Yarn Rambles

Same time next year

It's time for us to begin our yarn planning for 2009. We set aside a day or two to focus on all of Tina's numbers analysis, customer suggestions and any other new, exciting ideas we have for improving our yarn lines.

I am still absolutely thrilled with my little Flip Mino. After about half an hour, I realized that it might be fun to videotape a bit of our planning party. You can get an idea of how our collaborative efforts work. Bob just shakes his head but there is a method to our madness. We stick to one yarn type (lace, for example) at a time and work through all of the styles.

First, some lace planning.

Then, some sock yarns. We tend to get a bit animated when it comes to yarn color selection. Socks are such reflections of personality.

In case you were wondering about Xena, she isn't shy with her opinions.

Ravelry Friend visits Portland

I met Judy, TassieKnitter, when I joined Ravelry. We spent many months happily chatting about our knitting and spinning projects before she mentioned that she would be visiting America in the summer. And, in my area, no less!!!

Between Judy's touring touring around with her friends and my schedule, it took us awhile to get together. But, yesterday afternoon we met at Nordstrom's downtown. Xena was very pleased to meet a new friend! Judy had already hit a few places I would have recommended - Powell's books, Dublin Irish shop and Knit Purl.

Since Judy had already been running around all morning, I decided a quick trip to the little Elephants Deli next door to Nordstrom was in order. She grabbed her first Brownie in America and I had an oatmeal/chocolate chip cookie. Some Dry Lavender soda finished off our sugar fix. Judy had brought me a very interesting gift package. First, some handspun Alpaca from her neighbor's Alpaca farm. Also, an apron from the same friend who is originally from Korea. Her family in Korea hand stitches the design onto the aprons. Each apron is individual!

I think I am going to use the lovely alpaca for fingerless mittens to wear in the office next winter. I've been wanting to make a pair but just couldn't get around to it. This yarn is just so soft and inviting I won't be able to resist getting it knit up quickly.

I absolutely loved her sassy response to possible "No Knitting Needles" issues on airplanes. Brightly colored pencils with large funny erasers. She showed me her pair. She sharpened them and then painted over the points with fingernail polish! Absolutely brilliant! I may just take them along in case I have some problems. If nothing else, they may serve as a demonstration of the insanity of treating knitting needles as weapons.

Refreshed, we wandered down towards the river in hopes of finding Stumptown Coffee - a local coffee roasters. It turns out the Judy's son works at a coffee roasting company back home. I had a twinge of jealousy at all he is learning.

But, I got a bit confused and realized we had walked right past it and gotten onto the Pearl District. I wanted Judy to see this part of downtown anyway because it has become the new trendy area in Portland. Can you believe that we actually stumbled onto the gallery showing the glass spinning wheel that is so amazing!!

This wheel actually works and you can see it in all its glory on YouTube .

Like me, Judy likes to visit grocery stores when she travels. They are such great reflections of culture. So I took her off to the large Whole Foods store in The Purl. By then we had gotten better directions for Stumptown coffee. We finally settled down and had a caffeine fix. After that, Judy headed off to catch a bus back to her friend's home and I met Bob and the family for dinner. What a delightful, serendipity filled day!!

I know I'm in trouble when.....

....my Affirmation Marker is larger than the beginning of my Jolly Green Socks for Socks for Soldiers. This time I am going to use Tina's pattern for Two At A Time Toe Up Socks. I love her garter stitch heel that extends under the heel. I'm going to add a special touch - double strand the garter stitch section for extra padding! I can tell you that it is much easier to knit with Sarge than black yarn!

Lace shawl decision is made

When all else fails, I fall back on Elizabeth Zimmermann. Particularly the Knitting Workshop. This is the book I would have with me on a desert island.

The Stonington Shawl has a garter stitch body with a lace border. Just what I want for a travel project. Simple at the beginning with more challenge for the trip home. I seem to look at the time every five minutes when we are traveling back home. Keeping track of a lace border will be very helpful.

The simple design will show off the hand-dyed colors of Shimmer Bayou. I'm going to find a fancy border for it. I can't wait to see this all finished!

Nearly finished!

