Yarn Rambles

Einstein has nothing on a knitter's sense of the time/space continuum

I  have had a completely unproductive week in terms of knitting. As things calmed down the last couple of days I began dreaming about a quiet knitting weekend. The weather that stormed in during the night helped with my crafty mood. What do you think?

Yep, lots of hot tea, some cookies, big comfortable pillows and a comforter. Well, at least as of Saturday afternoon. In my typical Puritan Work Ethic attitude, I feel I must "earn" my indulgent knitting weekend. That translates into spending a good chunk of time in the office catching up on a rather long To Do List. It's a good thing they are all small projects. It will feel awfully good to make little check marks next to them!

The storm kept me awake last night so I found myself thinking about knitting. As I made plans I began to wonder what the reality of my plans would look like all piled up. On Friday I received a package from the warehouse with yarn for the October Knitter's Almanac project and the Moderne Baby Blanket from Mason Dixon Knitting. This morning I gathered up all the yarn from other projects I wanted to work on over the next two days and took them into the office. We received samples of two very good books this week that I also want to read - Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair by Laurie Perry (Crazy Aunt Pearl) and Knitting America by Susan M. Strawn. We should have them in the warehouse in a couple of weeks.

I grabbed a couple of baskets from photography so I could arrange all my projects "artfully" for the shot. The result is exactly what I wanted - hysterically funny! What plane of reality do I think I occupy?

Would you like a list?

Hendrix's sweater still in the planning stage. (Back left)

Modern Baby Blanket just getting started. This will be my second one. (Back center)

Knitting America

Leggings from Knitter's Almanac (Front left)

Lime Green Polo Shirt for October from Knitter's Almanac (Front center)

Drunk, Divorced & Covered in Cat Hair

Plain black socks using Magic Loop

Really it is rather ridiculous but knitters are an optimistic bunch!

A perfect weekend!

It started Friday night with baby Walter! I was whining to Bob that I hadn't had a Walter fix since Bob had been off traveling. Bob shrank back in fear in the face of a frustrated grandmother and immediately called Matt to see if some sort of treatment could be arranged. Thankfully, Matt and Jessica were out and about and able to meet us for dinner at a very nice Greek Restaurant - Eleni's Philoxenia. I admit that the shade of lipstick left behind on Walter's cheek may not be his color.

Food is never one of my interests so I was very happy cuddling with Walter while everyone else enjoyed the meal.

Bob, on the other hand, having felt he had done his duty by joining grandparents with baby, was content to wait until dessert before having his turn.

Saturday was a lazy day. We slept in, Bob was still suffering from jet lag, and then enjoyed a beautiful autumn day walking around the golf course.

Saturday night I got comfortable in warm pajamas and knit on my Knitter's Almanac leggings. I had a nagging concern about the shaping that EZ instructed to do for the back (rear end) portion of the leggings. It seemed like an awful lot of short rows but I continued on believing all would be well.

It was a very early morning on Sunday - 5:30. I needed that much time to get ready for the Walk for the Cure and drive over to Karen's house in Portland. Karen's husband kindly took Karen, her daughter Cari and I to the nearest Starbucks to the starting point of the walk. Thank goodness! There was no way I would have made the walk without a soy latte!

I kept Xena in her doggy stroller which always gets plenty of comments but is a very nice way to keep her out of trouble with all those feet and gave us a place to keep wallets, water bottles and snacks. The walk went quickly with partly cloudy weather. Cool enough to keep on a jacket but not cold.

We were quite hungry after all that exercise and decided to grab some lunch at a deli called Elephants. It is just a block away from Nordstrom so some shopping was the next logical step. Just across the street from Nordstrom we were able to catch public transportation back to Karen's house.

I spent some time tidying up the house when I got home and then picked up my leggings. I had gotten to the ribbed waist section and it was time to check out the fit. I put the stitches on a scrap piece of yarn and pulled them on. Well, my suspicions regarding the back shaping were confirmed. The back could have worked very well in the front if I were about 8 months pregnant!!

I proceeded to rip out all the way down to the top of the waist decrease and ran the scrap yarn through again. Other than being way short of my actual waistline, the leggings now fit perfectly. So, I am going to knit about four inches of stockinette fabric to reach just below my waist and then knit the ribbing. My leggings continue to be one of my favorite projects!

