Did you let the alpacas out, honey?

When I saw this at the festival I mostly sang in my head, "doo-doo doo, just taking the alpacas for a stroll down High St. Need anything at the Dollar Store, Hermione?" Rowan vest has gone from circulars to straight knitting which is to say that I'm at the armpit and on the home stretch. A few more movie days and I'll be done.

just in time for summer

This one should be done just in time for hot humid July. Think of it this way- I'm ahead of the fashion industry. Those fall items don't come out until August. This pattern is from the spring/summer 2007 issue of "knit it!!" and is actually modeled and made for a man. I made one ungauged in rowan summer tweed several months back. This one (according to my math) should fit better and not have a 58 inch waist. It feels snug but I'm hoping that some of that will block out and that I will lose just a little more pouch to make it wearable. Like any other knitting fool I will make no attempt to fix what the back of my mind sees as a potential problem and will instead, knit on, hoping for small miracles.

98, 99........100!

This blog started for two reasons. I loved reading Knit and Tonic and I had the first FO that I wanted someone to see. In a matter of no time I've hit the 100th post mark and it has become a restful place to read and write. Thanks to everyone who comments. That's all I've got today!

baa-aa-aa

There are several pictures of kitschy things that I did not buy at the Sheep and Fiber festival. This is a picture of one that I couldn't resist. As a music teacher who often uses puppets, I believe that it will be a tax deduction. We went back on Sunday and saw a "real little lamb." It said "baa-aa-aa" many times. Each time it did that, I laughed and cackled as uncontrollably as humanly possible. Not just the first time- each and every time. When I asked Bob to describe the sound, he suggested that it was a combination of cackle and burst of embarassment. "I wasn't embarassed," I replied. "Embarassing for me," said he. He's from Brooklyn, he had to be cackling inside.

on the street where I live

In the continuing series of photos from the fiber festival, these were the colors just "hanging out" on the street where I live. (well maybe 1/2 mile away) I have indeed been knitting. I'm swatching the new handspun and have about 14 inches on the Rowan Chunky vest. All will be revealed in good time. Meanwhile, it's "movie day" at school, 12 days left, 11 1/2 hour classes in 6 hours and a partridge in a pear tree.

Angora Anyone?

If I made these pictures as big as I'd really like to, you would be waiting until next year's sheep and fiber fest for them to load. Click on them if you want them bigger. This "little fella" (more like a giant watermelon size) was in the shade, but mostly the blue/lilac color is what he really looked like. I got quite an informative lesson on breeding for color from his owner.

Here's what I learned about giant bunnies. You don't shear them like sheep. In the "old days" (50's and 60's) people who complained of shedding angora sweaters likely had angora that was sheared with things like electric hair clippers. These devices, in spite of their efficiency, leave short little hairs all over the place. Angora that is retrieved using sharp scissors produces longer pieces and therefore, less shedding.

Another report from the intermediate novice sharing my experience as I work my way through the rest of the novice state.

Did you know...

That an alpaca is an animal all unto itself? Well yes, I'm guessing that most of you informed readers knew that it's in the camel family- just below the llama. News to me! I thought maybe it was a type of an animal that I already knew about. (e.g. alpaca sheep, alpaca goats, etc etc.) This beauty named "Hermione" made the festival worthwhile.

Small though it was, how can a person be disappointed when there is a streetful of handspun yarn? duh. There were bags and bags of wool, roving, dyed raw wool, dyed roving (I now know the differences between all of these words) and yet not one spinning wheel to be tried or purchased. If I made spinning wheels, I bet I would make a fortune.

As for the cranky ladies at the spinning wheel, I encountered 2 of them but then there were about 5 others who were more than willing to talk to me about the joys of spinning. Note to self- leave the spinners at the sheep to shawl competition alone. They're on a mission.

I did purchase some yarn- not as much of a silk/wool blend as I would have liked- another lady with her eye on it beat me to the purchase. Her daughter is from Waynesburg and knits and the first thing she said after we met was- "we should have a club." We exchanged emails, thrilled to know that there are at least 3 knitters here. I purchased a big pile of handspun English wool. The pictures won't do it justice so I'll wait until I have some that will or until I start working with it for real.

Just for the record, the exhibitor at the first booth I went to smiled at me and said, "Do you have a dog?" I burst out in uproarious laughter and then had to explain. She gave me some imaginary treats for Nigel. They were free.

