i know you think i dissappeared

but i didn't i have just been knitting like mad...

kathies pretty pinks, wedding ring quilt, and pretty pink socks.

also nautical ropes and a shawl pattern.

plus i did 1 finished pair of clogs and have 2 more started. so see i have been knitting....

Whisper and Rumor

It seems that rumor is taller but i believe it is the shoes and the cut of the wig.

Whisper and Rumor

More Whisper

Whisper Pictures

Rumor's Other Side

Dolly Joy and Lovin

Check out the Goodreau BJD at DenverDoll and fall in love!

Mine is the vinyl Rumor

I sure wish I had the little white one, Whisper in pink Mission Impossible and the Cocoa too! My poor little girl came today, her wig is too big, her shoes too big, poor thing. She is wearing a home made wig and knit hat. So cold in Detroit!! BRR!!

Still working on doll hands.

still trying to do the paint job on the new doll hands. so far so good. do some, seal it, do some more. cant do it all at one time or it will run and smear.

It's February!

Sock Patterns Information

The Sock Patterns on the right side of the blog are for people size socks, they are available for $5 per pattern. Click on this line EMAIL ME and tell me which patterns you are interested in and I can send better pics or the pattern and you can pay through PAYPAL.
I have many FREE patterns. If you want free patterns you can also email me and I will be very glad to share them with you. I have a YAHOO GROUP with many free patterns in the files section and will also email them to you.

Better than being barefooted

I knitted a pair of little shoes to go with her fold over anklet socks that I made. The socks use a size 0 or 00 needle and the shoes used a size 2 needle. I did them with a yarn that has elastic in it and is very stretchy. they fit really good. Pattern for socks or shoes is available.

HUNTING DOLL SHOES!!

ok i did brown socks. i did striped socks. i am almost done with some really cute fold over cuff blue/gold/brown swirl socks. She has one pair of BRIGHT RED boots. Her feet are 7cm long. so i found very reasonably priced tennis shoes for dolls on ebay. I bought them. they say they fit. they dont fit. crud. it looks easy to buy them but it isn't!! I crocheted and knitted a pair, cute, but the soles are too wide. next pair i will do skinnier.
any help with some dollfie shoes about 9cm long that are good priced send me a link!!

New Knee Socks

bright pink and lavender knee socks
one down one to go

Itty Bitty Knitted Socks

these are knitted with
very thin sock yarn and size 0 needles. they have real heel flaps and gussets

Sure is cold out there

BRRR! We Got Snow Again!!

We are enjoying every minute of this great shiny day!

Best Wishes To You.

My MoLan is here!

She arrived this morning. Now I am sewing new jeans as hers are too short and fixing the hood on her coat. Then will finish knitting her new socks.

Mo Lan's New Coat

New sweater for Mo Lan

Christmas Day

Hmmm.... Well it kind of is going like I thought it would. All the boys stayed at their lady friend's houses. Harold moved out to his new place. I am alone in the house with 2 grandkids Melody and Robert. No tree. No holiday. I bought Melody a really good Timex wrist watch with white leather band and waterproof. I bought Robert a good video game.

And that was my day. I got a 22 lb turkey in the oven. Will fix some stuffing with it. Not going to bother to fix anything else. Think I will watch tv and wait on the bird to cook. Kind of out of the ho ho ho spirit.

I got a precious phone call from my dearest friend Barbara. She is able to call. For right this minute I count that as a true and wonderful blessing. Every minute I can spend with her is as dear to me as gold and diamonds. She keeps me going when I just can't do it alone anymore. She shares her belief in God with me and it makes me know that no matter what happens it is His will and all will be ok in the end.

Psalms 56:11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

so either you are a believer or you aren't. I am. So what ever will come, will come.

Christmas good or bad...

Now I filled it out because it looked fun. then i looked it over and sound like Scrooge? hmmm.. well that is how it has gone. i dont think you should save up all year or go deep in debt to buy on christmas day. like the rest of the year dont count. i show my love every day of the year.
the whole point of christmas is love. love should be every day in your heart. not on Dec 25th.
again this year there will be no tree, no presents for the kids. I gave little fella a great big double car set of radio control cars. I gave son Harold a really good flash light set for his job.
I sent mom a special box full of goodies chosen with love. She has my heart.
I am taking the 2 week vacation the kids have and I am going to crochet a yellow thread doily.
Merry Christmas to all.