Sweater Sampler from The Sweater Workshop

I am currently taking a poll in the Elizabeth's Year Yahoo group to see who wants to subsitute one month's project with the Sweater Sampler from The Sweater Workshop. I made the sampler twenty years ago when I first learned to knit and it has made all the difference in my knitting. I understand how to manage my knitting and garment construction.

The whole thing got started when a few of the group members started talking about the sampler. They all seemed so enthused that I didn't think I could miss an opportunity to introduce the joys of the Sampler to more knitters. Right now I am thinking that we can split up the month of October. Those of us who want to make the polo top from Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac can do that while I walk the rest of the group through their samplers. A bit hectic but a lot of fun!!

This weekend is going to be a bit eclectic. Saturday - golf and knitting. Sunday - Walk for the Cure, dragging out winter clothes and more knitting.

Look what I found on my doorstep!

One of our neighbor's husbands is a obsessive gardener. Kathleen often surprises me with little bouquets left at the front door. What a treat to come home to such an explosion of color. Or course, my favorite is the stunning orange dahlias!

I brought them into my newly cleaned office to remind myself how nice it is to actually have space on the top of my desk for flowers.

  I realized that I have been going on and on about my new love for Magic Loop knitting but haven't shared a recent photo of my sock progress. I am hoping to get them finished in the next week. I deliberately kept the cuff short so I could finish them more quickly, I wanted to see how the heel turn worked with ML and I only had the two balls of yarn so I didn't want to risk running out. After these are finished I will start a pair of toe-up socks from stash yarn.

The color is Arugala in Felici but there really isn't a blue stripe in it. My camera was playing with my mind this morning.

And none too soon!

I still have the back shaping and waistband to knit but my leggings are coming along quite nicely. Since it was in the low 40s up at our house this morning, they won't be finished too soon.

I had such a nice weekend. Seana and I went shopping Saturday morning and I found some pants that fit!! Being short makes it a bit challenging to find pants that don't drag around on the ground. I also found a very nice planner at the Franklin Covey store.

We had a quick lunch and then headed to the trendy part of Portland called The Pearl. We were wandering around and discovered a foot spa. And, they could take us both right then! What could be better! Walking around all morning and then getting a foot massage!

Seana had a very early morning on Sunday so I dropped her off at her hotel and headed home. A nice long bubble bath and I was ready for an evening of knitting. That's why I made so much progress!

Most of Sunday was spent getting chores finished. Again, a time when I appreciate my iPod. With a very interesting mystery to entertain me I didn't mind cleaning the refrigerator, doing 4 loads of laundry, making the bed, setting up my new planner, cleaning up my closet and getting the rest of the kitchen back under control.

I had bought some cookie dough on Saturday to use as yet another incentive. Once the chores were finished, I put on my nice clean pajamas, made a cup of tea, baked some cookies and knit! Absolute heaven!

Well, it certainly has character!

I've finished the first skein of Bob's sock yarn. Given that I haven't done any spinning over the last ten years, I'm pretty happy with it. There are certainly plenty of inconsistencies in twist and thickness but I like the way the colors are blending and the yarn is wonderfully soft! I'll give this skein a good soaking and let it dry and set the twist over the weekend.

Having a nice new skein of handspun is the direct result of having a good chunk of spinning time this week. My day with Marilyn, my art friend, on Wednesday was delightful. The weather was chilly so we spent our time in her studio. It always surprises us how productive we are in each others company. Add to that, a fine time on Craft Night here in the office and I managed an entire skein!

The Robin's nest that Marilyn discovered this spring has been the subject of many of her paintings throught the summer.

I have high hopes for this weekend. Bob is still traveling so I will have lots of time to work on my leggings. I am going to head into Portland on Saturday to spend the day shopping with my niece, Seana, who is in town over the weekend. My goal is to buy a new planner. Something brightly colored with nicely organized pages.

The Romance Is Back!

Not that I had stopped loving knitting but it had become "comfortable" and "routine" like an old married couple. Well, let me tell you, the pizzazz has returned! Nothing like trying something new! The "magic" in Magic Loop has all sorts of applications!

