Afghans afghans afghans

Is the word around here .... still working on the big one for the baby due at church and trying to finish up several WIP's. The big one is a toddler sized (even though the baby isn't even born yet) in a shell stitch so it is easy to work up just time consuming because it's big.

The rest will be either sent to charities or kept around here for such emergencies and baby showers. I have so much yarn and projects all over the place at the moment it isn't even funny.

I also need to work on some type of set I wanted to include for the baby- not sure what yet but it will need to be something that works up fast. Still thinking there. I've got a huge gift sack and I still dunno if it's gonna hold all of this stuff I've got set aside. Hopefully her aunt or mom can meet me at the car so I don't have to try to lug it all the way in church- it's pretty heavy. Not to mention bulky because of some of the stuff in the bottom of it.

My knitting has kind of got put on hold since I'm still learning and not really able to quickly knit some of the stuff I wanted to make- most of this stuff is crocheted which I can work up quickly or already had made up.

Got a little Christmas shopping done already and making part of my gifts this year. Mom is getting dishcloths for her kitchen along with some other things, maybe my grandmother too since she is so hard to shop for.

OK I'm outta here- still gotta get a shower and get my hair dry before bed. Night all!!

Baby Emergency and Christmas

I have been quite busy the last few days- a tidbit of Christmas shopping here and there (can't spend too much at one time) and working on an afghan and other items for a couple at church who have a baby due in 2 weeks and have nothing for it as of the moment. The Life groups at church are doing a "basket shower" in which each one forms a bag/basket of things for them. Our Sunday School class is donating a crib. The mom is on bedrest until the day before Thanksgiving by then she will be 38 weeks and it will not be too early if she goes into labor then or after. Even though I'm sure they'll get lots, I'm working on an afghan and some other "special" items and heavily raided my baby stash. I didn't have a layette made up for a girl but these two need more than a layette. Before they moved here they had stored stuff from their two other children, household items and winter clothes in a storage shed and it got broken into so they lost everything that was in there.

With most all our church family helping, this baby will be well taken care of I'm sure- we have a quite large and generous congregation. Sometimes I forget that I can't nor do I have to do it all myself. I just hate to see a baby in need of anything. This baby will be a girl, and trouble was I didn't have much girl stuff- mostly boy stuff. So I had to do some serious scrounging in my supplies and the bargain bins at WM and going to Dollar store tomorrow to get some pacifiers and dollar items.

On the other hand, I have been doing some Christmas shopping- got most of Scott's today and a couple other gifts. He is getting mostly Dale Earnhardt stuff for his truck. He's been begging for it for ages since before he got the truck and I keep telling him he isn't getting that junk to put in his nice truck!! LOL He'd been begging for the floor mats, cup holder coasters, air freshener, tire guage and I don't know what all else for ages. I got the last ones Southside Wal-mart had. No place else around here carries that stuff and one WM had already clearanced theirs out. I hate getting him "toys" but that's what he's happiest with. That and DVD's. Wish he'd get something to be more active but it's hard getting him out of that chair a lot of times.

Also got one of my aunt's, some stocking stuffers for my little cousin, and some things I've got to decide if they're for me or for Christmas gifts.

This coming Sunday is also our Thanksgiving Sunday at church where we give extra in the collection plate and/or bring groceries, toiletries etc. to help those less fortunate at Thanksgiving. We aren't rich ourselves but seem to have everything we need so we can always spare some cans or other items we buy but don't eat/use. Sometimes it's good to clean out the cabinets of that stuff too. Found a few stale items to throw away or feed to the birds- most had been opened so they wouldn't have been given anyway.

Well, Angel is meowing at the door and I have a baby blanket to finish or at least work some more on not to mention other items so I'd better get cracking. Night all!!

I'm Knitting!!