Rubber Tree Plant

i had to have just one more chance to be excited before heading "downtown" to check out the "festival." For those not familiar with Waynesburg, odds are that there will be 2-3 sheep, a couple of rabbits, 2 cranky ladies spinning, and some not so LYS's selling overpriced novelty ladder yarn. I fully expect to be disappointed once I get there so I wanted to take this last moment to feel the thrill of a festival In The Town Where I Live that is about Something I Love To Do. Off I go, knitting bag and camera in tow, pre-purchased festival t-shirt on my back, and like the ant about to move the rubber tree plant.

just in case you're checking

So I guess after revealing those seven plus things, I'm feeling a little empty-headed. And yet I'm always so pleased when my favorite bloggers give me something new to read, I don't want to let anyone down. If I'm a favorite of anyone out there, this one's for you!

The best part of my day today was a comment from Sherri Gabbard on my Mother's Day Project post. She is the step-daughter of Marilyn and found my stitching by googling her step-mother's name. What a gift from karma to me.

One of my favorite things to think about is Dr. Masaru Emoto's work on the Hidden messages of water. Check them out if you don't know it, look again if you want to be amazed again.

Bob and I have an imaginary dog now and it looks like and has the same name as Jen's real dog Nigel-go to May 10 for a great picture. After getting him Bob promptly let him into the bedroom and on the bed. I heard an advertisement for invisible fencing for dogs this morning. This evening there was a commercial on tv for "HomeAgain" to keep track of your pets. I'm wondering if we need this for Nigel. I know this dog stuff is a little sudden and also a little bizarre but it's standardized testing week in my world and the blog isn't the only place I've been enabling. If school were an alcoholic, I'd be it's martyr. To get myself detached from it all, there is Nigel and the great laughing he inspires. On Wednesday a kid asked me how I was going to play fetch with an imaginary dog. (which is one of the reasons I wanted one in the first place.) Before I could answer, another kid said, "With an imaginary ball." Then Leah told me that my imaginary dog bit her and I told her she'd have to talk to my imaginary lawyer.

After a quick google search, I was relieved to find out that I was not the only person with an imaginary dog.

The end of the week is near, the Waynesburg Sheep and Fiber Festival begins on Saturday. There are 14 more teaching days left before summer vacation. All will be well. Just don't mess with my imaginary dog.

7+ things

Jen and Nigel tagged me so now I feel like a "real" blogger. Thanks Jen!

7+ interesting things about me.

1. I got engaged on the Empire State Building.

2. The same week that I got engaged I sang "5 Fat Turkeys" on David Letterman's "Stump the Band."

3. I spent 6 weeks teaching in South Africa in the summer of 2002

4. While I'm never afraid of getting lost in a new place, I do harbor a small fear of not being able to find a parking space once I get wherever I'm going.

5. I hate talking on the phone but one of my summer college jobs was as an AT&T telephone operator

6. I don't have or want a cell phone.

7. I'm the co-editor of the WV State Music Educator's newsletter.

+ I was never good at being "it" If anyone would like to step up and be tagged, let me know.

I may as well have..

Stitch and row markers- I didn't invent them but I may as well have. Reading and reading about stitch marker this and row marker that thinking what's the big deal? Just a little circle around the needle to mark where you're going and where you've been. Then suddenly, in what I believed to be a stroke of near genius I realized I could hook those crappy stitch markers and use them as row markers to indicate where I was in the cable pattern, eliminating the need for that annoying piece of paper with tally marks that I always lose. NOW I know what the buzz was all about. They aren't pretty but I know where I am. It's a sneak preview of the rowan chunky vest I'm working on.

Bob, feeling a little left out of blogland, has indicated that he would like to have a "complaint of the day." Today he wants to know why he doesn't get a tax rebate for voting, having had to listen to two years worth of campaigning.

Waiting for birds to fall from the sky

I don't really feel compelled to blog every day but it's kind of gotten to be a habit. It's a puzzle for my brain to see if words will "fall from the sky" that I can turn into a post that will crack me up. This evening it happened while sitting on the porch. I don't always love gratuitous cat pictures on a blog but then... Sophie was stalking a bird as we patiently waited for hummingbirds. Bob said, "she wouldn't catch a bird if it fell from the sky." That imagery cracked me up. This first photo is her waiting for said event. The second is the cool aplomb she would walk away with after she missed it. The camera found it's way into Bob's hands. I can't believe how blue his eyes are-or how kind of creepy they look in this self-portrait (I did crop out the nose hairs) I'm all for a catchy caption if anyone can come up with one other than "Big Brother is watching."

hmm...

Looks like hummingbirds get "white eye" instead of "red eye." The perfect picture of this may be a summer project. Me and the cats- watching the birds.

Kick in the head

The medical profession calls it "sinusitus." I call it a kick in the head by a horse. In a drugged haze that finally got professional attention yesterday, I envisioned kool-aid dye fiber science projects, Jamaican storytelling (we've been using a Jamaican accent in 4th grade to make things more interesting), and a short story recited by a voodoo priestess entitled "Lyin'-man"

In addition to some yarn experiments based on swatching, there will eventually be hummingbirds and rhododendrons for some beauty to behold. While you're waiting, you HAVE to check out this site from Knitting on Impulse. I'm not kidding. You must click here. On these letters. It is the most amazing image I've ever seen. If it's slow to load, WAIT FOR IT!

