Tink about It...

I've recently found myself once again surrounded by unfinished projects. A sweater with half sleeves, an afghan with incomplete blocks, a prayer shawl that needs to be frogged and de-frogged. And this is the time of year when our 1.5 days of sweater weather comes around so I am sorely tempted to start up one for myself - knowing full well that I will not finish it in time to wear this season. So what do you do when these sudden seasonal urges come over you and you find yourself caressing skeins of Noro that you know you can't dedicate time to right now (or next month, or in January...)? Seriously, I've taken the first step: I admit I have a yarn stash 10 times larger than my motivation or collection of patterns will use within a year. So now that I have identified and admitted that I have a problem, what do I do about it?

On the subject of having yarn stashes larger that fall somewhere between one's ambitions and one's realistic time and energy restraints, a sad fact exists that I think needs to be addressed. Where will your stash go when you go? My aunt, for instance, was 1)a fabriholic, and 2)Obsessive Compulsive. She left instructions concerning the distribution of her vast fabric stash in the case of her leaving this earth prior to exhausting it. Her executor, my mother, had very specific and detailed notes that told her what was to go where or to whom. Not many think of this ahead of time. (Did I mention that said aunt was Obsessive Compulsive?) On more than one occasion now I have become the distributor of fabric and yarn stashes for those family members who really just don't know what to do with their loved ones' supplies and incomplete projects. Since I am a facilitator of a stitch ministry and a contributor to several charitable organizations, I am able to assure the bereaved that these materials will be used for the benefit of those less fortunate. I'm thinking I need to include in my will where my sewing and knitting and crocheting supplies should be taken when I go. I think of it as a sort of pay it forward. I can enjoy as much of my stash as possible while occupying a corporeal space in the world, but I want to bequeath what is left to a good cause. Hmmm, I wonder if that proclamation gives me the freedom to purchase the most luscious and expensive yarns I possibly can from now on - after all, it's for a good cause in the long run!

I miss my Ravelry friends :(

I've been so caught up in school, I've forgotten how to blog and haven't been on Ravelry in forever. It gets to me at times and I want to hang the college thing up and return to my semi-simple life without weekly deadlines and quizzes. But I won't because hubster just achieved his MBA (pause for applause) and I am so proud of him. I am also so envious. Can't stop now, have to catch up with him.

Knitting continues despite school. Projects range from prayer shawls to hat and scarf for kiddo. I still haven't finished her multi-colored sweater - it is so close as to make me cry when I look at it in the bag. Nor have I managed to gather enough courage to tackle the legacy sweater for my friend - that one will have to go back to her with my regrets. Nor have I yet knit a sweater for myself! That needs to happen soon, I think. My one and one-half day for wearing a hand-knit sweater in my area is fast approaching.

Alas, but I am still here. Still knitting, still crocheting, still stitching for charitable organizations, still studying, and, of course, still frogging for perfection.

Hi, Ravelry friends! Hope to be on soon. Miss ya all!

That last bit...

Ever get to the final stages of a project and lose steam? Me, too. The sweater that began as Garter Stripes and was frogged and is currently being de-frogged into a 'top down' design is in its final stages. The Fashionista allowed me to measure the length on her and I asked, "Is this long enough, or a bit more?" to which she unabashedly replied, "A bit more, I think." ... the darling.

I like the sweater, I am enjoying working on it, but even with the addition of a few freak cold snaps added to our annual average of 2 1/2 days of sweater weather, I will not finish it in time for her to wear this year except maybe when we turn the A/C on long term in a few weeks. So I must agree with her determination that the sweater should be a bit more.

The only drawback at this point is the color combination. They are fun colors and are perfect for her, but the more time I spend with them the more they remind me of the Teletubbies. There is no yellow or red, and certainly no TV in the tum-tum. Thank goodness for that. Still, aqua, green apple, and something close to fuchsia - you get the drift.

Other projects on hand include a poodle skirt for - guess who; finally getting around to quilting the mystery quilt my husband pieced several years ago and presented to me as an anniversary gift (Thanks to http://redsatori.com/, the evil enabler); trying to stay in school - that is a whole different post!; and odd and various charity projects that are always in the making.

Have I finished my socks yet? Well, of course not! They are now above the ankle, though, which gives me the freedom of cuffing and binding off anytime I please. I like the yarn and want to use all of it, so I just keep going, and going, and going...

bloggety-blog

First of all, "Shhh!" I am supposed to be catching up on homework, not blogging. The thing is - I'm way behind and rather than being motivated catch up I seem to become less motivated the further behind I get. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy being a student and I derive great satisfaction from successfully completing my assignments, especially those I understand. I don't enjoy being behind schedule.

