My Goodness! I haven't been here since April! I knew it had been a while, but sheesh!!
Looking a bit to the future (rarely a good thing for me), I won't be on the blog much as the summer progresses. When I do, it won't be much about fiber, but will be about fur.
I'm scheduled for Carpal Tunnel surgery on August 12th and no knitting for a while. Typing will certainly be limited to zero for a few weeks.
I'll be back....
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Feline Addicts
Do your cats smoke crack?
I'm convinced that mine do. In fact, I'm also convinced that Bonnie has a crack production operation under our house complete with rat mules for distribution and a network of tunnels through our metropolis.
Now, I really know nothing about crack production, distribution, or use.
Feline crack smoking appears to manifest with sudden wide eyes, snapping tail, and jumping about at apparently invisible things. I have confirmed with friends who live with felines and the behavior seems to be consistent cat to cat. Mine have suddenly 'turned on' and jumped about on the furniture...springing from spot to spot diving under pillows or reaching down between the cushions. WITH NO APPARENT OUTSIDE STIMULUS! Thus my theory that they smoke crack.
I haven't found any of their paraphernalia, but I am pretty darn sure Bonnie, being the personality that she is, has a manufacturing plant beneath our house. Bonnie P. is always thinking. She is one of those individuals in which you can see the wheels turning...only if she wants you to see them of course...otherwise she has that feline squint going on that says, "Eff you Momma."
I did my best in raising her, I really did. I tell her frequently that there may be a 12 Step Program out there for her and that she is not alone. Her only response to me is to pop her tail and throw an "Eff you Momma" look over her shoulder. Sigh....you do your very best for these children and this is what you get...
Clyde, I believe, goes along for the ride. He occasionally smokes crack, but mostly he seems to drift through things always looking for trouble. I think he's Bonnie's enforcer. He is soft at his core however and always comes home for Momma's kisses.
Raising children is certainly a mixed bag.
I'll be off now to work some more on my Pi shawl and to watch an adorable movie called, "Schultze Gets the Blues." Ta Ta
I'm convinced that mine do. In fact, I'm also convinced that Bonnie has a crack production operation under our house complete with rat mules for distribution and a network of tunnels through our metropolis.
Now, I really know nothing about crack production, distribution, or use.
Feline crack smoking appears to manifest with sudden wide eyes, snapping tail, and jumping about at apparently invisible things. I have confirmed with friends who live with felines and the behavior seems to be consistent cat to cat. Mine have suddenly 'turned on' and jumped about on the furniture...springing from spot to spot diving under pillows or reaching down between the cushions. WITH NO APPARENT OUTSIDE STIMULUS! Thus my theory that they smoke crack.
I haven't found any of their paraphernalia, but I am pretty darn sure Bonnie, being the personality that she is, has a manufacturing plant beneath our house. Bonnie P. is always thinking. She is one of those individuals in which you can see the wheels turning...only if she wants you to see them of course...otherwise she has that feline squint going on that says, "Eff you Momma."
I did my best in raising her, I really did. I tell her frequently that there may be a 12 Step Program out there for her and that she is not alone. Her only response to me is to pop her tail and throw an "Eff you Momma" look over her shoulder. Sigh....you do your very best for these children and this is what you get...
Clyde, I believe, goes along for the ride. He occasionally smokes crack, but mostly he seems to drift through things always looking for trouble. I think he's Bonnie's enforcer. He is soft at his core however and always comes home for Momma's kisses.
Raising children is certainly a mixed bag.
I'll be off now to work some more on my Pi shawl and to watch an adorable movie called, "Schultze Gets the Blues." Ta Ta
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Home From Knitting Lesson
What a wonderful afternoon...truly a success.
Anthony took to knitting like a fish to water! I cast on three stitches and he cast on the rest with minimal coaching. I then knit one row, turned and handed it off to him...and off he went. We had a lovely afternoon watching trash television and then the majority of "Wall E." What a delightful movie!
Bella, the mini-Dachshund and Otto, the Chihuahua were initially quite a lot of help, but soon settled in to knitting assisted somnolence. As I was leaving it started to rain, but it's warm out. Lovely to have spring in the PNW.
