Knit and Spin--A Knitting Blog from a Web Design CEO in Atlanta, Georgia

I Can't Believe I Knit a Sweater in 4 Days!

Ravlery is scaring me and making me do things I thought were impossible. I think I have some kind of wierd knitting virus. I actually knit a sweater in 4 days. Unheard of around here! I guess I was just inspired by this yarn from Malabrigo called Charrua. It was so beautiful I just couldn't let it sit there much longer and I decided to knit the Serediptuous Sweater from Suss Cousins from her book Hollywood Knits. Ravlery is a sick place to hang out. Its like a knitting fever or something!

It turned out beautifully and I love it. So warm yet very, very lightweight. The color works well for me as you can see to the left!

This really isn't like me to finish a sweater in 4 days. I'm really worried about my mental state.

I was also inspired to make this matching beret in less than 2 hours (!) with the leftover yarn. Should be a cute combination on a cool fall night in a cafe somewhere in Paris Atlanta.

Now, if I could just finish something else I've had hanging around my knitting cabinet....maybe the Little Black Dress perhaps? Wisteria anyone? Maybe that cute little Mason-Dixon robe....

Top 40 Things I've Learned About Life as a 40 Year Old

So, what do McDonald's Big Mac and I have in common? We both turned 40 yesterday! Pretty funny to celebrate your birthday with a famous sandwich from a fast-food chain. What a great marketing coup for McD's that you can ask for a Big Mac in most countries and people will know exactly where to point you. (I'd love for people to start asking for Bella Websites like that...but I digress...) Must be the secret sauce.

Speaking of secret and saucy, I thought it would be kind of fun for me (and my kids) if I did a Top 40 list for my 40th birthday. This is kind of a life's lessons list for the kids and a reminder to me of how far I've come (and how much farther I have to go!). The next list won't be published for another 10 years so I hope you enjoy this one now...

These are in no particular order btw, I'm just typing them out as they come to me:

1. Be kind to everyone, even those you don't particularly like. You never know when you'll meet them down the road and need their help.
2. The cheapest shoes usually won't last the longest. That really goes for anything, especially yarn. If you can afford it, go for the better quality in shoes, furniture, yarn and people. You won't be disappointed and will happier in the long run.
3. Always trust your heart in matters of love. If it doesn't feel right, it isn't and you can't change the person, only the situation.
4. Don't take yourself too seriously. Those who do have a tough road ahead of them.
5. Laugh as much as you can. Seek out funny people, books, movies, plays. Those are some of the best moments in your life and it sure beats the alternative.
6. Never be afraid to dream big, crazy, bodacious dreams. I promise the reality will far exceed your expectations when they do come true.
7. Always appreciate your mother and father who will love you and be there for you no matter what happens in life.
8. Buy yourself a birthday gift every year. It will always be exactly the right shade, size, kind you want and you'll never be disappointed.
9. Love and appreciate yourself. You can't give to others what you don't feel for yourself.
10. Always show gratitude for what you have in any situation. Someone else is not as lucky as you are and you should always be thankful you have everything you're blessed with at any given time.
11. Just when you think your nail polish is dry, you'll decide to a) go to bed, b) take a shower, c)get dressed. You'll realize you should have waited another 10 minutes.
12. Trust the fact that others really know what they are doing. If you trust them, they will, most of the time, exceed your expectations of them.
13. Try new things all the time because you never know when you'll find your new favorite sweater, person, experience, knitting technique, food, etc. Be open to new experiences.
14. Don't let fear rule your life. You really don't know what's behind every corner and its usually not as bad as you make it out to be. The worst you can imagine usually never happens.
15. Don't judge other people. They are doing things they way based on experiences you can never know of and you'll learn from them in one way, shape or form.
16. The people that make us feel bad are the ones that help us recognize something in ourselves we need to work on. Thank them for the lessons, then forgive them and move on.
17. Find a hobby that keeps you amused, intrigued, teaches you patience, chases boredom, gives you pleasure and satisfaction and share it with others. Knitting or crochet anyone?
18. Choose food daily that will nourish you and help you gain better health. Be wary of food which gives you temporary or false comfort. It will always make you feel worse if you eat too much and doesn't really help you get to the problem or solve anything anyway. (Birthday cake is the exception to this rule!)
19. Never take family members or friends for granted. They could be gone tomorrow and you'll wish you had spent more time with them.
20. Keep up with technology and never stop learning about its evolution. It could mean a big difference between you and someone else who wants the job, promotion, business, etc.
21. Have fun in whatever you do and always find the positive in any given situation. (Is that two lessons?) Anyway, remember that its your choice and decision and no one can make you top having fun in your own head. Fun is the thing that makes our lives run much smoother.
22. The best ideas usually come at the quietest and/or most inconvenient times. Always have a pad of paper by your bedside, in your purse, in the car, etc. You never know when that "big idea" will hit and you need to be ready for it.
23. Don't listen to anyone who tells you its impossible or you can't do something. They are reacting out of their own fears, limited vision, upbringing, failures, etc. There is nothing you can't do except touch your nose with your elbow.
24. Travel as much as you can. Traveling is the best education/inspiration you can find and you'll learn tons more than just reading about the country or city in a book. You'll also meet some fascinating people along the way.
25. Lawyers will never tell you what they would do in a situation no matter how hard you press them, but will give you your best options and let you decide what works for you. This way, they're always right.
26. Linen yarn will shed all over you when you knit. Then you will, invariably, rush out the door and other people will remind you why you don't knit with dark linen yarn while wearing white pants.
27. Excuses are just things we use to delay admitting failure to ourselves and others. Stop making them and you'll be a lot happier in your relationships. We all make mistakes. Just apologize and move on.
28. Read as many books as you can in your life. You'll learn about yourself through reading about other people's experience, advice, vision, adventures. You'll never be bored if you have a book (or knitting) in your hands.
29. Don't get caught up in becoming a celebrity, seeking fame, etc. Its fleeting and won't solve your problems (it will usually bring about even more). People will love the illusion you bring to the table for a short time, then move on to the next celebrity of the moment and leave you to pick up the pieces by yourself.
30. Give generously to others both monetarily and with your time and talents. You will be richly rewarded many times over if you help others in this life through your gifts.
31. Always be nice to the local yarn shop owner even if they are having a bad day. You'll need their advice on something like buying yarn or a pattern and they will remember how you treat them and their merchandise when you're in their store. (Goes for any retailer really...)
32. Once you hit the send button, you can't take it back. Think carefully about the consequences and how the receiver will respond to your message. Think about your own motivation to send it at that point in time. If you have doubts, wait 24 hours until the emotions pass and your head is clear. You'll know exactly what to do.
33. Never trust people who promise you they will give you something more tomorrow if you help them for nothing today. The sun usually doesn't rise for those people when it comes time to pay up.
34. Treat your teachers with the utmost respect. They have chosen to sacrifice a lot to teach you what they know and are following a calling to help you and others. They are the ones changing the world and your life for the better through education.
35. Don't get caught up in being perfect because nothing is and therin lies the beauty of life. Life is perfectly unperfect.
36. Meditate daily and find a connection to your spiritual source. That connection will always bring the answers you seek if you take the time look for it in a quiet place where you can hear it speak from your heart.
37. Move your body and get your heart rate up and pumping on a daily basis--no excuses. Your body will thank you by remaining healthy and flexible when you're 40 and many years beyond if you continue to do this all your life. You'll have more fun in your life when you're feeling good about your appearance and not worried about illness--that's a promise!
38. Don't be afraid to ask for help from others. We all have a calling to help each other and people are more than willing, in most cases, to provide answers or point you in the right direction.
39. Always expect the best from everyone and every situation. Choose to see the good in everything and stay positive no matter what happens to you.
40. Relax, you're already perfect and doing exactly what you're supposed to at any given time in your life. Don't get caught up in what you think you should be doing or, even worse, what others think you should do. Enjoy the ride because you're making a difference to humanity by just being you!

