Because I Really Needed A New Textile Obsession

This was really a close to perfect weekend, my time was balanced in the just-right proportion between friends, family and crafting, and I even learned something new! But first off, I am still on an Oscar high after watching Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova win an Oscar for their amazing efforts in the movie Once. We watched the movie a couple of months ago and were both completely enamored with its freshness and the awesome soundtrack. We loved it so much that up until last night it really felt like "our" movie, it seemed like not many people had heard of it or watched it, I'm guessing that will change now. But hey, maybe not, who pays attention to which movie wins for best song anyway? I highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys a subtle movie where the characters have real chemistry. Oh, but it is important to realize that it's technically a musical, which I really didn't even notice until about five songs in, its THAT enjoyable.

Back to the rest of my weekend, Friday was spent enjoying the company of my closest friends, the main event on Saturday was a double couples wedding shower that was highly entertaining, and Sunday I got to do crafty stuff with mom all day... we whipped up another Pointy Kitty (that's the problem with making them, everyone wants one) and I have to say, I think this is the loveliest one yet. She is really spectacular, with mom's signature bejeweled eyes and heart nose, and some leftover Amy Butler fabric from the quilt I am currently working on. The kitty is for my aunt who helped me pick out the backing fabric for the quilt and who told me several times that she would be happy to take it off my hands if I finished it and decided I didn't want it. Well, that just isn't going to happen, so she gets a matching kitty instead. My crazy uncle wants one too, so there will be another one coming along once the camo fabric I ordered for his arrives. Working together this kitty only took a few hours, and that was including a break for steak and shake cheeseburgers (mmmmmmm) and being randomly distracted by patterns in various quilt books.



Also on Sunday I learned to knit! Mom's crafty visit also came with knitting lessons, which I had been bugging her about for a few weeks. She even bought a book that she is letting me "borrow" which has some good beginning knitting instructions and simple projects, even though she already knows how to do pretty much everything in there. She's awesome. She wanted me to learn Continental knitting and pearling instead of English (who knew there were different ways to knit?!) since it is supposed to be much faster if you can master it, and she is even trying to reteach her own brain to do the Continental method. It was actually a bit more challenging than I thought it would be, especially going back and forth between knitting and pearling since they are pretty much opposite ways of doing the same thing, it made my brain hurt. But in a good way, in a I'm learning something new and using brain cells kind of way. And Jay was very attentive as I would hold up my wonky two inches of knitted rows to show off how awesome I was he would exclaim encouraging things like "that's great! you have already knitted a toe sweater! you ARE awesome!". Thanks honey.

Here is my toe sweater:


Mom showing off with her "real" project and fancy needles:


I have gotten better as I've progressed I think, another day of practice and on to knitting a real scarf...

So, (and this is where I hang my head kind of sheepishly) I have already made a trip to Michael's this morning and ended up in the yarn aisle. I really did not go in there for yarn. I went there to see if they had any essential oils for the laundry detergent I am making today (that's a whole different post) and just wanted to take a little peek at the yarn. They actually did have some Lion Suede which is called for in the scarf I want to do when I finish practicing with the thirty year old donation yarn I am currently using. Then I got some boucle for a shawl, BUT THAT IS IT. I'm not buying ANY more until those two projects are finished. And I put back a knitting book that had jumped into my cart. And a pack of assorted needles. There was a smidge of self control shown. I think I will be ok as long as I ABSOLUTELY do not, under any circumstances, step into the yarn shop up at Magical Threads in Dahlonega. That place made me want to buy yarn before I even knew how to knit. Must. Stay. Away.