Watch me Swatch

So I was looking on-line about the proper etiquette in blog-land for moving from serious political opinions back to more relaxed knitting progress. Having found none, I'll just post and hope that it feels right.

Swatches from left to right- Marousskia from Chat Botte, Jaeger Aran Tweed, and Rowan something something.

I think the Marousskia will be the final attempt at a felted bag. It's so thick that it may not even need felting. It feels like it will stand up on it's own.

I have visions of a light cardigan in the Jaeger. I really liked the "purse stitch" from Vogue knitting (k1 yo K2tog) and envision a seed stitch at the bottom, a purse stitch next up to just below the chest and then I'm not sure. The swatch (though it's hard to see) has the seed stitch after the cables followed by the purse stitch.

The Rowan is looking good for another vest. I'm still fighting with what to do with multiple colors of Rowan 4ply that are fragile and no picnic to knit, but this stuff is like buttah!

I say all of this as if I'm a designer. That cracks me up, but one time I got a passport so that I could be a world traveler. You have to start somewhere.

The two on the right have been blocked and my what a difference. I highly recommend swatching and blocking. It made me like the yarn much better. (just in case it's a little too subtle, the previous two sentences are really pretty joking funny- everyone highly recommends swatching and blocking-only after reaping small benefits of doing a bit of it have I flip-flopped my opinions on it.) You can't believe everything you read, you know.

Marilyn L. Gabbard

My finished stitching for the tote bag- to be mailed tomorrow. Anne, the project originator, suggested that we journal about the experience.

My thoughts and observations follow-

Walking into Wal-Mart at the end of the day to buy thread, needle and hoop to stitch the name of a woman killed in war was surreal. I chose the light green because it felt peaceful to me. I chose the dark green because Marilyn, by all accounts was strong.

The cat joined me as I began stitching, kneading my belly and a play on words immediately came to mind. Marilyn's family "needing" comfort, families everywhere needing comfort, people everywhere needing so much.

I wondered what Marilyn's mama called her when she was a baby. I wondered what the L. stood for. I wondered if she experienced the same pleasant uncertainty that I did when she took the married name of Gabbard.

I stepped briefly into what I imagined her last moments to be.

On the news as I stitched, I watched the president ignore a question about National Guard support while he was in Kansas "comforting" tornado survivors. I pictured Marilyn L. Gabbard taking charge of troops there and offering help to those in need as her obit said she was so inclined to do. I was so angry.

As I came to the end of her name I found myself trying to come to some peace about the end of Marilyn's short life. I wanted my memories to be worthy of her service. I did my best to set aside the anger and frustration I have with all of these losses. There is so much sadness.

In an e-mail, Anne wrote "I understand the feelings of anger and helplessness, and I hope that for the short time you were wielding a sharp needle in protest, you felt connected to the larger group of us who share those feelings."

I hope that every heartfelt stitch of this project finds its way to those who need comfort. I hope that every angry moment sends a message of peace and diplomacy to those who believe that killing human beings is a way to solve problems.

I also thank those who have faced the dangers of serving their country and have returned to face what has to be the surreality of daily life.

Project Mother's Day-War is Personal

I found this site (Mothers Day Project-War is Personal) through the blogs I read.

My "casualty" is Marilyn Gabbard. I don't think there's anything casual about it.

Command Sgt. Maj. Marilyn L. Gabbard
Hometown: Polk City, Iowa, U.S.

Age: 46 years old

Died: January 20, 2007 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Unit: Army National Guard, Joint Forces Headquarters, Iowa Army National Guard, Camp Dodge, Johnston, Iowa

Incident: Killed when the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter she was in crashed in Baghdad.

Lil Miss Fancy Swatch

Yea, so when all of my cool knitting friends at school say, "Hey, what are you knitting?" I've just been saying "I'm knitting Lil Miss Fancy Swatch."

Here's why that doesn't really work. No cool knitting friends at school. When they ask anything it's, "Is that knit or crochet? I have some of those sticks at home." And there's no real pattern (yet) called Lil Miss Fancy Swatch. And lately I've been reading more knitting blogs than actually knitting.

Jaeger Aran Tweed- size 5, size 6, size 7 (does anyone else just get a little tired of 7 working almost always? Seven, it's always Seven.) Then some 6 stitch cables, then some seed stitch, then something from vogue knitting (the bible-not the magazine) called a purse stitch. I kind of like it.

It feels productive to learn about the nature of fiber and what textures do to it. Today it's all about process.

How much?

