Little this, little that

The more things change the more they stay the same.

Parents: Dad is still in Memory care. That won't change but Mom is getting closer to needing it every day. Her phone conversations with me are terribly hard to follow and she's starting to see she isn't coping. I just want to keep her as independent as possible for as long as I can but ..... I'm hoping she'll be okay until September when I can get some family help to move her. Visiting her becomes more and more of a challenge because she just can't follow conversations and has such odd thought process. It's so great that there's staff at both Mom and Dad's places to keep both of them as safe and well as possible.

The Boys: Okay something is going on here. I came home tonight to find a ball of Opal sock yarn had decided to make the living room floor it's home. Normally, not so strange. Things get knocked tables onto the floor all the time around here. But - and here's the kicker - this yarn was originally on a table in the den. That's - all the way across the den, down the hall past a bathroom and 2 bedrooms and into the living room, then halfway across the living room. AND it shows no pulled strands or other signs of wear. Somebody was very careful with my yarn and just wanted to give it a tour of the house. Well, it IS very nice yarn. Maybe they want a new blanket out of it.

Road work: It continues and continues... So far we've lived with a dirt road for a couple months. It's been a very pot hole filled dirt road most of the time with any rain we get hanging out in the pot holes until it evaporates because the drainage system has been dug up to be replaced. We've also been living for the past month with rows of giant cement pipes waiting to be put in the ground. This is getting real old! All this inconvenience and we get to pay massively huge special assessment for all this. Whoopee!

Knitting: I'm working on a few secret projects- sorry it makes blogging boring but it can't be helped. I finished one of my Opal socks (different ball from the one that toured the house). It's my usual garter stitch rib toe-up sock. I like the ease of this sock and can make it without thinking. The Opal is Rendez-vous color 2062. I'll get pics this weekend and post. The 2nd sock will have to wait a bit until the secret stuff is done.

Crocheting: Guess with all the activity on my biog from crocheters finding the Rust Goes Green bag I should be sure to mention crocheting. First off - thanks everyone for all the comments I've received on ravelry and emails about the pattern. I haven't written up a pattern for other people for 10 years and it's nice to get back into the swing of things. I've got a few other ideas roaming around my head and we'll see where they end up. Crochet has never been my prime craft but I've always enjoyed it and have things I prefer in knit and things I prefer in crochet. You've let me know I need to wake up the crocheter in me even more.

Stitches Midwest: FYI it's 56 days till Stitches Midwest. Will you be there?

Back to secret knitting. Next post will have pictures of knitting or something good - promise.
One last thing - I know I said I was going to hit the Yarn shops in our area I haven't been to and the ones I shop at with "fresh eyes" this summer but so far I just haven't had time. Maybe I make it to a few July 4th weekend. If I do , I'll report back and take pictures.

Lacy Diamond Purse

The past week has been filled with surprises - the biggest one being how popular Rust Goes Green (my reusable market bag pattern) has become. One of the crochet "free pattern" websites linked to it and my blog has been hopping! Today so far there has already been over 550 visitors. I'm used to 10-30 a day. This high volume has been going on for a few days and absolutely tickles me.



As I promised on Ravelry to the She Knits podcast forum group I have been writing up the directions for the little lace purse I knit for the wedding I just attended.

UPDATE (6/21/08): Here's a link to get the pattern as a PDF
http://www.ravelry.com/dl/jill-chatelain-designs/6551?filename=Lacy_Diamond_Purse.pdf

Update (11/7/08) - I've taken the pattern off this post but you can click on the link above and get a PDF to download. The link takes you to Ravelry but you do not need to be a member to be able to download - although you REALLY should join!



Lacy Diamond Purse
By Jill Chatelain - all rights reserved





Materials
Berroco Denim Silk 1 skein Faded (more if you make the bag longer) – see Notes concerning yarn choice
Size 7 needles – circular needles of your choice: DPN, 2 circs, or long circ for magic loop
Size 7 straight needles for flap if using DPNs.
Size G crochet hook for crocheted button.
Tapestry needle
Material for lining

Gauge
5 sts/in
6 rows/in

Finished measurements
Purse with flap closed
Width: 9.5”
Length: 7.5” from garter stitch to bottom.