I finished the small yellow ball on the Pi shawl and started on the green. Still at the 288 stitch phase, but not far from the next increase. The concentric holes every six rows are a wonderful addition.
Bonnie is madly working at a cupboard door so I had better focus on what she needs.
Anthony took to knitting like a fish to water! I cast on three stitches and he cast on the rest with minimal coaching. I then knit one row, turned and handed it off to him...and off he went. We had a lovely afternoon watching trash television and then the majority of "Wall E." What a delightful movie!
Bella, the mini-Dachshund and Otto, the Chihuahua were initially quite a lot of help, but soon settled in to knitting assisted somnolence. As I was leaving it started to rain, but it's warm out. Lovely to have spring in the PNW.
I finished the small yellow ball on the Pi shawl and started on the green. Still at the 288 stitch phase, but not far from the next increase. The concentric holes every six rows are a wonderful addition.
Bonnie is madly working at a cupboard door so I had better focus on what she needs.
When Life Gets Messy
When life gets messy for me, I find two things very helpful:
1. Return to the classics
2. Organize
Yesterday I started my first Pi shawl...now this certainly isn't a classic for me, but it is a classic in the knitting community. This particular shawl is a lot of mindless knitting in the round. Around and around with a bit of variation every several rows, but basically around and around knitting. All knitters start with the knit stitch. Once you learn the knit stitch you only have one more stitch to learn (purl) so you are halfway to expertise.
Today we went through the chore of sorting the mail and paying the bills. Blech. We don't sort the mail very often...who wants all that bad new that often? As I sorted I came upon a sympathy card from RCVH. They sent it to me after Lessa's passing. It was a kind thought for sure. One of the signers was Dr. Tom. I've known Dr. Tom as long as I've known the clinic, or nearly so. He wrote that Lessa was one of the true originals. She sure was.
Lessa kitty crossed paths with me in 1989 or 90, I think. She was a barn cat with a badly fractured leg. I was a newish tech and hadn't been around long enough to have filled my house with rescues. When I opened the cardboard carrier, I knew she was meant for me. Before we even took xrays, I told David that, "if they pull the plug on this cat, I want her." That was the beginning of a 19 year relationship.
This morning before we commenced with the household stuff, I drank my coffee while knitting on my Pi shawl and enjoying another classic, "Harold and Maude." I have enjoyed this movie for 25 years or so. What a gift to the world is a good movie. I enjoyed the Cat Stevens sound track as well as the familiar Maude quotes: "Oh don't be officious. You're not yourself when your officious. That's the curse of a government job. is one of my favorites.
So, the classics were out of the way for this messy day.
On to organize.
I went through all of this accumulated mail. Shredding and putting to the recycling. Writing checks while husband muttered and swore over trying to put the protective shield on his Droid. Why won't he just pay BestBuy to do it? Well, that's a question with no answer and a subject for a different kind of blog. When the bills were done, I moved on to organizing myself by taking a shower.
Refreshed and ready for the day, albeit late in the day, but it's Sunday after all, I went through my Naked Sheep knitting bag putting the contents away. When I had to quit knitting last July, I gave the bag to Mom because she agreed to finish some socks for me. It finally made its way back to my house, but I'd not done anything with it. So, this morning I did.
Now I'm ready for another movie and to knit some more on the Pi shawl. Anthony is to call when he's ready for his lesson.
Around and around the knitting goes...
1. Return to the classics
2. Organize
Yesterday I started my first Pi shawl...now this certainly isn't a classic for me, but it is a classic in the knitting community. This particular shawl is a lot of mindless knitting in the round. Around and around with a bit of variation every several rows, but basically around and around knitting. All knitters start with the knit stitch. Once you learn the knit stitch you only have one more stitch to learn (purl) so you are halfway to expertise.
