I have been knitting a baby shawl for the prayer ministry this week. It is old feather and fan pattern which is so graceful also very easy.

The church I attend does not have a prayer shawl ministry and I have been trying to interest them in one. There has been little or no response, however, we are very active in the Cornelius Project which provides blankets at Christmas for the homeless. I am going to try to interest them in making afghans for next Christmas. Hopefully, they will respond to this project and we will form a knitting and crocheting group.

Twilight has proven to be very good. It is well written and the characters are lifelike.

My Parks and Rec knitting group has been meeting here for the last few months. There weren't enough for a class, however several wanted help with their projects. Also, my neighbor is starting to knit with us. Hopefully, in January there will be enough interest for a class.

And now, almost one year later...

Today I went to the library to check out Stephanie Myer's "Twilight" Even though this book came out quite awhile ago, it is so popular I had to order it. It should be here Monday. Makenzie, Brenda, Whitney and I are going to read it. Anyone else want to join us?

I have been reading "Blue Highways" by William Least Heat-Moon. He is traveling around the United States on the secondary highways (the blue highways on the old maps). He meets a lot of characters along the way. He's traveling in an old van that he has converted by building a bed in the back, he has a cooler and a small travel stove, also a Port-a-potty. He does eat out a lot and stays in motels occasionally. Pretty primitive.

Master and Commander

I have started reading "Master and Commander" by Patrick O'Brian. This is a sea story, lots of ships and storms. It was made into a movie with Russell Crowe which I want to see but am glad I am reading it first. The book is very good, the author writes in a very relaxed style and his words just flow. It was written in the late 1960s, so the style is much more wordy however I really like it. Sometimes, it is nice to just have a change of pace.

 

Learning to tat is a humbling experience. I have been working on several different projects and am finally beginning to feel confident with it. I met with my previous tatting instructor and she was very helpful, she says my only problem is lack of experience.

I finally realized that when turning (tatting is turned when you start a new chain or ring, depending on the pattern) that you have to look and see where you want to go next i.e. if you are going to be joining to another ring or chain LOOK and SEE where that chain or ring is, don't start off going north when you really want to go south.

We had our first tatting class last night and everyone is doing great. There were several cries of "I can't do this" but by the end of the evening everyone could make the basic tatting stitch or at least understand the principle of making it. I gave them an assignment to make a ring with several stitches and picots in it. They complained but will do fine.

Tatting

Learning to tat is a humbling experience. I have been working on several different projects and am finally beginning to feel confident with it. I met with my previous tatting instructor and she was very helpful, she says my only problem is lack of experience.

I finally realized that when turning (tatting is turned when you start a new chain or ring, depending on the pattern) that you have to look and see where you want to go next i.e. if you are going to be joining to another ring or chain LOOK and SEE where that chain or ring is, don't start off going north when you really want to go south.

We had our first tatting class last night and everyone is doing great. There were several cries of "I can't do this" but by the end of the evening everyone could make the basic tatting stitch or at least understand the principle of making it. I gave them an assignment to make a ring with several stitches and picots in it. They complained but will do fine.

New Year's Day

I have been working on my New Year resolutions. It seems they never change: Lose 20 pounds, read my bible and exercise. However, I am now calling them goals so I guess that is a change!

The tatting class is rapidly filling up which is very exciting. Especially since I know little more than they do. I haven't checked on the knitting class yet. I am meeting with a previous tatting instructor this next week. Hopefully, she'll be able to help me with the turnings.

I just finished Margaret Coel's "The Girl with Braided Hair". It is another one of the Vicky and Father John mysteries and I really enjoyed it. There are always enough historical facts in her novels that it keeps me interested.

I also read Barbara Freethy's "Golden Lies". It was totally different, but again I really enjoyed it.