I don't enjoy being in pain either. I'm quite a baby about it so I've spent my time over the last seven weeks favoring my left side and avoiding typing. Avoiding typing is especially dangerous for an online student. Even now I am training the voice recognition software provided with Vista in order to limit the amount of time I have to type. Now I have a perfectly good excuse to give the impression that I'm sitting in my study talking to myself!

Fortunately, while resting, I have been able to get a bit of knitting done and a bit of crocheting, too. I still have my Swedish block socks on the needles. Kennita Tully's Garter Stripes has been knit, tinked, knit, frogged, de-frogged, and abandoned. The yarn is currently being recycled into another sweater for the original recipient based on a pattern from B. G. Walter's book, Knitting From The Top. We both are happier with this design.

I recently finished two bereavement gowns, one knit and one crochet. The church group is still working on blankets for radiation therapy patients. Our lovely friend, Ruth, suffered a stroke recently. We're praying she can join us again soon.

Enough for now. I'm off to make a cup of tea (Harney and Sons Hot Cinnamon Sunset) and then get moving again on my homework. I have a secret project that I will reveal soon it if it is successful. Keep your fingers crossed! Pictures later. Peace, love, and yarn.

Stitching my way through college...

One advantage to attending school online is that I can knit during the lecture and no one knows. Better yet, I can attend the lecture via recorded session and pause and back up if I missed taking a note because my hands were busy with yarn and needles. The disadvantage is that I must post 12 times a week to discussion threads (3 times per week per thread x 2 threads per class x 2 classes in a full time load = 12) and, unfortunately, "HI, I'm working on a pair of socks for myself made of Tofutsies 2 at a time on size 4 circ" does not count as a quality post. Go figure. Somehow I must find a way to express knitting and crocheting in ways that apply to statistical probability equations or programming logic pseudocode in order to get points for the post. Let's see - the probability that I will finish the socks before I complete the degree taking into consideration that I spend 15x more minutes studying and completing assignments than stitching is _____. That would be 1/10E5, I think. The probability that I will drop stitches due to trying to type and knit at the same time is ______. 99/100 is my guess. And so on. The pseudocode might be easier:

start
define variables
num needleSize
char yarnBrand
num castOn
num knitStitch
num purlStitch
....

on and on. I could finish the socks before I finish the code at this rate. I've knit to the instep (toe-up) and I refuse to let the fact that I only got this far because hurricane Ike hit and knocked the power out for 3 days. No power = no school. The make-up for those 3 days has been a pinch, though. Kids in the area missed 7 days of school (some still aren't back on campus) and DD thought that was a hoot until I explained to her that by law she must attend x days of school each year and those 7 days would come out of in service days, summer and other holidays. Talk about a burst bubble!

Okay, quick list and then I must study more:
crochet dishcloth (ugh! that sounds so boring) worked while electricity was out last week
knit homeless hat, navy , top down - the only way I knit hats now - finished Monday
toe-up Tofutsies socks for ME - at the instep, not expected to complete by Christmas
Charity Log Cabin Blanket (K) "Victoria" - in the mail
Charity Log Cabin Blanket (K) "Pat" - in progress
Embroidery (machine) emblems on polo shirts for Guatemalan school - in progress
Pocketbook slippers for Mom - not started, but the yarn is wound for doubling.

That's about all I can stand to look at right now. Of course there are many more projects lying about, patiently awaiting my degree, but I just cannot stand to look at all of them right now.

Pardon me, but somehow knitting was dropped from my degree plan!

I finished a most unusual pair of socks this week! Early in my knitting experience, before I had actually made any socks, I purchased sock yarn at the request of my young lady, who has a distinct sense of fashion. Think Punky Brewster. I only recently got to start knitting with that yarn - Lorna's Laces, Shepherd's Lace, Funky Stripe - and realized quickly that I only had enough for one sock. I happened to have also purchased too little of a mulberry to pink variegated yarn online around the same time. So I mixed the two using a rough Fibonacci Sequence (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibonacci_number) in a pattern from Schurch's More Sensational Knitted Socks called Alternating Triangles and finished off with a lettuce edge cuff. She loves them and I love that I got to make them for her. The next pair will be for me and after that, a very uninteresting but serviceable black, no stitch pattern pair for the new soldier. He has said I could put grey in the toe and heel if I must. Two completely different personalities!