A Christmas MEME ripped off from a friend
1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
egg nog
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
wraps when we used to have christmas
the one from santa is wrapped in aluminum foil dont you know?
that is because one year all I had was foil. so i told the kids you can tell santa's gift
because it is metallic. over the years i always wrapped one in some shiny metal paper.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
no lights
4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No
5. When do you put up your decorations?
no decorations.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish?
Turkey and stuffing and also Mincemeat and fruitcakes.
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
free stocking of fruit and candy as a child in fredonia kansas after the parade,
always makes me think of orange and chocolate and to me that flavor combo
means christmas.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I think we always knew as kids.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Yes, we usually opened one. only as a kid.
have not had any christmas as an adult.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
i like ornaments and tinsel.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
as a kid love it meant no school maybe.
as an adult like it because it meant the kids could go shovel and make enough money
for us to try to have christmas.
12. Can you ice skate?
not really, used to do it in shoes on a frozen crick as a kid
we called it hockey pucking. we had a smashed tin can, some sticks, and we
played ice hockey. mom made hot cocoa and one time nina got mad and
cried. she blowed her nose on the scarf i knitted for dad.
now dad is gone. i sure loved dad.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
yes. mom used green stamps and bought the 3 girls each a timex watch, she
bought my brother a blow up bridge army set with tanks and soldiers.
i remember laying in bed with my ear to my watch listening to it
tick tock tick tock. now they use batteries and it only goes tick tick tick
i miss the old wind up watch so bad. i sure wish i had one.
my mom is the best mom in the whole world.
14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
when i was young it was being together. being loved.
as an adult it meant no school for the kids so i could stop working so hard
at raising so many children and try to enjoy playing a board game or something with them.
15. What's is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
I love pumpkin pie with whip cream and baked sweet potatoes with toasted marshmellows on it.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
All my kids take off for the holiday, they go be perfect sons for the girlfriend's family,
i am home alone with the 2 grandkids here.
as a kid it was going hunting and coming home to cooked food or helping do the cooking.
17. What tops your tree?
no tree in about 8 years, used to have an angel.
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
giving. my mom is the most important person in my life. making sure she opens a box
and finds that perfect thing in there is best for me. i dont get gifts. i have not even gotten
a gift really from the kids in maybe 15 years or so.
some of my friends that knit send me stuff during the year. but as for a 'holiday' gift? none.
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
Silent Night i also like ava maria
20. Candy Canes?
YES! like to use them to decorate the tree back when the kids was little. then we could eat them.
21. Do you feel Christmas is too commercialized?
it always has been. every holiday is.
22. Real tree or artificial?
no tree in ten yrs either, but used to have a artificial.
one time i got a free real one from a church and decorated it with a
bag of yellow bows. i wrapped the toys in funny papers because i didn't have
gift wrap. it was a good christmas for me and the kids.
23. Do you put lights up on the outside of your house?
no i never could afford the lights or the light bill if i had done it.
24. Do you do a Christmas Dinner or Supper and who cooks?
either i cook or me and melody cook. we usually cook enough to last about a week
and we do it christmas morning. then everyone just eats and reheats for days and days.
then i dont have to cook.
25. In your family does everyone unwrap gifts at once or do you do it one gift at a time as the others watch?
when the grand kids was little me and my kids bought christmas for them. then when they got
bigger we sort of buy during the year as they see it and want it
and no christmas really at all. no tree , no gifts, nothing.
26. Do your pets share in the festivities?
no. i feed them and buy them toys and snacks all year long.

A Few Of My Favorite Things...

In case you are looking for that special gift to give someone dear check this out. I got one of these last year and don't know how to get along without it. This makes it so i can take that project with me and never have to worry about broken needles or messed up work. I love this thing!! Contact HER for info and purchasing. Click the pic to see a biggie version of it. This is a way way cool goodie for knitters. Comes in different lengths and has the cutest little dingly on the end. I love these!
I found the link for the site so here it is! CLICK ME.

Free Sock Patterns

I have many free patterns and some for sale too. I offered them free for over five years and now most are archived. Some are still available on request. The sale patterns are pictured and listed on the right side of the blog. I am working on typing up all of the patterns and publishing them in pdf or cd format.
the Sale Patterns are in order shown in this pic

gold socks, may green socks , baby breath, peach petal, lily of the valley (lov), and others
here is a partial list of the one i used to offer in my yahoo group. There are dozens more not on the list.

Best Wishes Socks
Betty Westport Waves Socks
Blue Jean Cuffs
Cascading Leaves
Coins or Lifesaver Socks
Crown Stitch Socks
Dennis Socks
I Love You Socks
Kansas Harvest Socks
Kims Socks
Lisa Socks
Maple Leaf Socks
Michigan Cherry Socks
Ninas Sox
Pink Ruffle and Lace Socks
Pretty Petals Socks
Roses Roses SocksS
helly Sox
SnowFlake Socks
Spring Twists Socks
Toni Tootsie Socks
Wandering Cables Socks
Wiggle Socks

Winter Wedding Dress

Here is ellowyne wearing a dress from a Faire pattern. Love them and how easy it is to sew them. She is wearing a white faux fur cape.

Where is Everyone? and What Are You Knitting?