Today we went through the chore of sorting the mail and paying the bills. Blech. We don't sort the mail very often...who wants all that bad new that often? As I sorted I came upon a sympathy card from RCVH. They sent it to me after Lessa's passing. It was a kind thought for sure. One of the signers was Dr. Tom. I've known Dr. Tom as long as I've known the clinic, or nearly so. He wrote that Lessa was one of the true originals. She sure was.
Lessa kitty crossed paths with me in 1989 or 90, I think. She was a barn cat with a badly fractured leg. I was a newish tech and hadn't been around long enough to have filled my house with rescues. When I opened the cardboard carrier, I knew she was meant for me. Before we even took xrays, I told David that, "if they pull the plug on this cat, I want her." That was the beginning of a 19 year relationship.
This morning before we commenced with the household stuff, I drank my coffee while knitting on my Pi shawl and enjoying another classic, "Harold and Maude." I have enjoyed this movie for 25 years or so. What a gift to the world is a good movie. I enjoyed the Cat Stevens sound track as well as the familiar Maude quotes: "Oh don't be officious. You're not yourself when your officious. That's the curse of a government job. is one of my favorites.
So, the classics were out of the way for this messy day.
On to organize.
I went through all of this accumulated mail. Shredding and putting to the recycling. Writing checks while husband muttered and swore over trying to put the protective shield on his Droid. Why won't he just pay BestBuy to do it? Well, that's a question with no answer and a subject for a different kind of blog. When the bills were done, I moved on to organizing myself by taking a shower.
Refreshed and ready for the day, albeit late in the day, but it's Sunday after all, I went through my Naked Sheep knitting bag putting the contents away. When I had to quit knitting last July, I gave the bag to Mom because she agreed to finish some socks for me. It finally made its way back to my house, but I'd not done anything with it. So, this morning I did.
Now I'm ready for another movie and to knit some more on the Pi shawl. Anthony is to call when he's ready for his lesson.
Around and around the knitting goes...
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Pi Shawl: End of Day One
Okay, so this could definitely be considered obsessive...I've knit all day. Also not good for the not as yet had surgery hand.
I couldn't figure out the Emily Ocker cast on. I did make multiple attempts. Finally I improvised and I'm pleased with the results.
I've knit all of the small red ball and am well into the small orange one. I'm at the 288 stitch/48 rows stage. I've taken one of EZ's suggestions and every sixth row is a YO, K2tog row to add some concentric circles.
My mind did spin a bit on going for the more complicated pattern, but sanity won the day.
On to a movie and to rest.
I couldn't figure out the Emily Ocker cast on. I did make multiple attempts. Finally I improvised and I'm pleased with the results.
I've knit all of the small red ball and am well into the small orange one. I'm at the 288 stitch/48 rows stage. I've taken one of EZ's suggestions and every sixth row is a YO, K2tog row to add some concentric circles.
My mind did spin a bit on going for the more complicated pattern, but sanity won the day.
On to a movie and to rest.
Pi Shawl: Day One: The Sorrow and the Pity: Or: Let's turn that frown upside down...
The yarn arrived last Wednesday. After some fondling, oohing, and ahhing, I brought it home and resisted the urge to fondle again until last night. The work week was finally done and I was set to use the new swift and wind this lovely, lacey. gorgeous stuff into balls in preparation for starting to knit today.
First a few words about the yarn. I bought it from Knit Picks...see http://www.knitpicks.com/ for it and more wonders. The yarn is called Gloss Lace. It is lace weight 70% Merino Wool and 30% silk. It's hand wash/dry flat...I usually avoid such things and it's gorgeous. It's soft and the colors are vibrant. The colors are a rainbow spectrum: Fiesta/Carrot/Dandelion/Peapod/Ultramarine/Cyan/Lilac. Each skein is 440 yards/50 grams. It's spun beautifully and perfectly.
Last night after dinner I set up the new swift and set about the first task. The winding went well. I've never used a wooden swift. Previous swifts have been organics (husband or anyone else I could talk into it). This worked pretty darn well. I must say the swift looks perfectly placed attached to the blue dresser. (Mom: Can't wait for you to see it.) As I hoped, I was able to get one large and one small ball from each skein. My intention is to make Elizabeth Zimmerman's basic Pi shawl and have the smaller amounts of color radiate out to the larger ones.
