Flagel Knitting Files

I have planned to return to Minneapolis for months on September 13 full well knowing the odds were good Miss A would already have arrived.  What I didn't anticipate was the overwhelming need to get there as soon as possible to see her now that I know she has arrived.  I guess I thought I could be more mature or patient; apparently I am neither. Before I head out I thought I'd update you on the beading going on and offer a quick explanation for the lack of knitting.  It is that poor arthritic left thumb.  It seems to have been throbbing more as I knit so there was a break taken, an almost four week break, so far.  An entire month of not knitting is quite remarkable for me, but it has been good to the thumb.  I believe I will be able to get back to knitting again sometime soon, but it will need to be more moderated with nice long breaks, probably all things that should have been done in the past anyway. As for beading, it is much more gentle on the thumb....

For the second time in my life I have become a grandmother.  Yesterday at 7:01 am a 7 pound 10 ounces, 20.75 inch baby entered the world.  This baby has blue eyes and dark brown hair just like her older sister did at birth.  She will be referred to here at Miss A.  She was full term, is healthy with all body parts attached and her Mom is doing well.  Another perfect outcome. That first meeting Miss M was justifiably a bit freaked out when she was lead into the hospital room to see her mother resting in bed looking so tired, but after a few minutes she was curious to see what her new sister looked like. The picture above captures that moment.   I love the intensity of  Miss M's gaze with Dad hovering ever so close. Miss A was so smart too even on her first day in the outer world, she had the perfect gift, a toddler camera, for her sister.  Miss M was thrilled with the gift.  That Miss A is already making a great friend of her older si...

So spinning Wednesday and beading Friday were both filled with a single obsession of beading.  That plus the rerunning of the entire six seasons of Downton Abbey by the Seattle PBS station has caused the creation of two bracelets.  One will be shared today with a quick look at the other.  That second will be discussed soon in detail. I found another Jill Wiseman design (I know I am probably obsessed with her designs as well) called Princess Peyote.  It can use a mix of Delica beads like this: Photo from jillwisemandesigns.com Or a single colour for the main portion of the bracelet like this sample: Photo from jillwisemandesigns.com The fringe on the second bracelet introduced me to the flower bead that is more clearly made out as the coppery colour on the top of the bracelet above.  I think those tiny little flowers are wonderful.  So I set out at Shipwreck Beads to find some and indeed I did. This picture is taken at very close range so...