I started my leggings for the EZ Knitter's Almanac on Friday night. I knit the garter stitch stirrup of each one seperately using the Magic Loop and then got both on the needle before I went to bed. Armed with good audible books and a huge pot of soup, I happily knit and napped all weekend. The result?

Not only do these leggings knit up quickly, they fit like a dream!! I really thought this was going to be an obligatory Knitter's Almanac project but I plan on making a couple more pairs!! I used Swish Worsted and they feel wonderful!!

I was able to keep both legs on one 47" cable until I got past the knee. Then, because I would have to do the thigh shaping along the inseams - a different side for each leg - I decided to move each one onto its own needle. I worked through a full sequence of increases on each leg. Next I will use a contrasting piece of yarn, woven in every five rounds to keep track of how many rounds it takes to get to the top of my leg. Then I can copy that on the second leg.

The week is looking busy so I'm not sure how much knitting I will be doing before the weekend. I do have Wednesday set aside to spend with an "art" friend of mine, Marilyn Ciszkowski. I'll be taking my spinning wheel over in the hopes of finishing off a second bobbin of Bob's sock yarn. Thursday night craft night will be hard - ply the first skein of Bob's yarn or knit up the rest of the leggings and get them joined?

Finished Pi Shawl!

Bob couldn't resist taking a photo of me with the blocked shawl since I had stayed up WAY past my bedtime to get it finished!!

Enjoying Victoria, British Columbia

Sissy and I loved Victoria! We have both been there before but never for an entire week and never as a "girls" vacation.

I was able to keep up through the first day of the painting class. After that, I hung around knitting and listening to the instructor. On the first day, when the students introduced themselves to each other, I explained that I was a "knitter" who was only visiting the painting world. I think they enjoyed watching me knit.

On Wednesday we met with a Knit Picks customer, Sharon, who had sent me an e-mail suggesting we get together while I was in Victoria. We had a lovely evening! Dinner at Spinnaker's right by the harbor. After that, Sharon took Sissy and I to LUSH. I had already been there earlier in the week to buy some bath bombs and shower jellies to use in my hotel room. It turns out that Sharon is quite a LUSH fan and she introduced me to some new products - body butters and solid shampoos. Sissy had never heard of LUSH so we had a very nice time helping her fill up her shopping basket!

We ate well the entire week! Our favorite restaurant in terms of cuisine was Wild Saffron. I ordered Gazpacho Fondue - a nicely pureed and lightly spiced Gazpacho, toasted bread rounds with melted Cambozola cheese on the top to dip into the Gazpacho and a small green salad with a oil/vinegar dressing - yummy!

Our favorite for ambience was the Blethering Place Tea Room. Classic British cuisine, rather bland but comforting, and a Celtic group - The Rig-A-Jig Street Band on Friday night. We had Trifle and Carrot Cake for dessert with a steaming pot of tea complete with a hand knit tea cozy!

Sock knitting in Victoria

We had a rather long wait before boarding the ferry so I decided to take advantage and get started with my new project - learning how to knit socks on one long circular needle - Magic Loop.

I wasted quite a lot of time on the ferry stubbornly trying to figure out a way to cast on both socks at the same time. Every set of instructions I had downloaded before I left, said I would need to start one sock, put it on some holders, start the second sock and then put the first back on the needle before I could actually work them together. Well, I finally gave up and managed to get the first sock cast on and knit for about one inch before we docked in Victoria.

When I got back into my office this week, one of the comments led me to a wonderful site giving instructions for toe-up socks that do allow both socks to be started at the same time.

http://www.cometosilver.com/socks/2mlsocks_start.htm

Because I hadn't had much time to read through the sock knitting instructions I packed in my suitcase, I didn't realize I would be needing some sort of holders for the first sock while I started the second. I thought about it and came up with a solution. I cut a plastic coffee stirrer into two tubes and slipped the stitches onto them. Well, "slip" isn't exactly the right word since the cut edges were a bit sharp but it did work.

Yes, those brightly colored "flowers" in the background are my attempts at Chinese painting.

I have become a huge fan of the Magic Loop method for knitting socks. I find myself grabbing these socks whenever I have even just a couple of free minutes because it is so easy to find my place and get started with my knitting. And, it is so easy to take the socks in and out of my knitting bag with no problems in terms of pulling the needles out of the stitches.