Q: How much yarn does a person need for an overnight trip?

Keep in mind, I wanted this to be a sort of meditative experience. Hotel tv off, just me and the stockinette stitch, making some swatches and emptying my mind. A time to be grateful for the birth of my husband and for the life I have been given. A time to rest and empty my head in preparation for the week to come.

A: Don't let monkeymind pack.



I could blame it on the new bag. "So much yarn, so little time." I could blame it on having a positive outlook. "Maybe I'll roll and swatch some (all) of my stash" Mostly it was indecision. "But what if I feel like..."

As I count there are 13 different skeins (4 of which are already projects on the needles), 5 books, 2 sets of interchangable circular needles, and a kit bag containing the requisite measuring tape, notions and at least 5 sizes of dpns.

Take away the time I spent fondling potential, posing it for a picture, checking on Bob, icing the milk, talking on the phone, coming down with a cold, and pausing for the unbelievability of what takes place on Nanny 911, and there was about an hour of peaceful swatching. Scratch that... it wasn't so peaceful. Have you ever heard a bag of stash? It puts too loud hotel tv's to shame.

"Knit me, no no knit ME- I'll be the project that will make your skills seem more like a craft and less like a gamble. You have the most of me, I'm the best"

I ended up playing with Jaeger aran tweed. There was no real restful mind other than the one that was laughing so hard at the yarn packing monkey.

Today's caption asks "How much?" The answer? "So much."

Also might I suggest to any of the wonderful authors writing help books for novice-intermediate knitters with great hope that they include a section on traveling talking bags of stash?

Happy Birthday Husband

-I'm glad you're on the planet. We're going to the gaming center. I say, "take risks and win big." I'll be knitting swatches in the hotel room. We'll both be doing what relaxes us

Good Yarn Karma

So this afternoon was spent being "pretend principal" (others call it "head teacher") or more accurately, "the person to go to when the principal's not there." Yes indeedy- you can always count on a recess fight on a sunny day in May when beckyknitstoo is "in charge." Benson and Stabler would have been so proud of my interrogative technique. And here I thought I was wasting valuable time watching Law and Order reruns. I never realized what horrible liars 5th and 6th graders were.

As I drove home, my brain was full of cause and effect and how glad I'm only "pretend." When I checked the mailbox, there was a box of Maroussia by Chat Botte sent to me by "yarnfloozy" via the wonderful blog Good Yarn Karma It's a deep deep purple slightly boucle-y and possibly a little tired from the journey across the border from Canada. I have no doubt that once revived, it will be the perfect yarn for a second go round at the "V is for Victory" vest from earlier posts. And hey- this time I'll even swatch.


If you have not accidentally found this site- Good Yarn Karma, you don't know what you're missing. Many thanks to the people who had that stroke of brilliance as well as to yarnfloozy who was so quick in sending the karma- especially on a day when I needed it most.

the safe place

I'm really taking some risks here. A new pattern for the leg and the heel is "inside out" because I think I read somewhere it makes for a comfier sock. I thought I had socks memorized until I remembered that I didn't turn the heel and was trying to knit a square flap into a "round" sock. (insert tink here) Even so, it's amazing how quickly socks go when you aren't trying to do something gigantic in between. It takes great thought and consideration before beginning a gigantic project that feels destined to fail before it begins! We'll see what the weekend brings.

Moving on

Lining sort of in- it might help the bag shape but it won't do anything for the stretching strap. Maybe some interfacing later on. It's time to move on. The sock in the picture isn't quite as bright as the flash would make it seem. It's the "stansfield #10" from Sensational Knitted Socks...also not so visible but there nonetheless. When all else fails, return to the sock.

Postal bag pt. 2

Behold postal bag part 2- for those who don't get quite so much mail. The picture doesn't show it, but it's about 9"x14". The strap is 26". The button isn't attached yet. I'm hoping to block out some of the curl in the part that you can't see in the picture. (inside top of the bag) It will definitely need some lining. The strap may need reinforcement as well. Anyone with previous experience in such things is welcome to advise. Remember there is nothing too obvious for me.

Thanks to two more shoulder spider bites, I'm staying home today in a benadryl haze. When I get my hands on that spider, I'm gonna....

where it all began

In 2003, my friend Anna came to visit and we accidentally stumbled upon the first Sheep and Fiber Fest. Not knowing what the effects would be, we purchased size 10 Fiddlesticks needles and some ladder novelty yarn. That evening we had a lovely time on the back porch remembering how to knit, frogging periodically because there were gaping holes that we didn't know how to fix (as if they could be fixed in that gauge with that yarn) and enjoying each others company. As far as I know, Anna hasn't moved beyond scarves, but they served her well. Watching Anna knit relaxed and comforted her mother as she (her mother) spent her last days on the planet.

