Tattilicious

Trying my hand at a hankie - the single, ONLY reason I learned to tat.  I just love hankies anyway (they are so girlie), and I especially like them with lacy edges.  After cutting off 6 inches of tatting TWICE (I'm a slow learner), I am finally on a roll, and I think it's starting to make sense.  I don't love this pattern on this hankie, but it's a good one to learn with.  It just seems like too much tat.  I will try it again with a smaller needle and finer thread next time.

Close up.

A Craft-delicious Weekend

otis - thankfully back to work, and enjoying his perch by they window.

minnie-mae fell asleep with the door as her pillow.

We had a great turnout for our tatting workshop.

Learning the basics.  This is really not a "craft" (and I hate that word anyway because it evokes images of glueing pieces of foam together aka Oriental Trading), but it is more of an art.  And pretty tricky at that.

Also working on a new pair of socks - I swear I smell taffy when I'm knitting.

Brown Sheep Wool in Nebraska was the home of the sheep that grew this yarn.

My first short-row heel.  And it fits my feet so well!

My first experiment in tatting.

How to grow a sweater in just 6 weeks....

First, you start with 12 hanks of lovely marino wool/silk blend yarn, a great pattern, find yourself a comfy chair near a sunny window, and settle in for a time of contentment such as has never been known to man before knitting.

The process is as delicious as the product - the yarn feels lovely and the pattern engages my mind, clearing it of all the day's stresses.  Just complicated enough, but not psychotic.

Blocked and ready to weave together.  This calls for a cup of tea and a good, familiar love story on the TV.

First sleeve attached and side woven together.  Can I say I love the Mattress Stitch?

All pieces woven together - by golly, it's looking like a sweater!  And thanks to swatching, where I discovered I would have to go DOWN two whole needle sizes, it will actually fit perfectly.

All neckline pieces on stitch holders, waiting for final ribbing.

Love it, love it, love it.  But it's WAY too warm in Kansas to wear this right now.

This finished sweater is so phat, it caught a tree squirrel.  My attempt at photographic wonderfulness.

AHEM.  It is finished.  Now, on to socks with a SHORT-ROW HEEL.  Tutoring, anybody?

Friday Fumings

Sweater jacket pieces laid out and ready to be woven together.  Just need a really good book - I'm set up in the dining room with a direct line-of-sight to the TV.

Front (L), sleeve (R)

My friends and I are doing a knit-along, a Cable Sampler Scarf.  I'm starting the 4th cable.  It's fun to see how different eveyone's looks because we are all using different yarn.

I'm also doing a pair of socks - trying a smaller size with a diamond lace pattern

Yesterday after work, Gary and I drove to Sam's Club in Joplin (visitors to our building were going to have to start bringing leaves to our restroom, if you know what I mean).  Although Gary had been there multiple times, I had not, rightly assuming that in a disaster, I only add to the disaster.  I had seen lots of pictures of the damage, but nothing prepares you for the magnitude (even AFTER so much clean-up).  The thing that really touched my heart was street upon street of residential neighborhoods completely destroyed.  The area looked like acres of overgrown gigantic brocoli bit off at the stalk.  I can only imagine the complete shock as people climbed out of their basements, to see a landscape that was completely destroyed in less than 10 minutes.  No one could go anywhere, because all the cars were destroyed.  And besides, where would they go?  There was nothing but destruction as far as the eye could see.  And it was raining, and the sun was rapidly sliding off the horizon. 

When Gary drove up with the canteen an hour later, people were wandering around, dazed and in shock, wrapped in soaked blankets.  They simply had no clue what to do.  Our EDS team set up the canteen, powered up the generator, and turned on the coffe pot and every single light on the canteen.  If you get a chance, go see the destruction.  It will rearrange your priorities.

Gary has been re-deployed.  *sigh*  It's gonna be a long summer.  I'm glad I knit.

My Oold Office transformed to a Conference Room

The room is not a bad size, but with so much Program Material, it was getting a little close.  And we won't even talk about the lack of windows.

Repainted, cleaned out, and with a window into the CO's office.  At Christmas, this will be Kettle Central.

