While out and about this weekend, everyone I saw with long hair; especially curly locks, made me go into a semi-spinning frenzy...I would look at that hair and think...wow, that would be awesome to spin.

**Yikes 

May for all have a blessed day filled with joy and food!  And a little spinning later 

I have put an Ashford Kiwi in lay-away and will be getting her out before Christmas (my present to myself this year).

I'm the kinda person that cannot wait to learn the slow way; I always have to jump right in and get it going...fast....so after some careful research and reading this entire Fiber community over and over, I settled on the Kiwi.  I have been knitting and crocheting since grade school  ***uh-hum..that's some 35 years and I love fiber, have always wanted to learn to spin but ashamed to say that I was totally intimidated until reading this wonderful community of posts.

I order the unfinished....those of you who bought unfinished...how/what did you do to finish your wheels?

I'm so very happy

I have been practicing all day and I am having some trouble:

After I spin a length I then wrap around the spindle, loop up through hook and get ready to spin again..then..as I flick the spindle, the spindle will drop down and a bunch of already spun yarn will fling out and get all wrapped up in the hook.  I unwrap it and gt ready to do it again and the same thing happens.  I wish I had a notch cut out on the whorl so I could secure the yarn there but I don't have that so what am I ding wrong and what do I need to be doing right?

TIA!

Here is a Poncho that I finished up yesterday..it was a Christmas Present I made for myself 

I based my poncho loosely on this pattern. I used the hdc stitch throughout, sc around the edge. I used RH SS Aran Fleck with Beige Fleck around the edges and for the flowers. My poncho measures approx. 36" x 24".

Pattern:  http://members.aol.com/JSchlossma/epon.html

[Hugs for Homeless Animals]

I am participating in a Charity Blitz for 2007 on Crochetville and I thought it would be nice to bring the idea over here to Craftster.  A great Crocheter names JimmieLu started this in the 'Ville and I'm hoping she won't mind that I "borrowed" her idea.   

I'm sure there is enough interest to Blitz a different charity a month in 2007.

Here's how it Works:

Every month in 2007 those interested in participating will pledge at least one item for the monthly featured charity.  The person responsible for the months charity will provide the specifics on the chairty, what is needed, what the deadline is, etc.  The item(s) will be sent to the person whose charity is chosen for that month.  That person will then take the items (or make sure the items get there) to the charity they have given us to blitz for that month. 

If you would like to participate and have a charity in mind for a Blitzing in 2007, please PM me.  I will then edit this list to show the monthly Blitzes.  December 2007 is already taken...you will just blitz a charity of your choice.

Let's get the Love Flowing!!   

January:  Hugs for Homeless Animals - You can read more about the Program here:  http://www.h4ha.org/snuggles/     Please share your ideas and your pics of your donated project. 

Febuary:  Stand Up for Kids - Read More here:  http://www.standupforkids.org/  There are several programs here from Street Kids to Transitional Living.  Please share your ideas and pics

March:  Afghans for Angels  Link:  http://www.angelfire.com/ia2/AforApage2/index.html  A charity for Bereavment Blankets for Infants  Link to Local Chapters: http://www.angelfire.com/ia2/AforAPage4/index.html

April:  Habitat For Humanity - Donate to a Charity Auction.  Here is a link to more info regarding the Auction: http://www.thinkscience.org/CraftsterPics/habitatauction.html
craftADDchick will provide us with more info soon.

May: Friends of Pine Ridge Reservation  Link: http://www.friendsofpineridgereservation.org/difference/craftforprr.shtml   
Pine Ridge Reservation, located in South Dakota, is home to the Oglala Sioux Tribe and is 2,000,000 acres large with an estimated population of close to 40,000. The reservation is large, and its needs are immense

June:  Online Angels- bunch of different stuff! Quilt squares, cards, teddy bears, etc.  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Online-Angels/

July:  Make a Child Smile - make cards for Terminally ill Children - http://www.makeachildsmile.org/

August: Newborns in Need, Inc. (NIN)  www.newbornsinneed. org  -  Our own craftster jp197012 will provide more info.

September:  Keeping Lanark Kids Warm  -  http://keepinglanarkkidswarm.blogspot.com/
Our Very Craftster Lanark_Knitter has more info regarding this charity
 

October:  Warming Families  Link:  http://www.warmingfamilies.org/

November:  BOOKS, BEARS & BONNETS  INC - http://www.booksbearsbonnets.org/
Our own craftster atsuko has more info regarding this charity


December:  Blitz the Charity of your choice.

I have started 2 Blanket Drives for 2 Shelters in my area.  One is a Homeless Shelter and Safe House for Women and Children in Daytona Beach Florida.  The other is The Agape Clubhouse; A Homeless Shelter in Deland, Florida.  I am currently asking for donations of 6" and 8" crocheted Granny Squares that I can assemble into Blankets.  Any yarn type, any colors, any patterns.  This is a great way to use up some scrap and do a Good Thing.  The blankets will be going to Men, Women and Children. 

PM Me for my address.  Thanks in advance for your help!

I am participating in this CAL on another site and thought I would bring it here too.  This is what I'm doing.  I have provided the link to the instructions.  I'm making this for my 80 y/o momma for XMAS.  I plan to make it to fit a Twin Size Bed.  You can go as big as you can stand.  I'm using Caron Simply Soft in Limelight, Grape and Black.

If you like join in!!

Instructions: http://iamtotallyobsessedwithyarn.blogspot.com/2006/01/granny-square-pattern-with-pictures.html

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b48/itsdonna35/cal2copy.jpg

I semi followed the One Skein Scarf pattern of Debbie Stoller but did not follow it to the tee - I made up my own edging and I call this the Skinny Scarf.

This was hard...I had to play around with it and cut out intricate pieces...what the heck was I thinking but I'm satisfied with it...nonetheless there's gotta be an easier way!  I wasn't too happy at first...the black shirt seemed to soak up the butterfly and I used 3 coats of paint....but it has grown on me...like a ghost image.  I used red paint but it looks orange.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b48/itsdonna35/silkscreenbuttefly.jpg