Wow! Going to school again is a wild trip. Going to school now involves wi-fi, and discussion threads, and electronically submitted homework and quizzes, and Vista (don't ask me what I think unless you REALLY want to know, and pack a lunch!), and Office 2007 (see comment on Vista!) and coordinating with my husband's MBA program and my daughter's social life. It is week 3 of back to school at 41 and I've knit 5 rows. This is turning out to be a serious cramp in my stitching style. Oh, I know it will be worth it in the end, but where else can I vent??

Meanwhile, my oldest is off to Basic Training in a week. I look at pictures of the curly blond blue-eyed baby of 16 years ago and can't seem to make the connection. I'm not an empty-nester yet, still have the Fashionista to survive for a few more years, but she doesn't much resemble the baby pics either.

Changing Gears

It has been quite a beginning for the Summer. Things will be a bit different this year. This year, our oldest is off for basic training in the National Guard. This year, our youngest is attending her last participating Vacation Bible Study, as next year she will assist. This year, my husband and I are both in school. This year, I am more interested in knitting socks than anything else. This year, I will teach a member of the next generation to sew. There are many changes and new experiences. The only constant in our lives is our faith. It is, however, a doozy! We will continue to pray for others, and ask for forgiveness when we fall short. We will continue to teach the gospel in the world and as Francis of Assisi said, "use words if necessary". We will continue to be the best we can be in the moment.

Peppermint and Ginger Tea

April 26 and it isn't over yet...
This month is so big it began in the last week of March and won't end until the first week of May. Seriously, so much has been happening I feel I've missed the whole month in a blur. The only thing saving my sanity this month has been a constant supply of free downloaded audio books from the public libraries. I have to say that the Susan Cooper series The Dark is Rising was the most excellent remedy for the sour taste the recent movie, The Seeker (supposedly based on at least one of those books), left behind.
Now I need to convince a reading-reluctant child that the Harry Potter movies are not the end-all, be-all of the experience. While those movies are decent representatives of the stories, in my opinion, no one could possibly fit everything into the movie that is in the book. The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings are other excellent examples of how much more the omnipresent narrator can tell you than a camera can. I will step off that soapbox for now. Said child does not read the blog so I'm scoring no points here.

2fer1: Make that May 26 and it isn't over yet!
I won't even try to pick up where I left off. I'm having a hard enough time picking up where I am. The title of this post is so appropriate because of the business and stress of the days I don't have time to write or just don't know where to start. The Peppermint and Ginger Tea is very soothing. I live in an area where the water definitely has a flavor I do not like so I look for ways I can stay hydrated and enjoy the drink. Peppermint tea is perfect for this purpose. I purchase bulk tea herbs from Starwest Botanicals and have been pleased with their service and their product. I steep peppermint and stevia (a non-caloric herbal sweetener) and it makes my water tolerable to my palate. The fresh ginger is especially nice when my stomach is upset for any reason. It has replaced remedies from Tums to Immodium for me.

On to the crafting front. I recently finished a program from Penn Foster Career College in Dressmaking and Design. I thought it was a good program. I have been sewing for many years and still learned some new tricks.
I have been working with a new-to-me charity group who make knit and crochet blankets in a log cabin style. I was intrigued by the idea of using yarn to mimic a traditionally quilted design. It is a round robin group so each person does a part of the blanket and they come out patchwork as a result. I liked the idea so much that I started to put together some blocks for one of our Stitch Ministry blankets that is so many odd blocks. They won't match each other unless the whole thing is made patchwork. The double strand horseshoe and trinity blanket isn't finished yet either. My hands tire quickly when working with large needles. I finished a pair of socks just in time for a graduation [Brown Sheep Wildfoote Luxury Sock, Master Grey]. To my dismay, changing to a slightly larger needle for the leg made more than a slight difference in the gauge (duh!) and they didn't stay up through the ceremony. Live and learn. Finished a pair of Mock Smock Socks - say that 5 times fast - [Plymouth Sockotta, Colorway 6669] with much better results and started a pair of Cross-Hatch Lace socks [Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, Funky Stripe]. When I learn to count, the latest pair will be much more enjoyable to work on.

March's crochet projects were minimized considerably: I made 1 babushka [Patons Grace, 60903 Lavender]and started PH612 Tank Top by Oat Couture [RY Luxury Cotton DK]. For some reason, mulberry isn't shown, but my LYS had it. It has a bit of silk in it and a nice feel to it.

I am off now to get in some knitting or crocheting or goofing off on Ravelry.com
I hope to write again before 2 months have passed.

I'm Hooked!

March is National Crochet Month





It is also my birthday month. So the reasonable thing to do is crochet something lovely for myself. I have chosen Shell of Shells from Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Crochet. I am working it in Bernat Soy. I have discovered that I'm not sure how to check gauge in crochet pattern stitch. I will have to depend on the measurements provided in the pattern to ensure a fit.


