A Very Crafty Evening

September 7, 2012 | Verónica

This is my second year attending the annual Artisan’s Market presented by the Contemporary Handweavers of Houston (CHH). The market runs from September 6 – 8 so if you are near Houston, you still have Saturday to stop by.

I am so glad that I went on their opening night. I did my usual walk around the rooms to look at all the displays. I then picked up a small plastic basket from the front so I could begin collecting the beautiful handwoven textiles, baskets, handmade jewelry, handspun yarn, and felted ornaments that I had singled out. I was too slow. Those ladies are fierce! Several items I had on my mental checklist were gone! Nonetheless, I had a great time looking, touching and taking pictures.

I saw beautiful handwoven textiles.

There were felted bracelets, handmade cards, woven rugs and artwork.

There were felted baskets, silk baskets and other sculptured baskets.

There were ghosts and goblins and catnip wrapped like mice for the upcoming Autumn holidays.

Even Saint Nicolas’ helpers offered their wares for the yuletide season.

Of course, there was yarn.

A huge round of applause to all of the fiber artists who produced these beautiful handmade items. By the crowds and the long line at check out, I am pleased to say that Houstonians truly appreciate the handcrafted arts.

If you want to see more lovely items like these, this is the post I wrote about last year’s event.

16,112 yards of yarn

August 20, 2012 | Verónica

That’s the same as 9.15 miles.

Or the equivalent of 14,733 meters or 14.7 kilometers for my metric friends.

That’s the size of my yarn stash.

83 skeins or balls of yarn.

This does not include batts, rovings, locks or any other unspun fiber in my possession.

This past Christmas, I told my husband I wanted pretty baskets in which to keep my yarn. I had yarn stashed away in mis-matched baskets scattered around the house in closets, the guest bedroom, and in the living room. He selected these three baskets with lids from Pottery Barn. They’re perfect for hiding, I mean organizing my yarn.

I use this hand-woven basket we brought back from Oaxaca, Mexico for corralling knitting-related items.

I still have some random baskets. This small round one is from Morocco and is probably meant to hold bread but I keep pretty fiber in it.

I wonder if yarn is covered under my homeowner’s policy?

Fleeting Days of Summer

August 18, 2012November 10, 2012 | Verónica

Summer is coming to an end. The back-to-school sales are in full swing and soon my daily commute will take longer when the school zones reactivate.

We didn’t venture far from home this summer. Earlier this year, we knew we would have to install a new air conditioning system in our home before the sweltering heat of summer arrived. That pretty much ate up any travel plans we might have had, but it made for a much more bearable summer.

Then there was Mom’s surgery in June. I took her to her 6 week follow-up appointment and the doctor gave her a seal of approval. Mom is doing splendidly and is back home. She just hit a milestone birthday – 70. My brothers and their kids took her to dinner and we surprised her afterward with a mariachi band that serenaded her in her front yard. She danced with my brother under the stars surrounded by her grandchildren.

The boys are ready to go back to school and see their friends every day and show off their driving permits. They’ve had their fill of hot, lazy days full of video games, Batman, days at the beach, swimming in the neighborhood pool, and outdoor grilling.

Our boys are growing up. They will be Sophomores in high school next year. Only three more years before they are marching across the stage in their caps and gowns and then driving off to start their independent lives. Have we prepared them? What is left to be done in only three years in the midst of homework, exams, work and sleep?

I tell my husband, “In only three years, it will be just you and me.” He looks at me guardedly from the corner of his eye and asks, “Why do you say that like it’s a threat?” That cracks a big smile on my face. I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather be with than him.

Here are some glimpses of our summer.

The waters of the Gulf of Mexico off Galveston Island.

Flowering plant from my aunt’s home in Southwest Texas.

It’s Texas – there are cacti everywhere.

Driving past on our way to visit Mom. I used to swim in the cold waters of the Nueces River as a little girl.

Pink roses “just because” from the husband.

I dare you to go to a yarn store and not buy anything

July 14, 2012April 18, 2014 | Verónica

I went to the yarn store to pick up some fiber for the ladybug. Mom went with me.

While I was perusing the fiber options, Mom saw a ruffled knit collar on display and decided I should knit it for her. She picked this yarn for it. It is called Sakkie by Plymouth Yarn. It’s a fingering weight sock yarn made in South Africa. Fiber contents: 40% wool, 40% mohair, 20% nylon.

I found this in the sales bin. My aunt, my mother’s little sister, will also soon be having surgery. Once Mom shows her the wash cloths I made for her after her surgery, my aunt will also want some. So I’m preparing. This is Pichasca by Ester Bitran. It’s a sport weight 100% cotton yarn hand-dyed in Chile.

I picked these up because they were on sale and they were pretty and you never know when you’re going to need some yellow and red yarn for something. These are Sulka by Mirasol, a worsted weight yarn made of 60% wool, 20% silk, and 20% alpaca.

This is what I went to the yarn store for in the first place. It’s a hand-dyed silky cashmerino by Frabjous Fibers. The colourway is #8 Cottage Garden and each top is 4 oz.

Go ahead. I dare you.

In Stitches

June 23, 2012June 22, 2012 | Verónica

Mom had surgery a couple of weeks ago. In the scheme of things, it was a routine surgery. But it was my mom. There was nothing routine about it. Thankfully, the surgery went well. Mom is recuperating quite nicely and I was glad to be there for her. Even my teenage son enthusiastically played caregiver once I returned to work. He made her breakfast, made the beds, and asked her if she needed anything … every five minutes.

We were at the hospital during Worldwide Knit in Public Day so I pulled out my needles and yarn while waiting. I wanted to make a little something special for her; something I could make quickly and that would make her feel good. Lately, I’ve been seeing many posts on wash cloths. It’s like they’re all the rage. This was it. I would knit a couple of wash cloths she could use to clean her face at the end of the day. It would be my way of tending to her even after she went back home six hours away.

I found this 100% cotton yarn in the sale bin at my LYS. I loved the colors and knew this would help hide any lingering make up stains.