C'est fini!

Third baby afghan for the CURE Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan is ready to be put in the box with the other two and sent off to San Francisco for shipping to Afghanistan. This is my last one for now, but there is still time if you are moved to contribute your knitting skills to this great organization. Here is the link: http://www.afghansforafghans.org/blanket. What a great way to use up those random wool skeins in your stash. AND, it's fun. Mason-Dixon Knitting has a good section log cabin basics if you like this pattern, or use your favorite simple pattern that meets the critiria for CURE. Let me know what you choose.

Oh the dilemma: Wet or Dry Pencils??

First I couldn't figure out what to draw/sketch. Then I looked around and saw some of my favorite things. Ok, perfect vignettes right in front of me. The print chair just floats on the page, because I wasn't sure how to get it to "sit" on the floor AND I was worn out getting the print fabric done! Next it was the Jam Cupboard. The lamps are on. Can you tell? That's another challenge. In the middle of doing Mimi's Chair, I switch from wet pencils to dry pencils with wet watercolor brush to finish. Front of chair and ottoman are wet pencil, the rest got the wet brush. I like the softness of this.
I snuck over to Michael's this week and used a coupon for a little set of watercolors. Just a notch about the kiddie version. Can't wait to try them next.
Fiber people: no worries I am almost done with second baby afghan and have plans for another. Oh, and I feel a dye day coming on...

All things Afghanistan

It started with the Christane Amanpour CNN special, Generation Islam I saw in August while out in Encinitas with Martie. We sat with our knitting one night spellbound. The documentary focuses on a range of efforts being made in Afghanistan and Pakistan to turn young Muslim children away from violent extremism. That naturally put some focus on Greg Mortenson and his intense mission to build schools in Afghanistan.
Bottom line is now I am reading Three Cups of Tea by Mortenson and David O. Relin, and I am knitting wool baby afghans for the Afghans for Afghanistan project. These afghans go to the CURE Hospital in Kabul. This is a great stash buster as the blankets must be wool and darker colors. Warmth is key, and washing may not happen. I knit compulsively. Just how many shawls can I knit? So, this is perfect. The square one is just an overgrown washcloth pattern of mostly my dyed merino. The next one is going to be one big log cabin square. I took the idea from friend Martie. I love the randomness of it.