I was a little intimidated by the very first step, chain 110. 110 stitches in any project looks like a major commitment. When the 110 stitches represents only half the project, the back in this case, it looks like a life sentence. Experience tells me that the simple, repetitive stitch pattern will go fast and work well with audiobooks and laundry breaks. I'm sure it will be finished in no time.


Once that is finished, if March is still March, I'll try to finish the Diamond Trellis afghan I started a year ago and put on hold. It is in papaya Caron Simply Soft.





On the hook/needles:


Kennita Tully's Garter Stitch Stripes sweater [Interweave Knits Winter 2003], also for the fashionista,
a double strand, on size 15, afghan for an ICU unit that will go home with a patient [Leisure Arts Little Books #75003],
The Scary Legacy Project,
Top Down Baby Hat







Off the hook/needles:


Two SEARCH hats
and a Top Down sweater for a stuffed mouse. I used the project to learn Barbara G. Walker's Knitting from the Top techniques.

Frogged:

TinyTube socks for preemies from WhimsyKnits - who can put tube socks on a baby??

The Fashionista's socks - she has agreed to allow me to make a less complicated pair.

Hats

Death by Chapeau - Hat Attack 2008 is fun. The knitting part is done so far as I know since my assassin (in Oklahoma) mailed my death the same time I mailed my missile to my target (in New Jersey). Still, one is not dead until the instrument of death arrives. My experience with the postal service has been that my hat will reach New Jersey quicker than my assassin's hat will arrive from Oklahoma. It just seems to work that way. The pattern was 'geek-inspired' and the arrangement of cables represented binary code settings for 0-15. It made for an interesting arrangement since each cable column was unique and the beginning cable - 15- was 4 cables and the ending cable -0- was 0 cables. Any more than that will just send you into mindmush if you've never heard of binary, so I shall stop there.

I am on a hat a day diet right now. I have finally taken the time to experiment with the Classic Cap from Knitting from the Top by Barbara G. Walker. I may never cast on at the bottom again! I like the increasing at the top and knitting until it is long enough better than knitting to a certain length and then wondering if the decreases will make the hat functionally long enough. I, along with some other dedicated crocheters and knitters are working to cover the heads of Houston's homeless. Our temps have been low on some recent nights.



My List:
On the hook/needles:

• a pair of socks for the fashionista - I hate it as much as I hated the swatch but she insists,
• Kennita Tully's Garter Stitch Stripes sweater [Interweave Knits Winter 2003], also for the fashionista,
• a double strand, on size 15, afghan for an ICU unit that will go home with a patient [Leisure Arts Little Books #75003],
• TinyTube socks for preemies from WhimsyKnits, because I'm on a hat kick and have had to tink them back a couple of times. They are SO tiny.
  
• The Scary Legacy Project,
• One more hat for a homeless person.

Off the hook/needles:

• Hatzilla the killer binary cable hat
  
• a 4"x4" block for the Ravelry founders' father/father-in-law,
• Two more hats for SEARCH.

I've had another fellow knit-blogger sign up for Pay It Forward. I have lovely gifts planned for both of my "angels.

The pc is once again obedient and subservient. Just don't tell it I said so ;^)

Not so much sanity, but the scarf is fabUlous!

Ooh the loveliness of cables and cables and miles of cables. It is done! The scarf fits. The scarf is warm. In a tight fix we can sit really close together and share the scarfy goodness. And now I am primed for Hat Attack as it will involve slaying a target with a cabled hat. As the designer has pegged the pattern 'advanced beginner,' I doubt there will be all the Twist Front and Twist Back business that I learned for the scarf.

The only drawback is that I am now wanting to cast on compulsively. Any naked needle, every yard of stash is luring, calling, cajoling me. I must resist. I have things already in the works and the hat coming up.

I blame this restlessness on the pc that wouldn't be repaired. My power supply arrived and brought some improvement. At least the ON button caused the fan to turn and the hard drive light to flicker. Nothing else, though. So the next step is to replace the motherboard since the power supply may have sent a last jolt surge that caused the board to shut down (read fry). So I'm still on the laptop.

Husband will graduate in a few weeks!! We pray the job made just for him is ready and waiting for his graduation.

Thanks to my one Pay It Forward angel who has signed up so far. I have a lovely gift in mind.

Off to see if I can redirect my compulsive urge toward finishing things instead of starting new and needlessly. At least I've finished one thing other than the scarf! Find Leo the Lion on Lion Brand Yarn's website.

