Whew! One more day!

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and I don't feel like it's Christmas. I just am not in the "spirit". Maybe I will by the end of the day, when I get the house all picked up and things in order. The girls and I have to wrap the boys gifts, then tonight hubby and the boys will wrap ours. Every year, we have a Secret Santa gift exchange. The girls randomly draw a name out of the hat for one of the guys and the guys do the same for the girls. Last year I got hubby and the girls got their brothers, this year my youngest got her daddy and I got my oldest boy. My oldest girl got her baby brother. I don't know who the guys have. LOL BTW, there is no fear of anyone from my family reading this and thus spilling the beans. LOL

I have been making scarves like crazy! I no sooner get one done and I give it away and start on a new one. LOL I have made a scarf for every girl (that makes 5) in the Pastor's house (he has 10 children) and one for his mom in law and his wife. I made one for my good friend, Barbara, down the block, another for my adopted daughter (she's actually my next door neighbor girl) and am starting on some more for 3 sisters at church. They only take me a couple of hours each and I am so blissfully happy to do so. I have a friend who keeps saying I need to make them to sell, but you know? I thought about it...if I start making them to sell? Well, that begins to be too much like work and it takes all of the fun out of it for me. So there, that's my final thought on that.

I have been sooooo busy this past week but yesterday and today, I was finally able to slow down. I had a "demonstration/mini class" for our Home School group on handspinning. We had about 15 people show and about that many who wanted to try their hand at the wheel. Well, I have a 2 treadled spinning wheel, which means it has two pedals to move the fly wheel. Everyone with the exception of 3, could make the pedals work. I found myself, treadling with my right foot while they had their foot on the left treadle so they could feel how easy it was. (Actually, I did all of the work, but the children especially felt as if they were doing it themselves). BUT, I had to stand while they sat, bent over, holding the fiber with my hands over theirs (again, mostly me) so they could feed the wool in and make yarn. I was in a total strain and sweat, but if you could have seen the little sweet smiles on the children's faces as they beamed to their mom's, "Mommy! I'm making yarn!" well, that makes it all worth it. I made a special mini class available to them if they wanted to do more. For $5.00 I would give them 2 battings of wool, already washed, dried & carded for them to spin into 1 bobbin of wool. That is enough to do 3 pot holders or 1 scarf. They will have to schedule an appointment with me where I can bring my wheel and help them. I made $50 in "orders and appointments". Luckily, it is for 4 different families and I can just go to their homes and help them spin one afternoon. It is a great excuse to hang out at my friend, Grace's house, and to get to know some of the other Home School families better. There is talk of my teaching everyone a knitting class in the future AFTER the Christmas Holiday.

OH! I found an incredible pattern (FREE!) for a "Sure- to - Fit Cardigan/Pullover". It is supposed to be easy shmeasy for beginners and totally customizable. If you are interested, here is the link.

http://spindling.com

Look for FREE PATTERNS and click on it. It will take you there.

I am currently carding up a whole mess of natural brown/grey wool. Some of it for my friend Grace, but the other is for me! I want so much to make a sweater. I will use store bought first to experiment with. When I think I have it down, LOOK OUT. I will start making one of a kind Handspun yarn sweaters! I also want to use some of the wool for scarves, mittens and hats or toboggins. Lots of plans ... so much yarn so little time!

Well, I have to get back it. If I don't get back to write some more, MERRY CHRISTMAS! Don't forget about God's perfect, precious gift for us; His only son Jesus.

God Bless~
katcha