A Bit More about my Other Life as CEO of Bella Web Design

Most of you know already, I'm the CEO and owner of a company called Bella Web Design, Inc. Bella Web Design is a 10 year old web design company in Atlanta. We specialize in web design, web hosting, search engine submission, social media, Internet marketing and print design. I really enjoy helping so many other small and medium-sized businesses like ours find success through Internet marketing and their web sites.

I really think that because I'm on the computer most of the time, I find knitting, crochet and spinning the perfect counterpoint to what I do with my brain during the day. We've even designed a website for a yarn shop in Atlanta called The Whole Nine Yarns. (That was fun and I was able to learn a lot more about the yarn shop business in the process.)

Bella Web Design is the top-rated web design firm at Kudzu.com. With over 250 clients, we continue to grow at a very fast pace in our industry. I love my job and my boss and I highly recommend to any of you thinking about going out on your own to do it and never look back. Its been an incredible journey with even more adventures to come!

Dragonfly Swirl Shawl: When Knitting Projects Beg Me to Start

So, I was in The Whole Nine Yarns in Woodstock, GA this week. To my surprise, a few balls of Jojoland Melody Superwash just jumped into my hands begging to become, "The Dragonfly Swirl Shawl!"

Honestly, I did NOT need another project to start. I have too many UFOs flying around my house. WHY???? Why am I compelled to start another project?

I think the reason is because this one intrigued me. The swirls are really lovely and interesting. I really wanted to find out what my hands had to do to make them happen. I couldn't wait to go home and cast-on and see if I could make those swirls myself. Turns out it was easier than it looks which was a relief, but now I'm quite hooked on this pattern and don't want to put it down!

I did work a little bit on the "Little Purple (Black) Dress." I only have the sleeves left to finish and then the sewing. So I guess I'll go back and forth between the two. Any bets as to which one I'll finish first? Maybe I'll cast on something else in between...hmmmmm.....

Le Tour De Fleece: Bring it On!

Saturday was the first day of Le Tour De Fleece, 2008. My goal this year is to spin all the leftovers in my stash, and folks, I've got PLENTY!

I started with a gorgeous Merino blend which I'm spinning on my Louet S10 DT.

Enjoy the picture of purple loveliness:

I just love the color. Now, I need to learn how to ply a bit better which is also another goal for me during this tour...