It's so easy to look backwards in life at the mistakes and regrets one has. Anna and the Sheep and Fiber Festival are reminders of looking back at some good growing parts of life. We were traveling companions together in the summer of 2002 as we both went to Kimberely South Africa to teach music in the township of Galashewe. We were knitting companions on the courthouse square as we were still trying to decompress from our respective changes a year after that adventure. Anna was recovering from double knee and gastric bypass surgery and I was working my way through how to be married. At the time I had no idea that I would love knitting and my husband so much. For the record, it wasn't the love of knitting that was the surprise.

I was out of town during the fiber festival last year. Like myself, it has probably grown. Who knows what this year will bring? One thing is certain, it won't be ladder yarn!

Why I Love my Blog Friends

They make me laugh.

They make me think.

They make me feel better about less than perfect projects.

When the phone rings, I know it's not them. (I hate the telephone mostly)

I don't have to follow a schedule in order to be a good blog friend. When I'm there, I'm there. When I'm not, I'm not. Same for them.

When there aren't very many clever, quick, talented people around me, I know they're out there and that they exist.

They give me new ideas, books to read, and inspire me to try new things.

When I first began blogging I wondered how it all happened. Now I see that in some ways it's easier than real life. You find pages that resonate with you and more often than not, your page resonates with them. You exchange a few comments and suddenly there's a little community of friends resonating in cyberspace. That is so cool.

Thank you Mrs. Obvious

So, the socks are finished and in-between working on them, I've been playing with the postal bag Noro.

Realization #39- bigger yarn makes bigger things and it's faster.

Clearly in my life there is no knitting observation that is so obvious it need not be recorded for future reference.

If any of you can think of any other Mrs. Obvious statements that might enlighten my world just a little bit more, feel free to share them. I may be slow on the obvious, but once it's pointed out, it usually sticks.

She's Stylin'

The socks were a big hit. The tops seemed a little big bulky but in a good way. The feet were a perfect fit. When I pick up stitches after I've turned the heel, I usually use a crochet hook and then transfer the stitches to a needle. When it was time to do this, the crochet hook that I had was larger than the #2 dpns. Thus, if you look closely you'll see larger stitches where the two connect. I noticed this of course, after the first one was finished. Rather than taking it apart (given the deadline) I decided that if I just did the same thing on the other one, it would be like ankle-air-conditioning. No one even noticed. This was the first knitted gift that wasn't requested and didn't feel like an obligation. It felt really nice and they were fun to make.

Happy Administrative Professional's Day!

The socks are done but I'll wait to see if I can't snag a picture of them in use-

the card?

-you are worth every stitch and then some.

-if they're a little big, it's because it would take big feet to fill your shoes.

-if they happen to fall apart (no warranties), it's just what we would do without you!

Mystery Solved

Remember this disaster? A giant postal bag that felted only minimally?

It could possibly be explained by this image. Contrary to my assumption (Noro is always all wool) made up only in my head with no basis in fact, this Noro was 75% wool and 25% silk. Think that had anything to do with the felting process? Another OBVIOUS lesson learned- always read the label. I have some leftover fiber from this project (which I once thought was going to be a sweater.) Now that I have created a 20" x 20" two sided swatch, I may try to make a little bag out of the leftovers and forgo the felting.

AJG

Hey- thanks for the inspiration ART junk GIRL!

adassock #1

One Down- One to go!

National Award Winner

... and we're not talking knitting. Husband had lunch in "headquarters" in Norfolk VA yesterday and spent the hour chatting up the CEO of Norfolk Southern about various ways to address safety issues on the railroad. He was the leader of one of the three groups recognized as a recipient of NS's "Thoroughbred Award" (a Tiffany statue to follow) for his contribution to the company. The other 2 groups were from corporate and headquarters. Bob and his gang (minus the trainmaster who never did figure out what a significant effort it was) were honored at the luncheon and were the only ones who didn't have an official company manager leading them to work for the award. He just had a good idea and they did it.

Round and Round and Round it Goes

Like sock knitting, my mind easily falls into a pattern of going round and round in circles. My reactions to the day’s events, if left unchecked, can spiral into a tornado of circular thinking.

Lately I’ve noticed that the time I spend considering what I may or may not post on this blog lessens the amount of time I have to perseverate on events of the hour/day/week and actually gives me a reason to pause and wonder what I really think.

An elementary school guidance counselor once told me that a common response to students who perseverate (engage in the same behavior or thought in a repeated fashion) is to ask them a question that catches them off guard such as, “Do you have any cheese in your pocket?”

I think that knitting lets me keep my circles and blogging is a way to ask myself if I have any cheese in my pocket.