The winding commenced under terrorist observation. Now, Momma has been around a while, so she knew what to do when she completed the winding....put the yarn balls away. So, I did just that. I secured them, in order of use, in a plastic bag and put the bag in a drawer that so far terrorists are unable to access. I went to bed with a clear head and enjoyed a nice night of sleep.
Today, after taxes were done (ugh!), we went by The Naked Sheep (http://www.thenakedsheepknitshop.com/) to purchase the right needles for the project. I arrived at home to begin the project.
Horror....there was a terrorist attack in the night! Apparently the small carrot ball of yarn did not make it into the secure location and therefore homeland security was no help. The small ball of carrot was in three pieces and several snarls on the floor of my room...stretching out the doorway. After stomping and yelling, I set about making it right. It's been wound up into a ball again after being tied together. Not the way I wanted it, but it will do.
We are now on vomit watch in case some was ingested. Damn.
So, I'm ready to start again. One terrorist is perching on the back of my chair; the other is not in evidence....but then Dad has been painting in another room....
EZ take me away.
First a few words about the yarn. I bought it from Knit Picks...see http://www.knitpicks.com/ for it and more wonders. The yarn is called Gloss Lace. It is lace weight 70% Merino Wool and 30% silk. It's hand wash/dry flat...I usually avoid such things and it's gorgeous. It's soft and the colors are vibrant. The colors are a rainbow spectrum: Fiesta/Carrot/Dandelion/Peapod/Ultramarine/Cyan/Lilac. Each skein is 440 yards/50 grams. It's spun beautifully and perfectly.
Last night after dinner I set up the new swift and set about the first task. The winding went well. I've never used a wooden swift. Previous swifts have been organics (husband or anyone else I could talk into it). This worked pretty darn well. I must say the swift looks perfectly placed attached to the blue dresser. (Mom: Can't wait for you to see it.) As I hoped, I was able to get one large and one small ball from each skein. My intention is to make Elizabeth Zimmerman's basic Pi shawl and have the smaller amounts of color radiate out to the larger ones.
The winding commenced under terrorist observation. Now, Momma has been around a while, so she knew what to do when she completed the winding....put the yarn balls away. So, I did just that. I secured them, in order of use, in a plastic bag and put the bag in a drawer that so far terrorists are unable to access. I went to bed with a clear head and enjoyed a nice night of sleep.
Today, after taxes were done (ugh!), we went by The Naked Sheep (http://www.thenakedsheepknitshop.com/) to purchase the right needles for the project. I arrived at home to begin the project.
Horror....there was a terrorist attack in the night! Apparently the small carrot ball of yarn did not make it into the secure location and therefore homeland security was no help. The small ball of carrot was in three pieces and several snarls on the floor of my room...stretching out the doorway. After stomping and yelling, I set about making it right. It's been wound up into a ball again after being tied together. Not the way I wanted it, but it will do.
We are now on vomit watch in case some was ingested. Damn.
So, I'm ready to start again. One terrorist is perching on the back of my chair; the other is not in evidence....but then Dad has been painting in another room....
EZ take me away.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
The New/Old/As Yet Unfinished Project AKA The Companion Year Long Scarf to the Year Long Hat(s)
The re-arranging in my room certainly has it's benefits as well as dust bunnies. I've come upon some 'missing' yarn.
A couple of years ago, my friend Juls commissioned me to make knitted hats for her and her mother.
I don't do very well with knitting project deadlines, however I cannot say 'no' to a knitting project. Back to my story...
My dear and sweet friend Julie asked me to knit a hat for her mother. Julie's mom had recently survived chemotherapy and needed a warm hat for her cold head. I happily agreed. We rendevouzed at The Naked Sheep Knit Shop here in North Portland where Julie picked out yarn and a pattern. Along the way she asked if I would knit her a hat as well and with the same pattern. Again, I happily agreed. Julie is dear to me and by extension, so is her mom.