Sanity via UPS and the endless scarf

The delivery of a not-so-small piece of my sanity in the form of a new power supply for my pc has just arrived thus lifting my spirits. My 'puter decided it was time for a break just about the time my mind decided it was time for a breakdown. Not a good combination.

If you know the story of the Three Bears, you can identify with my current dilemma.

1. My daughter's computer chair is too small and her desk is too... let me think of the right term... girly. Yeah, that's it, girly! Pink and purple glitzy bling-bling furry Tink and Webkinz and Barbie - and, well, you get the point. And the chair was an IKEA find that was not made for adults.
2. My husband's computer chair is too hard - wood, actually - and his desk is where the stressful things like bills reside. His monitor is on the right which is wrong, his keyboard is not ergonomic and he uses a mouse.
3. The laptop is the one I have depended on for now. However, it has its drawbacks as well. There's the ergonomic thing again and the touch pad I hate, but at least the screen is in front of me where I like it. I must admit I cannot complain about the seating since I am currently on my tush in the bed **wonder if I could somehow work that arrangement in with my pc once it is up and running again?**.

And now, on to the endless scarf. Let's face it, there is no graceful segue, is there? The scarf pattern is called Rosy Cables, I've said that before. I am not knitting it in pink because secure as my husband is in his masculinity, pink is just not his color. It doesn't match his kilt! I love the cables, I love the yarn, I love the man I am making it for but I feel it will never end. The scarf is now as long as I am tall - 66" - and is still not long enough to go from front around to front again. My husband has a 18" neck. Somehow that math just doesn't make sense to me. It seems it should be long enough. However, when I try to demonstrate that he could just pull it a smidgen tighter to make it long enough in front he makes strange choking sounds and turns purple. go figure!

On the hook/needles (besides the scarf that will never end):

Preemie Tube Socks

Garter Stitch Stripes

Feather and Fan Afghan

that sock swatch I still don't like

Off the hook/needles:

A hat I frogged

Stairs for Barbie and Lists

I spent all day yesterday drawing out a set of stairs for Barbie dolls. I used up nearly half a white pencil, every active brain cell I possess (twice), and 1/2 oz of eraser crumbs. Now, risers and treads are drawn out of black foam board along with a wardrobe that fit in the space left over. I spent some time making foam board furniture for dolls a couple of years ago. Each piece included coordinated "upholstery" in purple calico, lace edging, matching pillows - use your imagination and you will realize Barbie has more stylish furnishings than I. The result? 6 naked dolls strewn hither and thither across a bedroom stuffed to the ceiling with a variety of other entertainments. Recently, a dollhouse joined the mix. Not a plastic Barbie mansion. Not a particle board painted and shingled miniature Victorian for which an entire market depends on the sale of furnishings and fixtures. This dollhouse is unique. This one was built by THE GIRL. It is a 30" high 24"x 24" frame constructed of 1/4" plywood, 1x2's and real nails. It was a project which offered bonding between granddaughter and grandfather - and to her it is better than anything Mattel has on the market! Now we are adding a second floor. It will be constructed of foam board and covered with a marble print contact paper. The black stairs will be constructed by mom and dad and decorated (of course the stairs have to be decorated) by THE GIRL. Why? Because naked and occasionally headless Barbies have to have somewhere to hang out together. Coming later, the pool on the roof - that may have to be purchased, we'll see.

My List:
On the needles:

• The fourth and final skein of Patons chunky tweed for the scarf for hubby [Rosy Cables Scarf, Joanne Turcotte for Plymouth Yarn, Creative Knitting Jan. 2007]
• a gauge swatch for a pair of socks for the fashionista - so far I hate it,
• Kennita Tully's Garter Stitch Stripes sweater [Interweave Knits Winter 2003], also for the fashionista,
• a double strand, on size 15, afghan for an ICU unit that will go home with a patient [Leisure Arts Little Books #75003],
• The Scary Legacy Project. More about that later,
• One more hat for a homeless person.

Off the needles:

• Pocketbook slippers for me,
• A Debbie Mumm counted cross stitch Stacked Cups,
• One more hat for a homeless person.

Will the list of Off the needles ever be longer than the list of On the needles?? Doubtless : /

Off the needles, off the hook, and PIF

First, did everyone hear me shout hooray this evening when my manly socks finally came off the needles? Indeed, they are finished. I had to put them in time out for a bit but we worked it out.

Second, the snowflakes are finished and ready to be, well, finished. That sounds a bit less exciting when I read it back. The stitching is finished; now they need to be stiffened and sparkled.

Next off the needles will be the leg warmers and at least one hat. Now, for the PIFA/PIFE. It is the Pay It Forward Along/Exchange. This is a movement among crafting bloggers to commit some radical acts of kindness and propitiate niceness. Details are below. If you haven't already joined the fun, please consider it.