Errata

Next week is Administrative Professional's Week. (adprof) not Administrative Assistant's Week (adass). I think I'll still refer to these as adassocks. It's kind of catchy. I have until Wednesday to complete these if I want to seem really efficient and appreciative. I've never had such a deadline before with socks. It will be interesting to see if I make it. I know I would if we had a train to ride this weekend. That's my favorite place to "sock." If not- I'll just give her one sock and tell her the other one is on the way. Yes, I changed the color. I liked the other but had to redo it so many times that I wondered if maybe it had a little hex on it that I could break by switching yarns. Do you suppose yarns come "pre-hexed" or do we hex them ourselves?

Backseat Gaming and Why I love it.

The plot to Sly Cooper moves much more slowly and is even less interesting than any repeat of Law and Order. Much more focused knitting time.

When you hear a big noise, you look up and quickly know whether to say "oh no honey" or "good one honey."

It's like going on adventures and missions in the comfort of your living room. Especially handy when it's cold or dark outside.

When the "heroes" die, they come back to life.

Every now and then you find yourself yelling "R2! R2! R2!" and someone is really glad about it.

The background "music" is not something you'll hang on to- it's sort of underlying repeated soothing spacey music- even better than the weather channel.

You don't have to watch the same news on tv over and over and over again.

It's like visiting another planet.

Time and socks fly.

They're easy to step away from at bedtime.

You are happy knitting knowing how happy the player is playing.

Spring Flair Recognized

Wendy's design for the Flair was based on an earlier design for a children's Swing Coat. Being the not so much fashionista that I am, I didn't realize that this was a "style" of coat and thought it was a coat for Wendy's little girlfriend to wear on the swing. Today I wore it over a like-colored green springish sweater. The principal not only recognized it AS a SWING COAT, she also noticed the neat and tidy raglan sleeves thanks to the circular knitting. The final product may not have been everything I'd hoped for BUT it was recognized for it's redeeming qualities (a good design and an effort at better sleeves) I'm calling that a success today as I frog and redo the "adass" socks. Those metal dpns are just too slippery for knitting while backseat gaming. Will the adass socks get done in time for adass day? Stay tuned...

Two cool projects- one itchy hand

I found a "homespun" recipe that called for aspirin "paste" applied directly to the bite. It took a little sting and swelling away. This is much better than it was on Saturday. At school today the kids asked if I was going to become Spiderman. If the amount of aggravation this has caused is any indication, I'm going to be Amazon Spidey Woman.


The purple project is the top down raglan jersey I swatched over the weekend. I am quietly excited- though I am guessing something will happen and I'll have to take it all out for one reason or another. The sock is Tofutsi yarn (I feel like such a yarn snob- I never really know what anyone means so much when they put the kind of yarn out there- I don't get to browse much) and while I don't love knitting for other people so much, Administrative Assistant's Day is just around the corner and I bet I could have these finished by then. I'm leaving the standard sock pattern and going for a 4-stitch pattern in Schurch's "Sensational Knitted Socks."

Knitting is like an algebra problem with an infinite number of variables. I think I've been a little more realistic in putting these two problems together. Perhaps the last few flops had too many unknown variables... yeah, that's it.

Knitting Adages OR where the mind goes when you're waiting for the swatch to block

A watched swatch never boils.
A Swatch watch never boils.
A blocked swatch never coils.
She who knits first, laughs loudest.
Don't count your swatches before they've blocked.
Swatches like visitors stink after 3 days.
Blessed are the swatchmakers for they shall inherit the earth.
All swatch and no knit makes Jack a dull boy.


I'm certain I have not explored these adages to their fullest potentials. Please feel free to add your own.

Real Life Blogging

For the second time in as many weeks I have a large (tangerine sized) and a small (grape sized) welt on myself. This week it's on the top of my hand. Last week it was on my elbow. I've been bitten by spiders before but the reaction has never been this bad. Thoughts that have crossed my mind while waiting for the pain and swelling to subside:

The partner of the spider bob killed last week came back for revenge

The children of said spider came back for revenge

It's not really a spider bite but instead we have a snake living in the bedroom

My immune system is weakening and the next spider that comes around will bite my neck and I will swell up and die.

They say everyone eats a certain number of spiders in their lifetime while sleeping. This is one instance where I really hope this is true because I'm tired of being their late-night snack.

and so it goes.

A 30 minute journey to the south of the Not-So-Big City proved fruitless. The internet suggested that I would find a not so local yarn store as my final destination. Such was not the case unless it's in the basement of a middle class residential house. Perhaps I will recheck the mapquest directions but not any time soon. On the way home, I stopped in the not-so big-city and found Plymouth Cascades in the colors above. Following the color, texture, and budget rules brought these skeins into my life. The superchunky baby alpaca was second in line but those readers who often look at yarn will know which of the three guidelines it didn't fit into. Only time will tell, but after an hour of owning the yarn, I think I like the way the rules work.