I need some inspiration tell me what projects you are doing? Any good stuff? I found a pattern stitch that just thrills me. An easy fun one so now am working it up into a good textured cuffed pair of socks.

Remembering a Super Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJW4Lv_6j44

if you can see this video, it is the all time favorite of mine.
Rudy Galindo winning the skating competition.
I bet I was hollering louder than he was when he won.
What a memory. I love ice skating.

More Pics of Sewing

Free Patterns Still

contact me Jeanie for free copies of Barbara Shawl, Rainbow Shawl, and some of the sock patterns that were offered for free. Thank you for the lovely post on Barbara Shawl.

I'm Knitting!

After a long three weeks I am knitting again. The weather is cold, ice on the ground this morning. The perfect time for soft wool and a good sweater KAL. I am half way done in the area from under the arms to the shoulders. Using a birdie graph that I worked out.

Best wishes to all.

Oh and I found a brand new love. Boy I wish I had this! In vinyl. Man oh man. Maybe Santa Clause will bring me one this year? I can sure hope!!

Happier Days!

Cousin Michael Patrick Powers

Bike Rider / Carpenter / Friend

In Memory Of Mike

With A Little Help From My Friends

Today I will go back to knitting on my wonderful colorwork sweater with the great friends on the Astrid KAL. For the past couple of weeks I have been setting and thinking. Cleaning my room and cleaning my life while I was at it.

Playing with the kids, grandkids, and not trying to be too grown up. Joined some really great play groups online and enjoyed chat about all kinds of stuff from fishing to dolls.

I took a mental vacation. Now some of my closest buddies will tell you I have been on a mental vacation for about 20 years. Don't listen to them....

I couldn't concentrate on the graph for my sweater so I knitted a little doll sweater. Not much for 2 weeks work but at least I kept my hands busy.

I still miss my friend but I realize sooner or later each of us will head that way too. I will see him again. For now I guess I will have to do the playing and fishing and loving our family for both of us.

Above is a little pic of the gray sock wool sweater I made for the American Model Tonner Redhead Basic. I also did her hair. It comes in a horrific chopped up uneven ponytail. as soon as you take that rubber band out you got bare head lines between the hair lines and the hair is so uneven and such a mess that I set it with little permanent curlers, boiled water, and then dipped the water over her hair with a cup. Once the hair cools and dries a little you can take the rollers out and have lovely curls.

absolutely the cutest socks I've seen in a long time

these socks are so cute i can't stand it. the pic is adorable. perfect fall colors too.
Look at the Socks!

Anyone Else Like Dolls?

I have always sewed and knitted for dolls. Love it. I have Cissy and Gene, Julia and Jackie. But they have new ones out now. 16 inch Ellowyne Wilde and 22 inch American Model are really great to knit for.

Ellowyne is on the left, she has bendy wrists too. Model is on the right and is way taller and bigger.

Happy Birthday Melody Rose

Sunday, October 14, 2007, Melody Rose Townsend turned 16 years old!!
We went to the movies and saw Tyler Perry's 'Why Did I Get Married'.
LOVED IT!!
We have all of his movies and plays on dvd. Such really great movies to watch.
Also bought the dvd Nacho Libre with Jack Black and laughed all the way through it.
And bought and watched Pan's Labrynth. This movies is in Spanish with English subtitles. A superb movie well worth watching. Loved it. Will watch it over and over.
Picked up Bridge Over Tarabithia for grandboy. Have not seen it yet.
Spent all day together. Had cheesecake and Spinach Pizza and Burgers with Fries.
Pretty good day.

Finally Divorce Day

Finally it is all over. And for today at least we are all being friendly.
Son got divorce, custody of boy, the dog, and the cat.
A good day.
Now we can be a family again. Safe. Happy.

"She" is back over at her boyfriends? house and it is a very good ending to a very long day.
I wish her lots of happiness and luck with a great new life of her own.

Not knitting right now

i can't seem to gather myself and start knitting again. I set. The tv is playing in the background, old black and white movies from the 40s and 50s. Can't even concentrate on them enough to know what they are about. I don't have many friends. People don't call me or write to me. My cousin did. Now I'm not ever going to get that phone call again.
I just can't knit now. I can't really read email or do anything.
Did this ever happen to you? I know he loved me and now he is gone. I sure am missing him....

Hey Mike! Hey Mike? Hey...
Cuz?

Family News

Tonight Cousin Eileen called and told me her brother, my Cousin Mike Powers was killed in a motorcycle accident. The accident happened in Arizona. I talked to Mike often by phone. He called me Thursday night and we talked as he drove home from work. He told me all about his motorcycle and about his trucks for his job. We laughed about the old days with dimmer switches on the floors of cars. They don't put them there anymore.

I hope with all my heart he is happily riding the best motorcycle ever in Heaven, for surely it must be a place of happiness and peace. May The Lord hold him close. I do love him so.