Pay It Forward Exchange I'm SO EXCITED to be a involved in the Pay It Forward Exchange! I found out about it from knittingwildflower!

Let me tell you about it, these are the instructions: "It’s the Pay It Forward Exchange. It’s based of the concept of the movie “Pay it Forward” where acts or deeds of kindness are done without expecting something in return, just passing it on, with hope that the recipients of the acts of kindness are passed on. So here’s how it works. I will make and send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment to this post on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I do not know what that gift will be yet, and it won’t be sent this month, probably not next month, but it will be sent (within 6 months) and that’s a promise! What YOU have to do in return, then, is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

I will now Pay It Forward to you THREE, I wonder who you will be?! Please, be a PIF! You will enjoy it just as much as we do!"

And, remember...you have 6 months to get your gifts done! Come on, you know you would love to be one of my angels. Then, one day, but you don't know when....you will get a gift that I have made especially for YOU!

Please remember, you don't have to knit or crochet to participate, anyone who can make a nice handmade gift is welcome to join :)

And speaking of blogs - this one in particular - I am working on a particularly netshy friend with a wealth of knitting knowledge and experience in an effort to get her to guest at least once, maybe anonymously, you know who you are. Will she do it for a song? Will she do it for a price? (Larry Springer's guests get paid, so why not mine?) Will she do it for a Venti White Mocha and a chocolate biscotti? We shall see...

It is SO not the Season!

Every year around this time I seem to forget that I have lived all but 5 of my 40 years on the Texas Gulf Coast. Why do I bother feeling disenchanted when I already know what is coming? I know that rain is more likely than snow. I know that my one and only Christmas sweater will probably not see the light of day unless I am going ice skating at the mall or turn my A/C down to 40 just so I can wear it. And I know that by the end of the season I will be so sick of hearing "Winter Wonderland" and "White Christmas" I will shudder within the first 3 bars. This morning, it was in the 70s and we were singing "In the Bleak Midwinter" which includes the line "snow upon snow" - like that is going to happen here! (Come to think of it, did it happen in Bethlehem? Does anybody out there know?)

So here is my contribution to the caroling list. I'm not sure when I learned this, but I think of it every year while Christmas shopping in my shorts, sandals, and t-shirt.

(try it to the White Christmas tune) and a 1 and a 2 and a...
I'm dreaming of a pink & purple-polka-dotted Christmas

Just like the ones I've never seen

Where the tree tops glisten, and children listen

To hear cowbells in the rain.


I'm dreaming of a pink & purple-polka-dotted Christmas

With every Christmas card I write:

May your days be merry and bright!

And may all your Christmases be pink & purple-polka-dots-on-white.



Oh, well. I guess you had to be there ;)

Social Knitting vs. Anti-social Knitting

For the purpose of this post, the term knitting may be applied to anything one does with yarn, floss, thread, needle(s), or hook. Lately, for me, it happens to be mostly knitting. I (usually) digress...so, to the point: today, I executed two of my favorite types of knitting - social and anti-social.


The social knitting cost $5, took place in a local store, and lasted 2 hours. Actual knitting progress: 8 rows of a scarf. In my defense, it is a multi-cabled scarf, but good grief, 4 rows per hour? I have actually been doing this for a while now and I know that I can knit 16 rows of that same scarf during one episode of CSI with husband ffw-ing through the commercials! What happened? Okay, don't answer that question if you know me because you already guessed what happened: my mouth worked faster and more steadily than my needles.


The anti-social knitting cost nothing, took place at a child-centered family gathering at the church, and lasted 2 hours. Actual knitting progress: I didn't keep count, but it was certainly more than 8 rows on the k2p2 hat for the homeless. I took the time at this event to say hellos at the beginning, eat cookies, take photos of the children gift-wrapping our pastors, and sing Christmas carols. Still, I got more knitting done.


Of these two settings, I don't have a favorite. Social knitting is fun because you get to see what others are working on and compare notes and show-off and talk the talk without having to explain that magic loop isn't really magic, just really cool. Anti-social knitting is usually free and takes place during something I'd rather knit than sit inactively through - oh, can you say "waiting room"?
"PTA meeting"? Any kind of kids' practice or rehearsal? So many minutes that could otherwise be mind-numbingly boring become productive. Anti-social knitting also tends to ward off the kinds of folks that would come over and talk my ear off about nothing because they are bored, too. They can see that I am busy and since I, along with a growing number of my enablers, er knitting friends, am addicted to audio books - well, the earphones are a dead giveaway that I am not interested in idle prattle for the sake of filling in the time.