Equipped with colored pencils, Barbara Walkers book, "Knitting Around," a measuring tape, some graph paper and the internal fortitude that such a cool colorway can provide, I'm going to try to make a something something from scratch. Some people call it designing. I think it can only be called that once there is an actual product. It's sort of "if a tree falls in the forest..." thing. In my mind I have a short-sleeved t-shirt type sweater following the colors along the top right. As indicated in previous posts, I will be swatching. In fact I'll also be blocking the swatch. I recently blocked the brown baby-poop colored sweater from a previous post and felt the difference. It was still too small but for the first time I was a little sad about it. A warning to regular readers- actual knitting content may be a thin for a while. I just don't want to plow full speed ahead without thoughtful contemplation of each stitch and it's contribution to the finished product. I might have to blog about real life or something.

Somethings gotta give-

The Yarn Harlot says this in "Casts Off"

Knitting, like music and art, challenges us to see how parts become a whole, and in doing so, it provides many of the same incredible benefits for your brain. The ability to think creatively, contiguously, and linearly... knitting challenges our brains and makes us better thinkers.

Here is my own dissection- Math Brain-what is math but a collection of increasingly complex patterns: Visual Art Brain- where else is color play so accessible: Nonvberbal Brain that has to envision the 3-dimensionality of one piece of string: Sensory Brain that enjoys the feel of the fiber and the transformations made. The Utilitarian Product-focused Brain- as an elementary teacher, where else do I get to see the end of a finished product?

The product of late has been less than superior. The sweater was saggy. Unposted socks had a dropped stitch halfway down the top of the foot. They were supposed to make me feel better after the saggy sweater. The urge to knit continues based on all of the reasons stated above. But, feeling defeated by product, my brain appears to be in the "freeze mode" of Fight Flight or Freeze. Not surprising given that in all of the quizzes that determine a person's motivation for knitting (product or process) I end up solely in the middle. What next... that's what I'm wondering.

No Way!

The magic Knitting Fairy GodMama sent this email-

"I am sending you a package from Joann Fabrics. Be on the lookout!!!!!! Love, Mama"

Thanks Mama! My first "blogger-prize" I'm so excited.

Making assumptions...

The nuggets of contemplation and knowledge discovered during the course of knitting are personal ones that can only be acquired through experience and then confirmed by the stories of others..

With a limitless budget, there is no dichotomy in choosing yarn based on color or texture. A really good LYS would also likely prove this struggle to be moot .

Right now in the stash there are several (purchased on sale) really great feeling fibers in colors I may or may not have ever purchased if they weren’t such a “good deal.”

There are an equal number of beautiful colors that leave me wondering why I didn’t just go to a haystack and work that “natural fiber.”

Visits to really good YS’s are few and far between and accompanied by convincing clerks/owners whose opinions aren’t necessarily my own or who agree with every ridiculous thought I may have in order to sell their merchandise.

Nugget Number One: When spending money on yarn, it should both feel good and look good. Seems obvious- but when caught up in the heady experience of a yarn shop, it’s not often the first thing on my mind. I have a friend who also believes that in addition to the nugget above, there must be a project in mind in order to commit to the yarn. I can’t go that far. If it feels right and looks right, the project will come.

Nugget Number Two: Wood (bamboo) or Metal- One is not better than the other.

Early on I filled my needle holders with every size of bamboo. I love the way they feel in my hand. I thought I was a really cool “sophisticated” knitter.

I read some from the Yarn Harlot and realized metal might be clicky and not a favorite texture BUT they GO FASTER!

I experimented with this nugget- I took some fabulously textured silk (in a completely not me color) and put it on some metal needles. It was all a fabulous whirring clicking blur. No more digging in for stitches.

Having purchased the Denise interchangeable circular needles set (plastic) for $70 I am now wondering why I didn’t just get the metal ones. (oh… for the airplane- that’s it) but I’m now setting aside dollar bills for the metal circular interchangeable needles.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. I’ve not tried metal dpns-I’m not sure I want socks sliding off the needles BUT would that I could make those socks go faster…

From this point on I will follow Miguel Ruiz’s Agreement Number Three (is it Two?) Don’t Make Assumptions. The trick is that making an assumption often comes so naturally, it takes a little time to realize that you’re doing it.

More Lessons Learned

Things I have learned from my Spring Flair

1. I know why I've read so much about knitters not loving button holes

2. A row or two makes a difference in buttonhole placement.

3. Blocking makes things better.

4. I know why I have not knit anything for my husband yet. (After the first presentation with buttons slightly askew-even more than pictured- the first thing he said was "you're missing a button." NEVERMIND the 1/2 million stitches I made out of one strand of yarn.)

