences most of us have in common and that can tie us together regardless of race or ethnicity or religion. This is why my window art has drawn so many great memories from people and so they share them with me.

It's Thursday!

It's the last day and last Thursday of September 2010! Wow, where did the month go? I showed my necklace to Kathleen at The Gifted Purl on tuesday night and she suggested that I add some copper colored beads on each side to draw out the copper color in the pendant. I will have to go to Hobby Lobby this weekend!

I am excited as I have started making myself a winter hat that is knit in the round which I have never done before. It is a lot of fun! Can't wait to post a picture of it! will do that later today or tomorrow as a work in progress.

I am also reading Debbie Macomber's ``Montana'' which I am ejoying as I am familiar with that state, having vacationed there over the past five or so years. I love that state, and would love to live there! The mountain areas are incredible for their beauty and ruggedness! I have seen moose and wolves and elk etc. while on horseback in the mountains!

Where to market/sell necklace?

Now that I have completed the necklace and the tow scarves my co-worker ordered, I have to focus on where to market/sell the necklace. Perhaps the local coffee shop near work or my beautician's if I offer a commission?

Pom Pom Crocheted Necklace

I made this necklace by crocheting silver colored wire and gray pom pom yarn. I purchased the pendant from Michaels. It's my first piece of yarn jewelry. Let me know what you think!

Here is the completed scarf as promised! I am really pleased with the results!

Leigh Gray: 906 - The TV man asked What???

Leigh Gray: 906 - The TV man asked What???

2nd scarf almost complete/new idea to use leftover yarn

The 2nd scarf for my coworker is almost complete. I used Eros in purples and decided to incorporate beads into the fringe as she has said she doesn't like it when the fringe snags. I think the beads will weight it down enough that the fringe won't snag. I just have to finish beading it and trim the fringe, and then I will post a picture of it.

Since I have some of the gray pom pom yarn left, I went to Michaels and bought some jewelry wire, clasps and loops along with a black and silver and gray pendant to crochet a necklace. I am exited to try this!

On another note, one of the Knit Along with Debbie Macomber books, which I purchased at Amazon.com, arrived yesterday. I really what to learn how to make socks etc. and am looking forward to using the patterns in the book and then develop my own!

Another Order!

Another coworker saw the finished gray scarf for Carolyn and has asked me to make her a winter scarf in gray, white, purple and black. She said she is in no hurry as she has to buy a new coat (as do I!). I told her I would price out the yarn and let her know the cost. Her old coat was apparently a black boiled wool coat. She wants it wide and thick so I think I can do one in a Scandinavian pattern....which would be totally new for me! On another note, one of the things I noticed from the fair is that there were no men's winter headbands, so that might be another area for sales.

One down and One to go!

My coworker, Carolyn, had ordered two dress scarves, one in gray and one in purple. I have completed the one in gray tones. I ended up using two yarns, one in a flat black, and the other is a nubly gray ladder yarn. I used a drop stitch pattern and it turned out quite nice. I do think she will like it. I still have to get a picture of it to post here. I have started the second one. I am using Plymouth Yarn's Eros in purples and will use the same pattern, but due to the ladder style of the yarn, it will look completely different. Of the yarns, the Eros is the most difficult to work with as it slips easily off the needles.

September Fest

Last night I attended September Fest to see Foghat and the fireworks. Both were excellent. I decided to go back to the festival today to check out the handcrafted goods. I saw right away that most of the knitted goods I coud do fairly easily. One vendor had scarves in Eros yard that was circular, which means they were done on double ended needles. I think I will have to experiment with that concept and develop my own pattern.

I spoke with a man who makes beautiful wooden boxs. I asked him how he got into the business and he responded that He used to be an executive for a fortune 500 company near where he lives in Maine. He said he hated the job so much that one day he just quit anf had to go home and tell his wife and children. He learned wood working and carving after he quit his job. He has been working with wood now for 35 years. He said that the trick is to do what you love while remaining out of debt and not expect to get rich. He makes the product during the winter and come spring and summer he and his wife travel to diferent fairs.

``Do what you love and love what you do'' is my new motto.

I have attached a photo of an afghan I made for some friends this past Christmas.

I'm in Business!

I know, I should be doing daily entries, but have been way too busy knitting my heart out when I have any free time. Word has gotten out at work and I have two orders for scarves for a coworker. She wants one in purples and one in gray. I am doing the gray one first and am using  a drop stitch pattern. I am using two yarns, one is a fancy thin yarn with gray tufts and the other is a flat black yarn that really makes the gray tufts pop out. It is beautiful. I will put a picture of it on this site as soon as I am able.

UGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, I started my secret project on Tuesday night in class and have been working on it every day since. Last night two stitches came off the needle and I was unable to fix the problem, so ended up ripping pout the whole thing and starting over. I was in tears! My only consolation is that I would have been unhappy with the end product if it was not 100% correct. This inability is one of the reasons why I am taking a class at The Gifted Purl. Oh well, I just have to keep going! :)

Knitting at lunch

I decided to bring the scarve to work so I could knit it at lunch time. My coworkers seemed pretty interested! I will bring it again today. I also wore one of the scarves I made for myself. Maybe I'll do the same again today. I also start a knitting class tonight at the local yarn shop, The Gifted Purl.

Works in progress

Currently I am working on two projects, a waterfall afghan and a scarf. I will soon be starting a dog blanket. These projects will placed for sale on ebay. I will provide updates.

In the Beginning....

For years I have made scarves from Plymouth Yarn's Eros, a 100% nylon ladder yarn from Italy. It has finally dawned on me that with some improvements / embelishments I can sell them! I get compliments every time I wear my scarves! It is not an easy yarn to work with, but when completed, the scarves are stuning! I will be making some for sale!