Oh, I am so close to finishing my Aran Sweater from The Knitter's Almanac. I made a lot of progress this week thanks to Craft Night and a staff meeting. After the weekend I needed to change to just one sleeve at a time. You can see that one sleeve is longer than the other! One more repeat of the cable pattern and then I will move to the second sleeve.

You can see that I am so close to being finished! Steek for the sleeve openings and the front. Add a buttonband and all finished! Well I stlll have to buy buttons. I may buy buttons in Ireland as special souvenirs.

Frederick (Fritz) Maynard Petkun has arrived!

Grandson #2! I would have had photos up earlier this week but we have been getting the catalog ready to go to the printer so things have been crazy!

Fritz was born on Friday, July 11th! 7 pounds, "something" ounces!

He, and his brother Walter, will have to wait for their blankets. But, I'm going to buy larger buttons for the kimonos from Mason Dixon Knitting so he can wear them while he waits. His first "hand-me-downs".

I do love my drop spindle!

Now that I've become comfortable with drop spindling, it seems like I am spinning all the time! I completely understand those spinners who prefer drop spindles to spinning wheels. Or, at least have a couple of drop spindles besides their spinning wheels. It is so easy to drop spindle during small bits of time much like I'm used to getting in a few stitches on a pair of socks. I may even take one of my tiny drop spindles out to dinner tonight.

I used my Flip Mino to capture a bit of my enthusiasm.

The spindle in the video is a Golding Aromatherapy with a 2 3/4" cherry whorl.

Applied I-Cord Lesson

Parker's Baby Blanket is finished! And, I used my Flip Mino to record a little lesson on applied I-cord borders.

Here is the blanket without the border.

And, here are my little videos! The first one covers getting the applied I-Cord started.

Now I show you how to turn a corner!

Now join the ends with Kitchener Stitch!

Here is the Moderne Baby Blanket with the border! Notice how I have enough yarn left over to make a Baby Surprise Jacket? I always get 9 balls of each color so be sure I don't run out. I figure that I can always use up the extra Swish Worsted yarn in a sweater, or something!

Plans for the long weekend

Bob will still be traveling over the 3-day weekend so I am going to indulge in a creative retreat. And, I'm going to use my Flip Mino to document a few things.

I have a tripod and I'm going to try to capture spinning with my fragrant drop spindle. I am so in love with this spindle. I can't tell how much of it is because of the aromatherapy or because it seems so easy for me to use. You can see the little "cage" that holds a bit of cotton ball. Then you drip a few drops of aromatherapy oil on it. The fans of the spindle blow the fragrance around you.

By Friday morning I will be ready to add the i-cord border to Parker's baby blanket. I think the attached cord would make an excellent little tutorial video.

The rest of the weekend will be dedicated to my Aran cardigan. I'm not sure how much progress I will make but I will definitely take a few photos. If I'm lucky enough to get to the steeking section, I'll make another video. Just call me Kelley Demille!

Update on Socks for Soldiers

I have finished my first pair of Big Black Socks to send off to Kim (Sarge) from Socks for Soldiers. I've knit two pair for Bob's son, Jonathon, who is a Marine.

My socks just squeaked under the wire in terms of the "new" colors the military prefers - more desert colored. This is a wonderful development for the Socks for Soldiers program. I certainly understand knitters reluctance to knit tiny little stitches in black yarn! I am looking forward to leaving Big Black Socks behind.

Luckily our Essential Buckskin fits into the "Tan" category but we didn't have a green to match the military's idea of Olive Drab. I worked with Kim and we came up with "Sarge" in tribute to Kim keeping us in line and in good spirits.

Army (highest # of deployed) - Olive Drab (Sarge) or Tan (Buckskin)
Marines (2nd highest deployed) - Black or Tan (Buckskin)
Air Force (equal to Marines deployed) - Olive Drab (Sarge), Tan (Buckskin) or Black (for pilots)
Navy (3rd highest deployed) - Black

I'm hoping that these new colors will encourage more knitters to join the ranks! I can tell you these socks are perfect for toting around with you in order to "Give Me Twenty Minutes" each day.