5. I know that when I finally knit something absolutely fabulous I will know it thanks to my husbands committment to the truth.

Just a warning

This is just a warning as we wait for Flair to dry and acquire buttons. If you should happen to get an on-sale post-Easter chocolate bunny that looks like this, and you go to break the ears off as any experienced chocolate bunny eater will do- be warned that this is one of those HOLLOW chocolate bunnies that will crumble into nothingness after you do that.

Also- I'd like to invite anyone who'd care to, to leave the story of their "first love" (see April 7 post)- I promise I won't turn it into a book but they might be nice to read.

This is the Cat on Drugs

Poor Sophalina. I'm not sure which leads to more anxiety- her natural state or the anti-anxiety medication. Maybe she is worried about penguins and oil spills. Or maybe she looks so dumbstruck because the Spring Flair is off the needles and waiting to be blocked.



I believe that I will follow dircetions for blocking as per my new resolution to follow the rules. It's pretty rough right now but once again, where but in the blog of the intermediate/novice knitter can there be such hope. I believe I've proven my intermediate status by not throwing on the buttons and wearing it "as is" to school tomorrow.

Another Diversion

I guess the only way this relates to knitting is that it was inspired while listening to a podcast while on my way to meet my knitting friend. I was listening to the weekly podcast of NPR Books and heard a book discussed that was written in honor of the well-loved bears, bunnies, and blankets that adults have hung on to long after their usefulness. They were referred to as "First Loves." The authors actually had a photo shoot for the first loves in the book and many stories for each. I'm a little cloudy on the stories of these two first loves (comments are welcome for those who are old enough to remember) but after hearing the podcast I thought the least I could do for them was give them a photo shoot.

When you're a teacher, former students are going to die unexpectedly. It doesn't matter how many times it happens, you just get full of sad for a day or a thousand. I'm glad for the chain of events that led to this photo op. Poopsy Woopsy can still give a little comfort.

Dare I speak it?

Knitting is not the only art. There. I've said it out loud. It's the first step. The rest of my art experience has become unmanageable by my knitting obsession. While I'm not ready to toss in the yarn for scissors and glue, I must admit, I miss the other stuff. Time was when scissors, glue, some felt and some glitter were all I really needed in the world to keep me happy. Add a little colored tissue paper and I was home free. There are several excellent blogs promoting art for art's sake that I sneak a peek at every now and then. I have occasionally been known to check in on one blog where the blogger sews something almost once a week- as if it weren't really a major life altering project.


I post this now, along with a picture of my vast "stash" of supplies of art stuff for art's sake in the hopes that I will revisit this post and remember that when my hand is cramping and I wake up with crinkled arthritic fingers, I do have other options.

Hope Springs Eternal

After some blog cruising of late, I've seen many many daffy-dils. None however had any sock yarn growing in them. Yes, as reward for some housecleaning (including the evil ladybugs) and in mourning for the pricey bag (which the LYS owner says to keep shrinking/washing until you can't see the stitches anymore) I purchased a sure winner in 2 skeins of sock yarn- this particular brand includes soy and shrimp shells. It was slightly pricier than if I had ordered on line but you can't get instant gratification on-line.

And, true to the title of this blog, where but in the heart of an intermediate novice knitter can you find such hope in the next finished piece? I spotted some perfectly matching buttons for the Spring Flair. I have about 20 more REALLY LONG rows until I think the body will be done. The sleeves are much like knitting socks, so if the body fits, we're home free. If it doesn't there will be a whole lot of frogging going on to the point where it's too small and then I'll try again. Unless of course this occurs a few rows after the collar in which case I will proceed to make some socks.

An update on the visit to the vet- all is well, however Sophie has been prescribed an antidepressant for anxiety- I told you it was a psych visit!

not so much

The title refers to the felting/shrinkage factor in the giant postal bag. It's still pretty ginormous and any knitter who accidentally stops by this site is more than welcome to offer a remedy to this pricey felting nightmare. The strap's too long, the bag's too big. I promise, on my honor from this moment forward (after reading the Yarn Harlot's "Knitting Rules") I will ALWAYS CHECK FOR GAUGE. Even if it's an accessory when I don't think it matters. Even if it's a dishcloth. Really.

Before

Knitting for Peace Postal Bag- before. I just have a hard time believing that this will actually shrink in size. It's spinning right now. I skipped the rinse in cold water anticipating another round of hot water shrinkage. I'm a nervous wreck!

The bag will replace the Bob's Fifty Cent travel bag that he got several years ago at a yard sale. This favorite bag broke and was replaced by a Big Apple NYC bag but he's really never been the same since. After suggesting the possibility of the postal bag belonging to him last night, he woke up this morning asking "Is my bag done yet?"

I'll actually get to see it more if he's carrying it anyway.