So, many thanks to the crafting friends and acquaintances that like to knit together as a group. I'm just glad we don't serve wine because I would only have gotten 1 row knit and would likely have had to rip it out.


And, to all those I have ignored or puzzled as I knit away, completely oblivious to them and my surroundings, well, what can I say? Maybe you should have brought something to work on, too!

The tree in the corner

There is no denying the holiday season is officially underway. I survey the evidence - dusty boxes have descended from the attic to take over the living room until Easter. Yes, Easter. I'm only being realistic. Once upon a time, the goal was to pack up Christmas and return to our normal living arrangements just after the first of the year. In our family, though, we have several January birthdays and generally we are exhausted and ready to kick back for a bit once all the excitement is over. Later, the goal was moved back to Epiphany. But, seriously, who keeps up with when that actually occurs other than our pastor? Some of our calendars don't even note the day. Before you know it, Valentine's Day has come and gone and really, all the red left over from Christmas goes well with pink hearts and white carnations. St. Patrick's Day offers no motivation since the tree is green. So, yes, I think Easter is realistic. And if we don't make it by then, well, what better place to hunt for eggs than among the ornaments and lights?

"What's stitching for the holidays?" you may wonder. I am still (read: Will I ever finish this thing?) knitting the mate to my husband's sock. It is going well but getting tedious considering I could have knit another 2 pair in the time I have taken to redo this one so many times. This, however, is not a gift project. I am knitting legwarmers, but they are not a gift, either. No, I am not knitting gifts this year. I am crocheting. Don't get too excited. The whole of my holiday gift stitching will take a whopping 2 evenings.

I am making Julie A. Bolduc's Pretty Snowflake from JPF Crochet Club for each of the children in our family. We have agreements with each branch of the family that gift exchanges will be for the children only. With 8 nieces and nephews and 2 children, that is enough. This year each of the children will receive a handmade snowflake ornament and a bit of cash. I want to make this a tradition. My hope is that by giving them each an ornament they will have a start for their first Christmas decorating on their own - do you remember decorating your first tree?

As for the cash, I was raised with an understanding that cash was not as thoughtful a gift as something that was chosen especially for the recipient. As an aunt and mom, though, I observe that monetary gifts at birthdays and Christmas are always well-received. As we go shopping with the accumulated loot, we talk of what the gift-giver might like to give and what the recipient will truly gain some enjoyment from. As it turns out, handled properly, cash is a very thoughtful gift afterall. Besides, how in the world can one possibly keep up with what others' children want, need, or already have? Now, if I could get us all on track with nice hand-written Thank You notes ... yeah, right.

The Ravelry Universe

I've had my Ravelry.com membership since October 30. I am still overwhelmed by the community. Not only is there a huge number of knit and crochet enthusiasts already in the "beta" group, but there are pages, I mean pages, of designers there, too. Since it is still in the beta phase, volunteer editors are desperately needed to validate and approve the countless contributions of yarn and patterns. I signed up and quickly found myself swamped. I've since become frustrated. I still want to edit so there will be so many more options available to members when the floodgates finally open, but there doesn't seem to be a need for editing things I own - my library and my stash are restricted by a prohibitive budget. I floundered around with Reynolds patterns for a couple of days until I realized that without owning the pattern, finding information was difficult. I continue to look for some way I can be helpful in this capacity. There are many, many pages of yarns and patterns that need approval.

Meanwhile, I continue to play with the camera and Photoshop so I can add my projects and yarn to the ever growing group. Somehow I have to get past things like this, first:


No, the sock is fine (after a couple of tragic froggings) and already has a mate:




I just cannot seem to get good photos of them.

These are Manly socks and are based on the 4-stitch recipe in More Sensational Knitted Socks. I say based on because I am not following one of the stitches in the book. This is just a good old-fashioned wide rib. P1,K3, to be exact, in Brown Sheep Company's Wildfoote Brown Sugar.

One word of advice about the book. It is the second of a pair - clever for sock books, huh. The first, Sensational Knitted Socks, has a lot of errata. From what I gathered in a group discussion on Ravelry, pages of corrections are available from the publisher's website. The second book, appropriately titled More SKS, has only 3 corrections.

Some people seem to have some trouble following the format of the books because there are so many options available. Instead of having 1 pattern at a time, you have a table offering 3 different needle preferences, toe-up or cuff-down, several sizes and you pick your gauge. (I always choose a size based on some negative ease, in other words, I want my socks to stretch to fit the foot not sit on the foot like a sweater. It's just less likely to fall down or rub.) Then you have a lot of options from the back of the book: a stitch library based on how many stitches per repeat you prefer, optional heel and toe treatments, special treatment for narrow feet, and more.