As I stated previously, I don't do very well at all with knitting project deadlines. I won't go into the gnarly details, but suffice it to say, it took something like a year for me to knit both hats. I must be clearly indicate that I knit plenty of things in that year, but I lolly-gagged around with these hats. Eventually they were complete. The yarn was beyond lovely....a baby Alpaca soft dream to touch and knit. The mom hat was a beautiful lavender and the Julie hat was a rich cream. Somewhere along the line a scarf was discussed. The mom had made it to the mom in time for a holiday visit. The Julie hat was complete in time for her business trip to Europe. The scarf, well the scarf went nowhere, life continued and last July, knitting stopped for me completely, but that is another story.
A year later I'm sorting through my room and re-arranging and here I find the scarf yarn. The rich creamy baby Alpaca is a delight to touch. I've been mulling over the last few days, since I found the yarn, just what pattern to use, what size needles, etc. I had actually started and ripped back this scarf multiple times, but nothing seem to feel right. I have learned to put a project away if it doesn't feel right.
My current lavatory reading is "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Knitting and Crocheting" something like that....it's an okay book, but I won't subject you to a review at this time. That being said, in the finishing section, there were instructions on how to prevent an edge from curling by creating a selvage. Turns out I've done this on every heel flap I've made and not noticed that this simple slipping of the first stitch prevents the sides from curling it. EPIPHANY! I instantly knew what to do with this new found knowledge...the scarf.
So I've cast on the scarf and ripped it out once and cast on again. The scarf is knit in the same pattern of the hats...basic garter stitch with a contrasting column every seven stitches. The big question now is, will it take me a year to finish this scarf? I hope not. Julie, don't hold your breath dear friend.
Enough blogging digression, off to knit some more creamy baby Alpaca.
A couple of years ago, my friend Juls commissioned me to make knitted hats for her and her mother.
I don't do very well with knitting project deadlines, however I cannot say 'no' to a knitting project. Back to my story...
My dear and sweet friend Julie asked me to knit a hat for her mother. Julie's mom had recently survived chemotherapy and needed a warm hat for her cold head. I happily agreed. We rendevouzed at The Naked Sheep Knit Shop here in North Portland where Julie picked out yarn and a pattern. Along the way she asked if I would knit her a hat as well and with the same pattern. Again, I happily agreed. Julie is dear to me and by extension, so is her mom.
As I stated previously, I don't do very well at all with knitting project deadlines. I won't go into the gnarly details, but suffice it to say, it took something like a year for me to knit both hats. I must be clearly indicate that I knit plenty of things in that year, but I lolly-gagged around with these hats. Eventually they were complete. The yarn was beyond lovely....a baby Alpaca soft dream to touch and knit. The mom hat was a beautiful lavender and the Julie hat was a rich cream. Somewhere along the line a scarf was discussed. The mom had made it to the mom in time for a holiday visit. The Julie hat was complete in time for her business trip to Europe. The scarf, well the scarf went nowhere, life continued and last July, knitting stopped for me completely, but that is another story.
A year later I'm sorting through my room and re-arranging and here I find the scarf yarn. The rich creamy baby Alpaca is a delight to touch. I've been mulling over the last few days, since I found the yarn, just what pattern to use, what size needles, etc. I had actually started and ripped back this scarf multiple times, but nothing seem to feel right. I have learned to put a project away if it doesn't feel right.
My current lavatory reading is "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Knitting and Crocheting" something like that....it's an okay book, but I won't subject you to a review at this time. That being said, in the finishing section, there were instructions on how to prevent an edge from curling by creating a selvage. Turns out I've done this on every heel flap I've made and not noticed that this simple slipping of the first stitch prevents the sides from curling it. EPIPHANY! I instantly knew what to do with this new found knowledge...the scarf.
So I've cast on the scarf and ripped it out once and cast on again. The scarf is knit in the same pattern of the hats...basic garter stitch with a contrasting column every seven stitches. The big question now is, will it take me a year to finish this scarf? I hope not. Julie, don't hold your breath dear friend.
Enough blogging digression, off to knit some more creamy baby Alpaca.
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