Newest Sweater

Spread out all over my dining room table are the finished and blocked pieces of my newest cardigan - sort of a honey-colored, cabled "jacket" shape.  I'll put on a good movie over the weekend, and work on weaving all the pieces together.  Finally, I'll pick up and knit the neckline, sew on the buttons and weave in all the ends.  Voila!  Just in time for 100 degree temperatures!  HA!  (County Fair, here I come).

The color is off because of the camera, but you get the idea.  It's the same color as a fresh batch of honey in a clean glass jar, held up to the sunlight.  The yarn is Merino/Silk Worsted Weight, so it will be lovely and warm in the Autumn.

Our work crews have essentially left - mostly what is left to do is detail work, so one man will return in about a week to tidy up.  Gary is now faced with the uphill battle of moving back in his office, and we are setting up the new "Small Conference Room" (aka my old office).

My old office AFTER I moved most of my stuff out.  I'll get a picture after we set it up.  It was painted the same color blue as the rest of the office.  Only Gary's is different.  He got sage green.  I'll also get pictures after he gets settled back in.

Starting tomorrow, the dogs will be able to come back to the office again.  They have been pretty lonely at home but there was just too much confusion around the office to bring the,  minnie-mae would have have an apoplectic.

Jonathan flew home today....*sigh*.  I hate farewells.

Betsy will be home in six weeks.  yay!

Later.

Bob's Red Mill....

Thanks, Betsy and Liz!

Moved in.....but not finished.

Desk inplace, computer hooked up...no excuses not to work!

Debbie's got windows!  woot-woot!

Work room - temporary table.

My old office - being transformed into a conference room.

Matt's area - up and running, and the clock works!  Amazing what a new battery will do.

From Matt's desk to waiting area and client door.

From front hall to waiting room.

Poor Gary returned to his work area even worse than before he left.  They are painting his office today - and hopefully he can move his work area home tomorrow.

Ahhhh...Friday

It has been a busy week - full of emotional angst (clients, employees, contractors, ALL of us).  But as Friday winds down, I am happy to announce that the Bike Across Kansas comes to an end tomorrow and I will bring home the Wind Warriors.  I will be happy to renounce Command back to Gary - let HIM lose sleep!

Also, two of the three of us are back in our rightful space - and everyone who walks in the office is very impressed with the waiting room (it's lovely, soft and quiet, my favorite place, and a calming influence before you walk into the casework office).

Through the door, and you enter Matt's space.  There is still much to be done in terms of doors, trim, and a little personalization, but we are well on our way.

 Then in to my space - you cannot begin to imagine how lovely it is to see the sky during the day.  I feel born again!

I am still in the midst of trying to figure out where to put everything for efficiency, and when I am done, I have a bulletin board and some artwork to put up.

Cable detail of my newest creation - a sweater jacket!  With Gary away, I have been staying up late knitting.  This is a merino wool/silk blend in "honey".  It will be lovely in the fall.

At Ron's CoffeeShop last night - knitting with good friends...

of all ages!

On Monday, I will post some pictures of the offices taken Friday afternoon.  It's actually starting to look like someone works here!  But for now, I am looking forward to a quiet evening, knitting socks.  Hooray! 

We're getting close!

Yesterday, we were getting excited about the construction and how pretty everything was looking.  But then, just to keep us humble, the AC units froze up, and backed up water into the light fixtures in the room that was repaired last winter.  *sigh*  Thankfully, they are now repaired, but the pretty ceilings are now buldging and stained.  again. 

Here are the latest updates:

To the right - my office.  To the left, Matt's.  I do love the paint color, and the windows everywhere for security.

Waiting room - minus the mug-ugly drapes covering all that wonderful glass.

Matt's office.  We'll be rotating his desk into position soon.  For now, it's a work table.

Windows cut into Gary's wall so he can keep an eye on both the waiting area and the offices - while also being visible to others.  Safe-From-Harm, baby.

Gary has been displaced nearly a month.  This is his work space.

My "cave" - where I spend most of my life.  On the building blueprints, it's labeled "Maintenance Closet".  It will become the Kettle Coordinator's Office, and be available for the Representative Payee Program as well.

Back from the beauty parlor.  She hates the camera, and scrunches her face up everytime I get it out.  She really is such a cutie with her pigtails.

He was also beautified!