Mimi and Bev and all my other knitting friends- you'll be so proud of me!! Believe it or not I finally got the hang of simple knitting!! Now if I can just learn to bind off, increase and decrease, and some other stitches most patterns call for I will be one of those darned knitters as well as a crocheter! I say this as a joke since there is often animosity between knitters and crocheters, each looking down on the other's craft.

The knitting class I was to take was cancelled at the last minute... apparently not everyone got a notification because along with about three other people I showed up anyway, so did one other lady who signed up and another two who were told to show up in case there was room for them. I got there and the lady said "Oh the teacher called in and cancelled all the classes- something came up and she couldn't teach them but she said she spoke with all the ones who signed up." Yeah right. They had two phone numbers and an email for me and I never once got a message or a call- and neither did the other ladies who showed up. The manager wasn't happy with the teacher but all she could do was refund the class fees. I'd have loved gas money refunded- that was tight and I had driven about 25 miles just for the class. Normally I only shop there when I am in the area anyway. I still need some help with some stitches and things though. And I'd love to learn to use double pointed needles for in the round projects.

So I have a couple of baby hats (on simple 2 needles) almost done, now to learn to bind off and finish them up. I'm going to start learning booties next- I have a simple pattern.

Crocheting is still much easier but both take practice for beginners to learn. As a friend of mine once told me about learning to sew, "When you've been doing it as many years as I have then we'll compare a few notes".

Job hunting is at a standstill pretty much right now for both me and Scott... not much out there and everyone has hiring freezes and the like going on. I'd like at least him to find a different job- the money would help but he is miserable where he works now. I hate having to send him every night. Me, I'd like a job for the extra money but that still won't help him any.

Scott is outside at the moment doing the leaves so I guess I should get going and try to make something out of this mound of clean laundry sitting on the table begging for someone to fold and put it up. I hate doing it but it isn't going to do itself.

Wish me luck everyone!!

Hats and mittens

Wow what a busy week! If it hasn't been one thing it's been another. Running around all weekend trying to get stuff done, cleaned Mom's House on Monday, Halloween yesterday. Also checked at Comfort Zone yesterday and sold a desk so had to rearrange part of what was on that desk. That's another $22.50 on my check this month I can definitely use.

Now, in between my many interruptions trying to get this post written, I am doing some preschool hats and mittens to donate. Where I am not sure yet. I am also thinking of doing some teddy bears or something similar for the girls in our New Pathways home. It's a foster care type home, mostly for teens. There's a home for the girls and a home for the boys in McCracken County. Even though it's supposed to be teenagers and up they have one little girl there now who is just 10. They say the teenage girls have all taken to her like a little sister, playing dolls with her and such. Still inspite of ages, all the girls love teddy bears and stuffed animals. Our Sunday School class and some other groups at church fix welcome baskets for the girls when they come in. Many times, especially if they are pulled from a drug or meth lab, they come in with only the clothes on their back and are not allowed to take anything. If they come from a drug house or meth lab, their belongings are considered "contaminated" and must stay in the house. Others come from abusive situations and don't have much or allowed to take much with them to start with. We provide a basket they are handed when they come in that has a towel and washcloth, shampoo, pajamas, a robe, slippers and a few other small comforts. The girls are very appreciative.

I don't know where the hats etc. are going yet... maybe to NIN's stocking program if I have the cash to send a few, maybe to one of our local preschool programs. Many kids don't have the necessities and I'm sure could use them. I sure love donating the things but the trouble is many causes I support, I have to mail items in and that costs money I don't have right now. I'm using Bev's Hat and mitts for preschoolers pattern (sorry don't have the address handy at the moment- http://www.bevscountrycottage.com) and will see if I like the pattern for mittens. They look cute but I usually like one piece patterns and hate sewing up seams or joining pieces like the mitts call for. I'm using a light purple for the first set for a little girl.

OK time to get off here babbling and get some stuff done. Cleaning needs to be done on my own house too but somehow I can't seem to get it done. Gotta see if I can't pay that kitchen and living room floor some attention!!