For some, it is too many things in too many places. For me, now that it is spiral-bound, it is great. I can make near-unique socks because I can use any yarn, any needle, any stitch, and any approach I please. I could make hundreds of different socks from this one source. I like those options. IMHO - I won't need another sock book for a while!

IQF, the sequel

I have put it off too long now and must post something. Really, I have 4 drafts and have not posted any of them. I am in deep with my new photo software, and thought to wait until Quilt Festival photos were ready, but I need to get something up here. Here are links to booths I visited at the International Quilt Festival. I will diligently continue to work out the quirks of digital photography/photo editing/web posting of photos. In the meantime, check out some of these sites.

This booth: Graywood Designs was great and the gal there was really tickled with her new square hardwood needles she got at the show- the yarn she had was too bulky for anything I could use right now, but check out the knitting products they have to offer. I saw the Knitcushion, but alas, Mom has already made one for me ;)

I watched at this booth: Handy Hands, Inc. and realized, "Hey, he's just casting on backward and forward to make that stuff! I'm sure tatting isn't that simple, but that's what it looked like to me. I found a Wrist Ball Holder, proceeded to put my sock yarn on it and walked around knitting the rest of the time we were there.

I was really impressed with the offerings from Maru Quilted Silk when I learned that Robert does it all! I asked how many people he had working on the production of the beautiful and reversible quilted jackets and he said, "I'm It." The website seems to be under construction, but having touched the art, I can forgive him that.

We ran into a friend (and very talented fiber artist) working in one of the booths. She was demo-ing dye for natural fiber lace for Sara's Bloom as a favor for another of her fiber artist friends.

For the serious, as in I have a big machine that quilts for me, quilters: Munich Design LLC Quilt Recipes based in Temple, Texas would like you to visit.

If you're looking for a charitable cause, I made a block at the Festival for www.chdquilt.org which will go to a child named Zachary who has a Congenital Heart defect. They accept donations of materials, money, and blocks. Just scroll down the page to Sewing and send an email to get the information for a block request.

A-Quilting We Will Go ...

The International Quilt Festival is here this weekend and even if you don't quilt, it is an awesome thing to see. I must write quickly and revisit later with pics since I have yet to get ready to leave and have only an hour. Going to Quilt Festival has been something of a tradition for many years. I first attended with my mom who is an avid and quite talented quilter. When I married ten years ago, my husband attended with us and it has continued since.
There is so much to see and we only have about 4 hours this year so I must have a strategy!

1. I will not drink anything, and that includes my usual daily intake of about 32 - 44 oz of vanilla diet Coke - I know, but I hate drinking water! This should eliminate any need to stand in line for the bathroom. That saves a lot of time even though George R. Brown allows the majority of the men's bathrooms to be converted due to the overwhelming female majority in attendance. I, personally, have not been quite gutsy or desperate enough to go that route yet. Not even when I was pregnant. I'm afraid I would have to plant a fern in the self-watering ceramic pot on the wall or something equally unwelcome to the maintenance team. I digress!
2. I will eat something light on the way, like crackers, and take some gum or other minty non-food in with me so my body will believe it does not need to eat until after 7p.m. no matter how good the food smells. I have a horrible weakness for the glazed cashews that are vended at the back of the exhibit area. No fair, I say, all food aromas should be constrained to the upstairs area! I need that money for fiber.
3. I will, as usual, take mental snapshots of the gorgeous exhibit items without stopping to study them in detail. This is totally unfair to the wonderful artists who have put their souls into these works, but four hours is four hours and the place is HUGE.
4. We are on a serious budget. 'Nuff said about that, I don't want to be a downer. Anyway, after many years of experience I have learned to buy it when I see it. Did I mention this place is HUGE. I remember frantically searching for the previously seen pattern, ribbon, fabric, t-shirt... Oh,don't make me go on - it is too painful ...near closing time only to leave without it because after a little while all the rows look the same. Each row of booths is packed with vendors with their very best out for show, touch, pet, drool... snap out of it, froggie! So my advice is: if you think you want it, buy it when you see it. That booth will somehow magically vanish when you try to find it again. The following addendum to that philosophy for this year;
   
5. I will collect website addresses, business cards, brochures, notes. With the time and budget limitations, I just cannot impulse buy today. Sob! So I will collect connections so I can shop later or direct others who wish to shop for me. Sneaky, huh?

Well, I now have about 25 minutes to shower, dress, and get my travel knitting together. What? I can have my fabric and knit yarn, too!