Too Much Stuff

I have too much stuff!

I don't like to get rid of stuff because I might just need it some day. 

But then it sits. 

It collects dust. 

It gets in the way. 

I live in a "feast or famine" household. 

Either we are holding our breath for payday or we are enjoying luxuries like matinee movies, a dinner out, an extra skein of yarn or yard of fabric (for Darren it's a box of bullets or a new flashlight...I know...its a little odd, this fascination he has with flashlights.)

I also get big ideas for diy projects and try to gather everything together and then realize that it's no longer a priority or I've missed the "occasion".

I love too many pastimes. I don't want to give any of them up. If I could keep just one, I don't know what it would be. 

Quilting?

Knitting?

Spinning?

Weaving?

My books?

My photos?

My Family Genealogy project?

I have piles and stacks and boxes everywhere. I have very generous friends that often pass items on to me that I could never purchase for myself...a spinning wheel, a loom, a fabric stripper, a sewing machine. 

And I'm not the only one. 

Darren has his knives, his leather work, movies. 

The kids have Legos, video games, magic tricks, board games, and shoes... Oh my goodness, the collection of Toms and Converse...

I keep trying to simplify, but it's so hard. 

I try to organize. 

I try to "find a home" for everything. 

But it's hard.

It's just so hard. 

On the Needles-September

Well, technically it's still "ON the needles", but not for long. 

Last night I measured. 

I mathed. 

I measured again. 

I mathed with a calculator. 

I put it aside because I didn't think I would be able to sleep if I frogged just before bedtime. 

Today I frog!

I didn't follow a pattern (mistake).

I didn't increase increase nearly enough. 

If I keep going, this will be taller than me, but barely cover my shoulders. 

I need it for a folk festival on October 1.

I don't have time to whine, I just need to frog. 

It's one of my first "quantity" yarns off my spinning wheel and I'm really afraid it's going to split and that I'll just make a mess of the whole project. 

I guess I'd better get busy. 

But...

I'm not looking forward to this.

WIP or UFO?

I have a friend who does some quilting for me. We've had a great bartering system for the last couple of years. Well, she is moving to Florida this weekend!

I will certainly miss her (and not just because of her quilting expertise)!

She had two of my projects that she hadn't gotten around to, and those are now back in my possession. 

The first one has everything it needs to be completed...including the batting and thread. 

It's a t-shirt quilt for Darren's cousin and I've been really lax in getting it finished. 

The second top is a queen size. (I really need to get it on my bed before winter!)

It is "Pinwheels in my Garden" by Kansas Trouble. 

So, I have these two projects...nearly finished...

What are they? 

Works in Progress? 

Un-Finished Objects?

I won't quilt them here, but I'm not sure where I will take them. Hopefully, I will find someone soon that won't cost too much...not that I'm cheap, but extra $$ is certainly hard to come by right now.

I have never sent one away for quilting, but I might look into that. 

Thoughts?

Looking Back at August

Firstly, it drives me crazy when I get on here to see that my posts never posted!

My anniversary was near the end of July and I finished the picot binding a little over a week ago. 

Now, on to the August finishes:

2 quilted candle mats were bound,

A small mine craft quilt was designed, quilted and gifted to my nephew for his birthday,

A market bag (from years & years ago) was crocheted & gifted to my niece,

Mermaid Hair fiber and John's red, white and blue fiber were spun and added to my Ravelry stash,

The Sand Castle Shawl (Yarn Mountain's summer knit a long) was finished with the picot bind off and gifted to my mother,

And finally, I managed to recover my ironing board!!

I also started and finished the first two Harry Potter books. 

What didn't get finished?

Well, I haven't done anything more on Darren's socks & I'm still working on my handspun brown and grey shawl. 

I'm hoping for lots of finishes this month since Christmas is just around the corner!

Anniversary at Big Bear

My cousin Toni graciously offered us her camp in Preston County to celebrate our 24th wedding anniversary. (My mom was going to be in and out of the hospital for a variety of tests and the camp was perfectly located for us to get to town to be with her.)

The lake was beautiful, the weather perfect and the fish...really, really small.

I did a little sewing, 

a little knitting 

and a little antiquing.

All in all, a perfect weekend with the love of my life!