I got my glasses!

Now if i can just learn to see again. I got bifocals. Coffee brown brushed metal rims. The lenses are transition and turn brown in the sunlight. I have been knitting holding the needles and yarn and looking over my old glasses for so many years that it is a learning curve to know how to use the new bifocals. I am doing it pretty good.

My most wonderful friend Barbara called. She is doing well and I want her to know I love you! and send you all my prayers and hugs. Get well soon!!

The sweater knitalong at Astrids is doing really good. I am substituting some graphs for the given ones, you guys all know I can't do anything without changing it somewhere!! New pics posted soon I hope.

Write in and let me know you are still out there. I am trying to get the homefront all tightened up for winter.
Son Harold's van is finally running. How long who knows but it is running today!! He put another transmission in it and this time it has the right amount of plug ins on it.
Son Kevin parked his car in front of the house and within 3 minutes a fool next door wrecked his front drivers corner of it pretty good. We know cars are made out of aluminum foil now and it sure shows it! Kevin almost fainted when he saw it. Yee Gosh! They said they will fix it. Son isn't holding his breath on that promise. Will just do it next weekend his self and then if they pay him back ok and if not oh well...
Grand daughter Melody turns 16 this month. October 14 is her big day. She is the biggest blessing in the world to me.
Grand son Robert. ok he is being a horses butt. But he is young and maybe will grow out of it soon.
Dog Molly is doing pretty good. We have been fighting sand fleas around the neighborhood real hard. Every time she goes outdoors we got them again.
any hints or tips on ridding a dog of fleas? I am trying shampoo, powder, spray, those little drops you put on their neck, and flea collars. So far no luck at all.

and since son harold got his van running i got my car back. now i need brakes, 2 air / fuel sensors, a oil change, shocks, and a strut. hmmm...... i think son harold drove the little booger almost to death. my car was sobbing when i drove it last night and i am sure i heard it singing
"I am so glad to be back where I belong....... "

Knitting and Glasses and Dolls, Oh My!

My glasses are in at America's Best so once I can get a ride out there with one of the boys I am hoping I can stop using the Helen Keller method of knitting. I approve of the method but I am just not good at it and it sure slows me down. I can't wait to 'see' if this will help speed me along with that gorgeous sweater KAL . The roses band is coming up soon and I just am so excited to get to it.

Play Time Squeezed In

Due to a technical difficulty I spent the last day working on a side project. I left my knitting in the car, the car went to work with son. So I played with this yarn and made a doll shawl. I used the KIRI pattern, size 0 needles and probably could have done a full sized shawl for the same amount of stitches. It measures almost 14 inches across and 8 inches long at the middle back.

Lovely New Doll to Knit For

"M" showed me the way to Ellowyne and now I am in love all over again with dolls. I see all kinds of knitting and crochet work in my future for her. If anyone loves dolls and sews, knits, or crochets for them leave a comment!! I would love to see your doll friends.

I am going to knit a black shawl for her and a dress maybe with crochet thread? or tatting thread? I couldn't decide which one so chose the basic long red haired one. I also like the black hair one and the cherry koolaid haired one.

Love dolls, have Gene, Julia, Jackie, Cissy, Felicity , Isabel , and many more. I also like Breyer Horses and used to make real leather saddles for them.

Knitting Along

I decided to rip out the picot hem on the new colorwork sweater and do it over in ribbing with smaller needles. I saw so many really good ones like that so I decided I wanted mine to look more like theirs! I am working on my Fall sock. on the gusset decreases. Also planning a colorwork hat and that really is a pet project as I always wanted one. I am working on the kauni sweater sleeves too.
Also working on a cp new pair of socks. Been a busy busy week or two here.
Finally got to the eye dr also. now in 2 or 3 days am expecting new glasses and know that will help me with the knitting so pretty excited there.

season socks

i am waiting on my yarn delivery, i have started that pair for fall in a regia 6 ply wool. i plan on doing more than one pair per season. i need socks really bad for me. cold here in michigan and my feet are freezing this morning!!

Fall Socks

Here is a pic of the new Fall Sock I am working on right now.

New Colorwork Sweater

Here is a pic showing front and back side of the new sweater I am working on. It is tricky to get the stitches all even but I am trying real hard.

Meilenweit 6 fach farbe 8842

Doesn't this look like fall to you?

Value Yourself

Recently I realized that no one else sees your craft like you do. I now know that less is more.

Season Knit-A-Long

I am going to do a whole year knit-a-long. Anyone interested in joining me? I was window shopping and found a season set of yarn. I think I want to knit 4 pairs for myself. No fancy stitches just let the yarn show it's colors. It would give me 3 months to knit one pair of socks and at the end of the year I would have a pair for evry season. I found these yarns and really like them a lot.

I have always loved browns and greens anyway. And the Winter one looks a lot like the holidays to me.